Millions Awarded For Water, Sewer,  Environmental Restoration Projects

More than $15 million in new grants are aimed at vastly improving water and sewer infrastructure in 13 West Virginia counties along with environmental conservation across the state. 

Gov. Patrick Morrisey announced the awards Friday morning and said the projects are “moving the needle” in West Virginia’s efforts to compete with neighboring states for new business.

“It’s not so sexy, right, to talk about sewer and water, but you’re hearing a lot about it here, because I think that’s one of the best economic development tools that we have,” Morrisey said at a Thursday press conference.

“Clean water and functional infrastructure lift up the standard of living and propel economic growth in our communities,” he said in a press release.

The following water and sewer infrastructure projects in 13 counties, totalling $12,643,588, were approved by the Water Development Authority for funding: 

Weston Sanitary Board: Lewis County – Weston Sanitary Board was awarded $1 million to fund an upgrade of the current system to bring the sludge into compliance with regulations for disposal in landfills. The primary project area is Weston in Lewis County, and this project will affect 2,725 existing customers.

Town of Elizabeth: Wirt County – The Town of Elizabeth was awarded $20,000 to conduct a preliminary assessment of the town’s existing sanitary sewer infrastructure. The primary project area is Elizabeth in Wirt County and this system evaluation to determine remedial action will affect 413 existing customers. 

Sun Valley PSD: Harrison County – Sun Valley Public Service Division (PSD) was awarded $1.9 million  to extend water service to approximately 20 customers on Indian Run near Marshville with contaminated wells or wells gone dry. 

Century Volga PSD: Barbour County – Century Volga PSD was awarded $25,000 to study high metal content in sludge at the wastewater treatment plant, determine potential alternatives for a solution, and provide estimates for the construction work. The primary project area is Century in Barbour County. 

Town of Clay: Clay County – The Town of Clay was awarded a $477,500 grant to replace a water tank that has been deemed to be deficient in the Health Department’s Sanitary Survey and added to a Corrective Action Plan for replacement. The project area is in the Clay area in Clay County and will affect 528 customers. 

Lewis County EDA: Lewis County – The Lewis County Economic Development Authority received a grant of $1 million to extend water service along US Rt. 33 east of Weston toward the Upshur County line serving homes, businesses, and future industrial users. The primary project area is Horner in Lewis County. This system improvement serves 53 existing customers and adds 16 new customers. 

Lubeck PSD: Wood County – The Lubeck PSD received a grant of $300,000 to install 2,000 feet of 8-inch gravity sewer line serving the new Lubeck Elementary School along with five other residential customers in that area. The primary project area is Washington in Wood County. This system improvement adds six customers.

Town of Mason: Mason County – The Town of Mason received a Critical Needs Grant in the amount of $250,000 to replace the UV system at the water treatment plant, and meet National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System compliance requirements. This upgrade will affect 482 existing customers. 

Northern Jackson PSD: Jackson County – Northern Jackson PSD was awarded an additional Critical Needs grant of $120,000 to fund a bid overrun on their Garfield Heights Road project in LeRoy, which will add 14 new customers. 

City of Philippi: Barbour County – The City of Philippi was approved for an additional low interest loan in the amount of $1,928,000 for their project in the Little Laurel Run area of Barbour County. This project will construct a reservoir, which will provide a 30-day raw water supply. Once completed, this system improvement will affect 1,515 customers. 

Wilderness PSD: Nicholas County – Wilderness PSD received a grant of $500,000 to upgrade and extend water service in the Mt. Nebo area of Nicholas County. This system improvement will affect 2,054 existing customers and adds one new customer. 

Flatwoods Canoe Run PSD: Braxton County – Flatwoods Canoe Run PSD was awarded $2,889,500 to fund an upgrade to the current Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system that will provide quality control measures to the water system such as data collection, leak detection, automated shutoffs, and manual remote-control functions. The waterline replacement portion of the project will replace the deteriorated waterline leading to the Route 19 water storage tank, which would reduce water loss in the existing water distribution system and reduce operation and maintenance costs associated with the frequent repairs. The primary project area is Exchange in Braxton County, and this project will benefit 2,009 existing customers. 

City of Morgantown: Monongalia County – The City of Morgantown was awarded $1,221,580 to construct water line extensions to provide domestic and fire service to residents living off the Morgans Run Road. The primary project area is in the Eastern Magisterial District of Monongalia County, and the extension will add 28 new customers.  

