Bluefield Daily Telegraph, Bluefield, WV

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November 15, 2009

Mercer water service project seeking engineers

By GREG JORDAN

PRINCETON — A search is underway for engineering services for a water service project that will reach more than 60 new customers in the Eads Mill and Unity Road areas of Mercer County.

Oakvale Public Service District has advertised for engineers interested in working on the Eads Mill/Unity Road Water Extension Project. The project is proceeding and it is funded, said Jeff Johnson, community development director for the Region I Planning and Development Council. A grant of almost $340,000 from the West Virginia Waste Coal Producing Counties Grant Program is funding the project.

West Virginia-American Water has taken over service in the vicinity of the rest area off Interstate 77 near Camp Creek and across the Bluestone Gorge, Johnson said. One new residential customer is being served already.

“Mercer County has funding to bring it (water service) down to Eads Mill Road,” he said. Service would also extend up to the intersection of Eads Mill Road and Unity Road.

The project is covering both economic development and infrastructure funding.

“This is a complex project. It’s two prong,” Johnson said. “Ten percent of it is for economic development. It will spend approximately $33,901 on the building that the Development Authority of Mercer County owns at the Cumberland Industrial Park. It will get a divider so two people can use it.”

“And the other 90 percent will come from matching funds from West Virginia-American Water Company and probably a loan obtained by Oakvale PSD. There’s $305,111 remaining of the grant. It will pay for preliminary engineering, design, and soft cost.”

Approximately 20 customers from the Athens water system will become W.Va.-American Water customers and become part of the new extension. One of the new customers will be Appalachian Teen Challenge, a youth ministry near Athens. Once the project is finished, 65 new households including Teen Challenge will have service, Johnson said.

Construction could begin within a year once engineering work has been finished, he said.

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