Tag: water

Campaign Ads Targeting Transgender Youth And Understanding W.Va.’s Water Resource, This West Virginia Morning

On this West Virginia Morning, as the primary race for governor enters the home stretch, some candidate’s negative attack ads running endlessly on broadcast and social media target a minority group – transgender children. But what is the fallout from these ads for this vulnerable group, and West Virginia children and families in general? Randy Yohe has the story.

On this West Virginia Morning, as the primary race for governor enters the home stretch, some candidate’s negative attack ads running endlessly on broadcast and social media target a minority group – transgender children. But what is the fallout from these ads for this vulnerable group, and West Virginia children and families in general? Randy Yohe has the story.

Also, in this show, West Virginia has many rivers and creeks all over the state and they are all a bit different. Some are wide and slow moving, some narrow and turbulent. Some flow north and some flow south. On this Earth Day, Briana Heaney sat down with Nicolas Zegre from West Virginia University’s (WVU) Mountain Hydrology Center to talk about one of West Virginia’s most abundant resources – water.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University.

Eric Douglas produced this episode.

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Lawmakers Talk Whether Private Schools Should Require Student Vaccinations

On this episode of The Legislature Today, there has been a lot of discussion this year about vaccines and whether they should be required in private schools, and there has been spirited debate on the topic in the last few days. Health Reporter Emily Rice spoke with Del. Chris Pritt, R-Kanawha, and Del. Joey Garcia, D-Marion, about this issue.

On this episode of The Legislature Today, there has been a lot of discussion this year about vaccines and whether they should be required in private schools, and there has been spirited debate on the topic in the last few days. Health Reporter Emily Rice spoke with Del. Chris Pritt, R-Kanawha, and Del. Joey Garcia, D-Marion, about this issue.

Also, nearly 2,600 bills have been introduced this session, but fewer than 50 have completed legislative action so far. Wednesday is Crossover Day, meaning it will be the final day for bills to be passed out of their chamber of origin.

In the House, the chamber considered more than 30 bills on third reading, including proposals highlighting water service cut offs, banning mugshots, helping veterans and outlawing deep fake election material.

In the Senate, the chamber passed a bill that would require public schools to show a video on the early stages of human development – and include language that life begins at conception. They also considered bills on competitive sports teams, tobacco and exams.

And, as this year’s window for proposing new legislation draws to a close, nonprofits that support victims of domestic violence are calling for more state funding. Jack Walker has the story.

Finally, with the deadline of Crossover Day looming, committees in both chambers are working through bill after bill. Education committees in both the House and Senate moved quickly at the start of the week to advance or decline more than a dozen bills. Chris Schulz has more.

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The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.

Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

New $3 Million Water Treatment Plant Slated For Berkeley County

Residents of Bunker Hill, an unincorporated community of Berkeley County, are slated to receive a new $3 million water pump through the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

Berkeley County will soon receive a new water treatment plant, following a $3 million investment from the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

The new plant will service the unincorporated community of Bunker Hill. The current treatment plant there is 65 years old.

The Berkeley County Public Service Water District, which oversees the plant, has gained 4,000 new users in the last four years.

With West Virginia’s water infrastructure facing long-running issues tied to age and decreased funding, state officials have invested in water system upgrades for local communities in recent years.

This year alone, tens of millions of dollars have gone toward water projects across the state. The latest round of funding follows a federal spending request from Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va.

In a press release Tuesday, Capito said she hoped the project would support population growth in the Eastern Panhandle county.

“As communities in Berkeley County continue to grow and develop, the need for additional clean water infrastructure is critical,” she said. “This funding is a step in the process of directing the resources that these communities need to provide clean water to the growing number of residents and businesses in the area.”

State Water Agency Invests $20 Million In Infrastructure Projects

The West Virginia Water Development Authority announced Wednesday that it would invest $20 million in water, wastewater and sewage infrastructure upgrades across the state.

The agency that oversees West Virginia’s water infrastructure, the Water Development Authority (WDA), announced Wednesday it would invest nearly $20 million in water system improvements across the state.