Pendleton County PSD: Pendleton County – Pendleton County PSD was awarded $500,000 to extend water service to approximately 4 customers in Brandywine, as well as provide water service to an anticipated home development project with approximately 200 units in the Troublesome Valley. The primary project area is Brandywine in Pendleton County. 

Sugar Creek PSD: Braxton County – Sugar Creek PSD was awarded $37,500 to conduct an evaluation and develop a Preliminary Engineering Report to determine the location, capacity, type of treatment, preliminary probable construction and project cost to replace the aging current plant. The primary project area is Frametown in Braxton County and this water plant upgrade project will support 610 customers.  

Union Williams PSD: Wood & Pleasants County – Union Williams PSD was awarded $474,508 to provide wastewater treatment plant and collection system upgrades. The primary project area is Waverly in Wood County and this wastewater treatment plant and collection system project will improve service for 1,744 existing customers.  

Morrisey also announced an additional $2,824,962 in grants from the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) for Chesapeake Bay cleanup, water quality improvement efforts, watershed restoration, and stream stewardship.

“We want clean water, and we want to make sure our lands are left in better condition than when we inherited them,” Morrisey said. “We are always looking to leave the next generation in a better place than where we are today.” 

More than $1.5 million in 2025 Chesapeake Bay Program grants are being awarded to support water quality improvements, watershed restoration, and land conservation efforts across the Eastern Panhandle.

2025 Chesapeake Bay Program Grant Recipients include:

West Virginia Conservation Agency – $435,741: Supports staff who assist farmers and landowners with agricultural best management practices (BMPs), provide training, deliver conservation district incentive programs, and target priority watersheds for water quality and habitat improvements.

West Virginia Department of Agriculture – $343,979: Funds Nutrient Management Specialists who prepare nutrient management plans, process soil samples, and help producers adopt BMPs; also supports tracking and reporting of agricultural BMPs, both cost-share and voluntary, installed across the region.

Cacapon Institute – $464,668: Supports tree planting and stormwater reduction projects with schools, communities, and municipalities; funds a BMP Specialist to verify and report best practices across sectors, with emphasis on voluntary BMPs on developed lands.

West Virginia Division of Forestry – $70,000: Supports foresters who assist private landowners in preparing forest management plans, improving timber harvest practices, and adopting forestry BMPs that protect water quality and reduce sedimentation.

Trout Unlimited – $100,000: Continues streambank, in-stream, and riparian buffer restoration in the Potomac River watershed, reducing sediment and nutrient loads through technical assistance, outreach, and maintenance of riparian buffers.

Region 9 Planning and Development Council – $60,000: Funds a Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP) Coordinator to work with local governments, industry, wastewater systems, and agricultural/forestry sectors in Berkeley, Jefferson, and Morgan counties to meet EPA’s 2017 and 2025 TMDL standards and report progress to WVDEP.

Region 8 Planning and Economic Development Council – $50,000: Supports a Potomac Highlands Environmental Project Coordinator who advises local governments on Chesapeake Bay funding, implementation strategies, and stormwater mitigation best practices.

The WVDEP has also awarded more than $1.2 million in federal Section 319 Nonpoint Source (NPS) grants to organizations working to reduce pollution, restore streams, and implement watershed-based plans across the state.

Section 319 Nonpoint Source (NPS) grant recipients include:

West Virginia Conservation Agency – $104,000

Project summary: The funding supports administration, project management, planning and outreach and agricultural demonstration projects through the Agricultural Enhancement Program.

Service area: Statewide

Friends of the Cheat – $55,950

Project summary: The funding supports the development of an EPA approved watershed-based plan to alleviate the NPS sources, specially acid mine drainage.

Service area: Preston County

Friends of the Cheat and West Virginia Rivers Coalition – $137,894

Project summary: The funding supports the West Virginia Watershed Network. This grant will be implemented through a partnership between the Friends of the Cheat and West Virginia Rivers Coalition.

Service area: Statewide

Friends of Deckers Creek – $243,800

Project summary: The funding supports the construction of a wetland-based acid mine drainage treatment system with the goal of reducing acidity and metals from eight seeps.

Service area: Monongalia County

Canaan Valley Institute – $147,760

Project summary: The funding supports the design and construction of natural stream restoration projects in the Mill Creek watershed to reduce bacteria and sediment loads.

