WELLSBURG — More than 900 homes and businesses in southern Brooke County served by the Hammond Public Service District are expected to see improvements to their water service thanks to a $4.6 million grant awarded by the Army Corps of Engineers.
U.S. Sens. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va.; and Joe Manchin, D-W.Va.; have announced the grant was funded through the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
U.S. Rep. David McKinley, R-Wheeling, also supported the legislation, which allocated $1.2 trillion in federal money for roads, airports, broadband development and water and sewer projects around the nation.
“It’s great news. Really, it is,” said Terry Stewart, a member of the Hammond PSD board, who said the funding will support “desperately needed” upgrades to the district’s water treatment system, much of which dates to 1965.
Though it’s not clear how much will be funded by the grant, Vaughn, Coast & Vaughn Inc., a St. Clairsville engineering firm working for the district, has planned replacement of about 13,400 feet of main water lines and 500 feet of service lines and refurbishment or replacement of four water tanks.
The district serves about 2,928 residents in 915 homes and 16 businesses as well as the transportation department of the Brooke County school district and the Wheeling-Ohio County Airport.
In addition to Windsor Heights, areas receiving water from Hammond include Chapman Heights, Bethany Pike, Marshall Terrace, McKinleyville, McCord’s Hill Road, Short Creek and in Ohio County, Apple Pie Ridge.
Stewart expressed thanks to the Congress members who supported the funding and to Mark Miller of the Brooke-Hancock-Jefferson Metropolitan Planning Commission, who prepared the grant application; and staff with the Army Corps of Engineers who provided information.
He said the district has suffered for many years from substantial water loss and he and the other board members have been working to address that.
Stewart said the district partnered with the Washington Pike Public Service District to purchase equipment to detect leaks in the two systems that cost the districts and their customers.
He added there are plans to install radio-read meters equipped to alert the district’s staff of potential leaks while more accurately measuring water usage.
Stewart said one reason the district was able to secure the grant is the large number of low-income households served by the district.
He said if not for the grant, the Hammond PSD board was faced with raising its monthly rate for 3,000 gallons of water usage from $40.05 to $56.
“That would be devastating for many of our customers who are on fixed incomes,” said Stewart.
He said with help from BHJ, the board also has applied for two grants, each for $500,000, from the state health department and state infrastructure and jobs development council to support the planned improvements.
Stewart said without them, the board will need to seek a $1 million low-interest state loan.
He said in addition to serving its many customers, the district’s system can supply water to the city of Wellsburg and village of Beech Bottom through links to their water systems that may be opened in the event of an emergency.
The links were established several years ago through funding secured by state legislators and the efforts of local and county leaders.
“It (the Hammond water treatment system) is a vital part of the infrastructure in Brooke County,” said Stewart.
Manchin said through the legislation, more than $20 million has been awarded to water and sewer projects and efforts to mitigate flooding in the state.
“The bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act continues to provide much needed investments in the Mountain State, and these projects will improve our waterways and drinking water systems and ensure our communities are safe from potential environmental concerns for years to come,” he said.
Capito said, “The bipartisan infrastructure bill provided significant funding to the (Army Engineer) Corps to address our nation’s water resource needs. Because my environment and public works committee oversees the Corps, I’ve worked diligently with the agency to ensure West Virginia’s priorities were included in the spending plan. I’m pleased to say our great working relationship is paying off. The Corps is fully funding every priority I requested.”