Clean Water, Marine Technology Subject Of Announcements

Clean water and marine security are the focus of two announcements Gov. Patrick Morrisey made Wednesday, covering three southern West Virginia counties.  

Marine Security 

Oceanetics manufactures advanced maritime buoy systems, naval defense equipment, and port security technologies serving the U.S. Navy and the energy security sector in Wyoming County. The company is set to expand with support from the West Virginia Infrastructure and Jobs Development Council, according to a press release from the governor. 

“West Virginia has the skilled workforce and resources to attract manufacturers that are creating good-paying jobs right here in our state,” Morrisey said. “This investment will help Oceanetics expand its operations, create new opportunities for families in Wyoming County, and strengthen Southern West Virginia’s growing manufacturing economy.” 

The investment will support construction of a new 15,000-square-foot manufacturing facility at the industrial park in Pineville, owned and managed by the Wyoming County Economic Development Authority (EDA). 

The expansion will allow Oceanetics to increase its workforce from 20 to 45 employees, adding skilled positions in welding, machining, fabrication, and engineering. The company also plans to invest $1.2 million in specialized manufacturing equipment. 

“We are deeply grateful to Governor Morrisey and the West Virginia Infrastructure and Jobs Development Council for providing the final financing needed to move this project forward,” Christy Laxton, executive director of the Wyoming County EDA said. “This expansion allows us to support the growth of an established employer while creating new opportunities for skilled workers and strengthening Wyoming County’s manufacturing future.” 

Construction is expected to begin shortly, with the new facility anticipated to open in fall 2027. 

Clean Water 

Recent studies have indicated private wells, springs, or cisterns in McDowell and Mingo counties are contaminated, but a new grant of $3.2 million from the Water Filtration Initiative will help deliver clean, dependable drinking water to 5,000 households outside of municipal areas in the two counties. 

“Clean, dependable drinking water is a basic necessity, and our families have gone without practical solutions for far too long,” Morrisey said. “This initiative gets filtration systems directly into homes, helping provide safer drinking water for more than 10,000 West Virginians.” 

The initiative addresses widespread groundwater challenges across the region. Recent studies by researchers at Virginia Tech and the U.S. Geological Survey found coliform bacteria in 65% to 90% of wells and springs tested in the region. Families also face heavy iron that stains fixtures, damages appliances, and can force them to spend thousands of dollars each year on bottled water. 

The $3.2 million initiative pairs state and federal resources to reach 5,000 homes outside municipal water boundaries: 

• $1.2 Million (Federal Rural Health Transformation Program): Directed under the Personal Health Accelerator clean water project to assist 1,000 high-priority and crisis households, including homes without running water, homes with elevated bacteria or nitrate levels, and households with infants or seniors. Funding covers comprehensive state lab water testing, customized filtration units, well disinfection, replacement filters through September 2027, and post-treatment verification tests. 
• $2 Million (Governor’s Civil Contingent Fund): State funds dedicated to providing equipment to 4,000 additional homes. Each residence will receive a countertop water purification system designed to remove bacteria, a full year of replacement filters provided at setup, settling tanks for homes with high-iron water, and routine check-ins at one and six months. 

The Department of Health and Department of Environmental Protection are issuing a competitive Announcement for Funding Availability (AFA) to select a single qualified organization to manage household distribution and testing. The program will provide one sign-up process for families while maintaining separate accounting for state and federal funds. 

Local navigators will coordinate sign-ups, water testing, and delivery of filtration kits directly to residents who cannot attend community distribution days, partnering with local organizations including the McDowell County Commission on Aging, food banks, churches, and volunteer fire departments. 

The competitive funding announcement is expected to open this week, with a final award anticipated in January. Water testing and distribution of filtration systems are expected to begin in February 2027. 

“We’ve committed significant resources to improving water infrastructure across West Virginia, but extending public water lines to every rural home takes time,” Morrisey said. “We can’t tell families who need safe drinking water today that they simply have to wait. This initiative provides a practical solution while we continue making those longer-term investments.”