Pennsylvania community halts largest sewer privatisation deal in US history

Failure of the $1.1bn bid by Aqua for the Bucks County Water and Sewer Authority is a major victory for campaigners

A community in Pennsylvania has stopped the privatisation of its public water and sewer system, scuppering a corporate takeover that residents feared would have led to higher bills.

A $1.1bn bid by Aqua for the Bucks County Water and Sewer Authority (BCWSA) system would have been the largest sewer privatisation deal in American history. The company's bid for the water service has already failed, but now the county commissioners have shut the door completely after siding with residents who opposed privatisation.