NEW CUMBERLAND — During a work session several weeks ago in their North Chestnut Street office, Hancock County Public Service District board members learned everything appeared to be on track for the upgrade to add Newell residents to their sewer system.
ohn Klein was in attendance on behalf of Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc., along with Carlo Fabian and Ben Erste of the Brooke-Hancock-Jefferson Metropolitan Planning Commission.
It is estimated the Newell project will cost around $17 million to complete, largely funded by federal and state grants and loans.
Four years ago, state officials had declared the unincorporated community of Newell’s sewer service a failing utility and ordered Hancock PSD to take over operations once they upgraded the system.
Once the project is complete, 450 additional customers will be added from Newell. Currently, Hancock PSD services 1,610 customers in its existing system areas of Weirton, New Cumberland, Newell, and Chester.
Once hooked in, Newell sewer customers can expect to be paying higher rates since they no longer will be paying one bundled rate for both services and instead two separate entities – one providing water and the second providing sewer.
The new Newell sewer rates will reflect the current Hancock PSD sewer customer rates.
Erste explained, “A lot of the pipes are terracotta, some which are 100 years old,” way past the useful life that you’d expect in a sewer system. They couldn’t even complete much of the CCTV (closed circuit TV inspection). The pipes were that bad of shape.”
This combined with the circumference not being large enough to sustain the increased need from a growing community has been a definite problem, he agreed.
The bulk of the funding will go toward engineering, construction contracts surveying, and more.
The project will include a new line from Newell to the Hancock PSD Route 2 Treatment Plant near Mountaineer; two more pump stations, including one in the north end of Newell and a second in the vicinity of Fiesta Tableware; and the upgrade of approximately 25,000 feet of new lines.
So far, 80% of the capital for the project is provided by grants with the remainder coming from loans. Although Erste confirms the PSD has received commitments from the entities that include the United States Department of Agriculture, West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, and West Virginia Infrastructure and Jobs Council for the project, he declined to go into financial specifics until further in the process.
Two public meetings allowed Newell residents to hear and comment on plans, explained Anita Mahan, office manager. There are a lot of rental properties in Newell, and notices were sent via postal mail to both landlords and their tenants.
Bidding is still on track to begin soon with the hope that construction will begin in early spring 2025.