Service area: Berkeley County

West Virginia Conservation Agency (Potomac Valley District) – $207,970

Project summary: The funding supports the implementation of agricultural BMPs and septic rehabilitation with the goal of reducing fecal coliform, iron and sediment.

Service area: Hampshire County

West Virginia Conservation Agency (Western District) – $135,000

Project summary: The funding supports the implementation of a streambank project, agricultural BMPs and septic rehabilitation with the goals of reducing sediment, iron and fecal coliform.

Service area: Putnam County

West Virginia Conservation Agency (Greenbrier Valley District) – $86,200

Project summary: The funding supports the implementation of agricultural BMPs and septic rehabilitation with the primary goal of reducing fecal coliform. Nutrient reduction is the secondary goal.

Service area: Greenbrier and Monroe Counties

West Virginia Conservation Agency (Eastern Panhandle District) – $82,000

Project summary: The funding supports the implementation of septic rehabilitation projects and the revision of the Sleepy Creek Quality AssuranceProject Plan.

Service area: Morgan County

The WVDEP, in partnership with the West Virginia Conservation Agency, Division of Forestry, and Division of Natural Resources, have also awarded more than $100,000 in 2026 Stream Partners Program (SPP) grants to support watershed groups across the state working to protect, restore, and promote West Virginia’s rivers and streams.

2026 Stream Partners Program (SPP) grants recipients include:

Buckhannon River Watershed Association, $5,000: Supports efforts to improve and protect the Buckhannon River and Bull Run subwatershed through education, planning, and community engagement.

Davis Creek Watershed Association, $3,075: Continues restoration and stewardship efforts in the Davis Creek Watershed, including outreach, cleanup work, and long-term monitoring.

Fourpole Creek Watershed Association, $2,291: Supports habitat improvement, community involvement, pollution prevention, and public outreach within the Fourpole Creek system in Huntington.

Friends of Blackwater, $5,000: Funds restoration and stewardship activities along the North Fork of the Blackwater River, including habitat work, trail and stream monitoring, and education.

Friends of Deckers Creek, $5,000: Builds on active restoration, cleanup, and educational projects to improve water quality and community recreation along Deckers Creek.

Friends of Mill Creek, $5,000: Develop a formal plan to engage farmers and rural residents in understanding how daily land use practices affect our local water resources. This funding support will set the groundwork for educating landowners about agricultural runoff and septic system impacts and develop practical strategies to reduce pollution to foster long-term stewardship.

Friends of the Cacapon River, $5,000: Water sampling, Cacapon Riverfest, guided river float, website improvement, liability insurance, and short film festival.

Friends of the Cheat, $5,000: Project Summary: Supports outreach, monitoring, and watershed stewardship projects throughout the Cheat River system.

Friends of the Tug Fork River, $5,000: Builds on cross-community projects focused on cleanup, river access, monitoring, and improved watershed health.

Greenbrier River Watershed Association, $5,000: Supports restoration planning, education, and on-the-ground work in one of West Virginia’s largest river basins.

Guardians of the West Fork River, $5,000: VISTA to support monitoring, watershed champion program, and outreach. Morris Creek Watershed Association, $4,634: Funds community-led watershed cleanups, monitoring, and environmental education.

Paint Creek Watershed Association, $5,000: Advances water quality work, monitoring, and public outreach to protect Paint Creek.

Piney Creek Watershed Association, $5,000: Supports ongoing restoration projects, habitat improvement, recreational enhancement, and outreach in the Piney Creek Watershed.

Plateau Action Network, $5,000: Funds habitat restoration, water quality improvement, stormwater projects, and public education efforts in the New River Watershed.

Save the Tygart Watershed Association, $5,000: Supports efforts to improve the Tygart Valley River Watershed through cleanups, monitoring, restoration projects, and youth education.

Sleepy Creek Watershed Association, $5,000: Supports outreach, watershed planning, and local stream restoration actions. 

Town Run Watershed, $5,000: Water sampling, community programming/outreach, restoration projects, capacity building, and admin.

Twelvepole Rising, $5,000: Supports cleanup events, educational activities, and watershed improvement efforts across the Twelvepole Creek basin.

Warm Springs Watershed Association, $5,000: Funds invasive species treatment, stream health education, and community-driven restoration in the Warm Springs Watershed.

Wheeling Creek Watershed Alliance, $5,000: Supports outreach, stream improvement projects, cleanups, and community awareness activities along Wheeling Creek.