USA, Pensilvania: The Pittsburgh Brewing Company may have to tap a new water source for its beer. Negotiations between Pittsburgh Brewing Co. and the Pittsburgh Water & Sewer Authority continued Thursday, September 30. The brewery had until the end of the day to pay US$3.5 million in late water bills to the city water and sewer authority. If the payments aren't made, the authority has threatened to shut off water to the brewery. Company officials have said they plan to make the payment on time.

The Lawrenceville brewer of Iron City and I.C. Light beer owes the payment as part of a court-supervised agreement with the authority in 2003 to settle a dispute over delinquent bills dating back a number of years. Clifford Levine, solicitor for the authority, said the two sides have been discussing a possible deal under which the company could make a major payment immediately, and then be given a temporary, final extension of the deadline to settle its debt. Pittsburgh Brewing employs about 220 people.

01 October, 2004