Paden City had a special visitor on Tuesday, March 30, as U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) was in town to visit with City officials and tour the communities new water treatment facility. Capito has been instrumental in helping Paden City obtain funding for clean drinking water and to improve waste water problems plaguing the town. Since 2015 she has partnered with federal officials and worked with the Department of Agriculture and the Army Corps of Engineers in making drinking water infrastructure a priority in Paden City. She has worked to help secure over $10 million in federal funding for water challenges in the area.

“Ensuring access to reliable, clean drinking water is essential. For years, I have worked with local leaders in Paden City to connect the city with the federal resources they need to provide safe drinking water and improve wastewater service. Since 2015, I have worked hard to secure USDA Rural Development funds for Paden City, and those efforts continue. When I became the Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee this year, I made it a priority to advocate for additional support for waste water improvements in Paden City, and I was thrilled to see additional investments to support Paden City and others through the USACE Work Plan for FY21. Having the opportunity to see the department today and the progress of construction on new water tanks is the culmination of years of hard work between local, state, and federal leaders, and I am glad to have played a part in these efforts,” Senator Capito said.

Federal awards that Senator Capito has helped secure for Paden City:

?In 2015, Senator Capito announced a $2.9 million loan and $471,000 grant from the USDA’s Rural Development office for needed improvements to the city’s wastewater system.

? In 2019, Senator Capito announced $500,000 in emergency funding from the USDA to help the city deal with water treatment issues directly tied to PCE contamination from a dry cleaning facility.

? In 2020, Senator Capito announced a $5.165 million grant from the USDA to restore water storage tanks, replace damaged pipelines, and improve the current distribution system.

? In 2021, Senator Capito helped secure $1.525 million in funding from the USACE’s FY21 Work Plan to finalize Paden City’s sewer project. This funding was made possible through the USACE’s Section 219 program, one of the three environmental infrastructure authorities specific to West Virginia that Senator Capito has championed.

Touring the Water Department, the New Water Treatment Plant, the City Park and other areas of the Community with Senator Capito was Water and Street Superintendent Josh Billiter, Councilwoman Tonya Schuler, and Mayor Rick Casteel.