State voters are going to have more than a slate of political candidates to consider when they go to the polls on Nov. 4.

The election could have a direct impact on their sewer bills.

A referendum question on the ballot asks if voters want the state to incur $400 million in debt for water and sewer system upgrades, stormwater management and other projects.

Local sewer authority officials who are faced with millions of dollars in upgrades needed to comply with new federal and state clean water mandates say they support the measure, called the "Water and Sewer Improvements Bond Referendum," and are urging voters to do the same.

The money, which will be made available to authorities through grants and low-interest loans, will help defray upgrade costs that are being passed along to consumers.

"We encourage our customers to support the referendum," said Christine Maggi-Weigle, executive director of the Lycoming County Water and Sewer Authority. "Any amount of help we can get from that pool of money will help offset increases to their sewer rates."

David DiNicola, executive director of the Williamsport Area Municipal Water and Sanitary authorities, also urges support for the ballot question.

The authorities may be including inserts with bills over the next month urging customers to vote "yes."

DiNicola said $400 million is far less than what is needed statewide, but everything helps.

The estimated cost of complying with the Chesapeake Bay mandates for the authority and the municipalities whose sewage it treats is estimated at $150 million. Statewide, according to the Pennsylvania Municipal Authority Association, the amount needed for water and sewer system upgrades is around $20 billion.

"We've got a ways to go," said DiNicola.

"We are hopeful we can get this money and additional funds that may become available later," Maggi-Weigle said.

The Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Association also has given the referendum its seal of approval.

"Our association supports the referendum as an initial step in recognizing the overwhelming need for environmental infrastructure funding," said Doug Bilheimer, association executive director.

Sandy Adams, director of county Voter Services, said she is concerned the referendum may result in longer waits by voters at the poles during the election.

Adams said she expects at least 70 percent of the county's more than 71,000 registered voters to turn out for the election.

She added that she fears the "legal" wording of the referendum, which is one sentence more than 90 words long, may cause voters to spend more time at the voting machines while they mull over the meaning of the wording.

Adams said the county will have handouts available at the poles with the exact wording of the referendum on one side and a "plain English" explanation on the other.

According to the handout, the referendum asks whether voters approve of the state's borrowing of $400 million to be used to improve municipal water, stormwater and wastewater treatment systems and develop nonpoint source projects and develop nutrient credit trading programs.

The handout also contains definitions of terms included in the referendum and an explanation of how the money will be made available to municipalities and authorities.

A "yes" vote would indicate the voter approves of the state borrowing the money.