WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Publics Works Committee and a member of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee, announced a Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to improve the reliability, safety, and security of the water supply for the Camp Dawson Army National Guard facility and the neighboring community in Kingwood, W.Va.

This award, which was secured through a CDS request made by Senator Capito in Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23), will be used to provide safe and reliable drinking water to Camp Dawson, Kingwood, and surrounding rural communities.

“I was proud work with our military and civilian partners in Kingwood to secure resources for this project because it combines the need to improve our infrastructure, bolster our homeland security, and protect water—one of our most precious resources—from potential vulnerabilities,” Senator Capito said. “Camp Dawson is an incredibly important military asset in West Virginia and this project helps protect our servicemembers, as well as civilians in Kingwood, from attacks on our infrastructure. Through my roles on the EPW Committee and Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, I will continue to advocate for projects like this, especially when it serves our state’s civilians and economy, as well as our servicemembers and national security.”

Individual award details listed below:

  • $4,000,000 EPA CDS award for the Camp Dawson Army National Guard Facility (Kingwood, W.Va.) to improve the reliability, safety, and security of the water supply for the Camp Dawson Army National Guard facility and the surrounding area. The water treatment facility, which is the largest in Preston County, purifies and pumps 700,000 gallons per day from the Cheat River to 10 storage tanks and 150 miles of distribution lines. In addition to providing safe, clean drinking water to its residents, this project has large national security implications. As seen in other parts of the world, attacks on infrastructure are used to threaten the military and civilians as a first act of aggression. This project helps to secure the water system for the West Virginia Army National Guard Camp Dawson facility. The project has five major components:
    • Water storage tank, telemetry and valve replacement at Camp Dawson to eliminate breaks, leaks, and outages
    • Increase raw water intake 300 feet upstream from existing intake to provide water during dry periods
    • Clarifier covers at the water treatment facility to avoid intentional contamination, vandalism or acts of terrorism
    • Replacement of the intermediate storage tank, and
    • Telemetry and valve replacement in the Pleasantdale system to eliminate excessive pressures on the system, which are causing major line breaks, and eliminate dangers to workers associated with these high pressures.

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