Federal Funds Shore Up Public Water System Improvements

Communities in West Virginia will continue to see water infrastructure improvements thanks to money from the federal Environmental Protection Agency – $56.5 million worth.

Communities in Kanawha, Marshall, Fayette, Wood, Harrison and Jefferson counties can expect new or improved sewage, wastewater treatment and storm drainage systems, as well as some upgraded pump stations. The largest priced improvement – $14 million – is needed in Oak Hill to consolidate the Arbuckle Public Service District into the Oak Hill Sanitary Board system. All together, the state is looking to spend $56 million to upgrade systems in these counties.

The projects targeted for funding in the state’s CWSRF plan include:

• $4,045,000 to the Town of Belle to replace its existing wastewater treatment plant and upgrade the main pump station in Kanawha County.
• $3,404,539 to the City of Benwood to install a new sanitary sewer system with the existing combined sewer system left in place to serve as a storm drainage system in Marshall County.
• $3,359,674 to the Central Boaz Public Service District (PSD) to construct a pressure sewer system and upgrade the existing wastewater treatment plant in Wood County.
• $10,878,500 to the Greater Harrison County PSD to install a gravity sewer collection system, pump stations, force mains and construction of a new 100,000 gallons-per-day wastewater treatment plant in Harrison County. Areas served include Clarksburg Country Club, Laurel Park, and Route 73.
• $5,900,000 to the Hancock County PSD to collect semi-treated or non-treated wastewater and transport it to the City of Chester publicly-owned treatment works for treatment and final disposal. The project will serve 160 users along U.S. Rt. 30 and the West Virginia-Pennsylvania state line.
• $2,599,779 to the Harpers Ferry-Bolivar PSD to upgrade its existing wastewater treatment system in Jefferson County.
• $991,570 to the Montgomery Sanitary Board to upgrade and relocate the Sixth Avenue Sewage pumping station in Montgomery, Kanawha County.
• $14 million to the City of Oak Hill to consolidate the Arbuckle PSD into the Oak Hill

“These infrastructure projects are vital to the public health of our communities,” WV DEP Cabinet Secretary Austin Caperton said in a news release. “In many cases, if not for this revolving loan fund, these improvements would never happen and the infrastructure would continue to deteriorate. Our West Virginia communities deserve better and this revolving loan fund helps to ensure that these projects can move forward.”
EPA funds are made available through the state’s 2017 Clean Water State Revolving Fund, which provides low-interest loans for infrastructure improvements. EPA is making $20.66 million available to that fund – which is about what it’s made available every year for the past 6 or 7 years.