WARREN — Trumbull County commissioners are expected to renew an agreement with Girard, giving the city permission to use county water lines to bring water to about 1,500 Liberty residents.

Although they are expected to enter another 20-year agreement, this time it will include an opt-out clause to allow the county to pull out if a chance to regionalize the system arises, said Gary Newbrough, interim sanitary engineer.

The contract does not control the rate the city charges the Liberty customers because Girard sets that rate. The contract just gives permission to service that part of the county, Newbrough said.

The most recent 20-year contract ended last year, but was extended through March as commissioners, the sanitary engineer’s department and others considered other options for water service for the Liberty residents, because they pay some of the highest rates for water in the county — the second highest rate in the state.

State law allows a 40 percent surcharge any time an entity sells water outside its limits, so the charges can be stacked if the water travels through multiple sources.

Water is shuffled through pipes owned by numerous other entities, each tacking on a surcharge, leaving the residents of Liberty to pay some of the highest rates in the county and state.

While Trumbull County water customers pay $8.22 per thousand gallons used, about 1,500 people in Liberty who buy their water from Girard have to pay $17.35 per thousand gallons used.

Girard buys its water from outside sources that upcharge the city, too. Its residents pay $12.39 per thousand gallons used.

Economic development officials in the last few years have said that the practice, though perfectly legal, can be a deterrent to economic development activity.

It was determined there was nothing that could be done at the county level to control the rates. Girard city officials are not interested in giving up the customers to the county, and commissioners and the sanitary engineer’s office had concerns that going toe-to-toe with Girard on the issue could lead to problems with the contract between the county and Girard for sewage treatment. Girard treats a large portion of county sewage for a fee, and Newbrough worried an increase could upset the balance in the sewer district’s finances. Newbrough said Girard and the county are expected to agree on a favorable rate for sewage treatment.

Newbrough said his office is going to spearhead an effort to develop a plan to present to local lawmakers, recommending changes to state law that would allow more regionalization and provide more equitable utility rates.