Pineville water upgrades, extension project move forward but need funds

Jan. 27—Extending Pineville water into Brenton, Marianna, Green Camp, and Baileysville has taken another step toward construction.

The West Virginia Infrastructure and Jobs Development Council approved a $500,000 grant and a $2.7 million loan for the project during their Jan. 11 meeting. The monies, however, are contingent upon funding from other sources.

The grant and loan — in addition to funds from the Drinking Water Treatment Revolving Fund, the Wyoming County Commission, the town of Pineville, and other programs — will provide $8.3 million for the project.

Upgrades to the existing Pineville water system alone will cost an estimated $8.5 million, explained Jason Mullins, commission president.

The project will include multiple water treatment plant upgrades, replacing the valves and fire hydrants throughout the system, installation of four master meters for water accountability, evaluating water storage tanks, excavation equipment, portable generator for booster stations, a new booster station on W.Va. 97, and replacing the existing six-inch water line with eight-inch water line from downtown Pineville to the new W.Va. 97 booster station site, according to Eric Combs, Region I Planning and Development Council project manager/GIS specialist.

The current water system serves just over 1,000 customers.

It will take an additional $9.5 million to construct the extension into Brenton and Baileysville, Mullins said.

The extension project will add an estimated 259 new customers.

Funding sources include $50,000 from the town of Pineville; $25,000 from the Wyoming County Commission; $550,000 from the West Virginia Bureau for Public Health Drinking Water Treatment Revolving Fund Design Loan; a $500,000 District 3 grant from the West Virginia Infrastructure and Jobs Development Council; and a $2,718,283 District 3 loan from the West Virginia Infrastructure and Jobs Development Council.

Proposed funding sources also include a $1 million grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration (the application is in progress) and a $3 million economic enhancement grant from the West Virginia Water Development Authority.

Combs explained that $3.5 million was requested from the West Virginia Water Development Authority and the $3 million grant approved is contingent upon approval of the $1 million U.S. Economic Development Administration grant as well as finding another funding source for the remaining $500,000 in the initial request.

Griffith and Associates, the project accountant, is preparing tabulations on potential funding scenarios for the $500,000 for Pineville town officials to review, then approve the most feasible course of action, Combs said.

The grant and the loan approved by the West Virginia Infrastructure and Jobs Development Council are contingent on the approval of both the $1 million U.S. Economic Development Administration grant and the $3 million economic enhancement grant from the West Virginia Water Development Authority.

The U.S. Economic Development Administration grant application will compete for selection on a multi-state regional level.

The $3 million economic enhancement grant from the West Virginia Water Development Authority requires that construction projects be executed by December 2024 and expended by December 2026, Combs noted.

"Water projects take such a large amount of money that, especially in rural areas where the per household cost is astronomical, we just can't afford it," Mullins said.

"We have such a small tax base here in the county, we have to have several funding sources."

While this project has been planned for several years, it seems to be moving faster than most of the others, he said.

"This isn't the only water project we're working on," Mullins explained. "If you don't have potable water here in the county, chances are we're working on a project to get water to you."

While chasing funding sources takes a lot of time, gaining easements and construction add time to the projects as well, Mullins noted.

Water projects require engineering and environmental studies, designs, obtaining rights-of-way/easements, permits, a bidding process, in addition to funding mechanisms and construction.

Thompson and Litton Engineering Company has completed 99 percent of the project design. The company is also preparing the required environmental review with only the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service consultation yet to be received.

One acquisition in the extension area will be needed for a pump station in the water system upgrades project to provide adequate water pressure to the Brenton/Baileysville waterline extension; no right-of-way is required.

As for permits, the West Virginia Bureau for Public Health and the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection's National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits remain.

"We probably won't see any construction start on this project until next fall," Mullins said. "Right now, we're getting our ducks in a row.

"Every official, everybody in the courthouse is working toward the same goal. Everybody steps up to do their part. The state agencies are doing the same.

"We're never waiting on a signature or anything else that can be done today," Mullins said. "Whatever it takes, we get it done today.

"We are also trying to spend our money as wisely as possible, where we get the most bang for our buck. Sometimes that means a more populated area will get money first," Mullins said.

"We're just really excited to get these projects done and working to get water into every house we possibly can."

Once all funds are committed, design plans and specifications are approved, permits are issued, and the town of Pineville has gone through its rate-setting process, a filing will be made with the West Virginia Public Service Commission, Combs noted.

Once all items are in order, requests for authorization to bid will be filed with each funding agency. Then, once a Notice to Proceed is given, the bid advertisement will be published in the local certified newspaper, Combs said.

Then a mandatory pre-bid meeting, with interested bidders, will be held, followed by a bid opening approximately two weeks later.

Bids are good for 90 days from opening, in which time any bid underrun requests or overrun requests would be sought, Combs noted.

Loan closing will occur prior to Notice of Award of contracts and Notice to Proceed.

Provided funding is committed in a timely manner and there are no major issues, the Pineville water system upgrades project could request authorization to bid as early as this fall.

Once started, construction will take approximately one year to complete.

When the waterline extension is completed, the Brenton Public Service District, Marianna Public Service District, and Green Camp Water Association's aging systems will be taken offline.