The new round of funding will aid 10 water, wastewater and sewage infrastructure projects in West Virginia. For years, water systems in the state have struggled due to aging infrastructure and decreased funding.

The funds come from the state’s Economic Enhancement Grant Fund, which has approved $400 million in projects since its creation in April 2022. 

The following projects will receive support through the new round of WDA funding:

  • Morgantown Utility Board, Monongalia County: $6,750,000 to renovate a wastewater treatment plant and a lift station to increase overall capacity.
  • Greenbrier County Public Service District #2, Greenbrier County: $3,527,000 to extend water service to about 360 new users in rural towns.
  • Hancock County Public Service District, Hancock County: $3,449,014 5o upgrade sewer infrastructure.
  • Putnam County Commission, Putnam County: $1,841,175 to provide potable water to the community of Custer Ridge.
  • Cottageville Public Service District, Jackson County: $1,350,000 to extend water lines to an industrial site in the town of Millwood.
  • Clarksburg Sewer Board, Harrison County: $1,000,000 to separate storm sewers.
  • Pineville, Wyoming County: $980,000 to upgrade water system.
  • Midland Public Service District, Randolph County: $365,000 to build two new tanks that store water.
  • Paden City, Tyler and Wetzel counties: $310,000 to replace water lines to address infiltration issues.
  • Spencer Waterworks, Roane County: $300,000 to replace a pump station.

W.Va. Water Systems To Receive $9.3 Million For Upgrades

Water and wastewater services in five West Virginia counties will soon receive upgrades through a new round of federal funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Water and wastewater services in five West Virginia counties will soon receive upgrades through a new round of federal funding.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced Friday that it would provide $9,253,000 to water projects in Hardy, Mason, Monroe, Ohio and Wood counties.

The new funding follows an allocation of $3,229,000 to water infrastructure projects in Marion and Jackson counties last month from the Environmental Protection Agency.

The USDA funds will contribute to a variety of county-level projects, including sewer system, waterline and wastewater treatment plant improvements.

Federal agencies have invested millions of dollars in West Virginia water systems in recent years. These funds have aimed to address water system issues tied to aging infrastructure and funding decline.

The USDA funding was partially made possible through a 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law, which has allocated resources toward regional infrastructure projects across the nation.

In a press release Thursday, Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., voiced his support for the new funding, as well as the federal government’s renewed support for infrastructure in West Virginia.

“Investing in our communities means long-term economic development that creates and supports good-paying jobs,” he said.

The following West Virginia water projects will receive support through the new round of funding:

  • Red Sulphur Public Service District: $4,800,000 to extend a waterline to more than 80 new customers.
  • Town of Triadelphia: $1,600,000 to upgrade the sewer system.
  • Town of Wardensville: $1,100,000 to upgrade wastewater treatment and lift stations.
  • Claywood Park Public Service District: $940,000 to upgrade waterlines.
  • Mason County Public Service District: $814,000 to upgrade the sewer system.

State Officials Work To Ward Off Water System Cyberattacks

West Virginia officials are teaming up to bolster cybersecurity for local water and wastewater services.

In December, national security authorities identified an increase in cyberattacks targeting local water systems across the country, prompting calls to strengthen their cyber protections.

In response, officials with the Office of Environmental Health Services (OEHS) — part of the West Virginia Department of Health Bureau of Public Health — are now coordinating cyberattack prevention initiatives with local water systems across the state.

Cyberattacks can disrupt water services, steal consumer data and install dangerous software remotely. In a Tuesday press release, State Health Officer Matthew Christiansen said that the state’s renewed cybersecurity efforts can hamper threats to local water services.

“Water systems can reduce their risk by updating computer equipment regularly, using secure passwords and resetting them regularly, requiring employee training to safeguard against an attack and ensuring clean drinking water is provided to residents,” he said.

OEHS will also work with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to spread awareness about the federal agency’s free cybersecurity assessments.

Through these efforts, officials said that they hope to bolster cybersecurity for local water systems across West Virginia.

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