Being out of town we didn't get to attend the regular monthly meeting this past Thursday. We did get to the Financial Committee meeting last Tuesday. That meeting was attended by Board President Mike Ryan, Financial Committee Chairman Chuck Bibbee, Committee Member Bob Wines, District Manager Al DeAngelis and Financial Officer Sara Crouch.
For the month of September BWD produced a total of 27.8 million gallons of billable water. Wellsville used 6.3 million gallons of that total. Year to date totals are 261 million gallons for the district with the ville using just under 61 millions gallons of that. Not counting Salineville September expenses was $41,656 excluding loan payments. Salineville expenses were $7,320 with Board President Mike Ryan noting that repairs on the Salineville main is costing the district lots of over-time. Steel locks and collars were used when the new main line was put in a few years ago and are now causing problems with corrosion. Since taking over as the village water supplier, BWD employees have been replacing them with stainless steel ones where the breaks occur.
As reported in the newspapers work on Part A of the Salineville water project got underway this past week. Part A consists of installing 16" diameter water line for nearly 8 miles starting from Osborne Road, across Forbes and out Route 39 just past the Southern Local School complex. Also, as noted in the media, a change order will be made to add approximately 2,700 feet of 8" diameter line to 10 residents along Crews Road and James Dr. Crews Road runs off Osborne. Sugar Excavating, the Part A contractor, will be given first option on the addition. If Sugar's cost estimates for the addition isn't below a set amount the job will be put up for bid.
Project Engineer meetings for Part A progress will be held every two weeks on Thursdays at 1 P.M. at the new Water Treatment Plant. The meetings will be attended by BWD personnel, Dallis Dawson Engineer Assoc. and the contractor. Ryan advised any interested funding agents are also welcome to attend. The first meeting is scheduled for October 22. Future meeting dates & times will be set at that meeting.
Invitation for bids on Part B of the Salineville project are currently being advertised. There will be a Pre-Bid Meeting for Part B at the St.Clair Township Hall at 10:30 A.M. on October 22. Bid opening for this will be at 11 A.M., also at the St. Clair Township Hall on October 29. The dead-line for bids to be accepted for Part B is 10:30 A.M., October 29.
It was interesting to see the report of this past week's SLSD Board-of-Education meeting stating that the school district simply can not afford the tap-in fee for them to get on the new water line. However, they are going to seek grants for the fee. Not one of those school board members mentioned the 3-year with 0% interest payment plan offered to them by the BWD. They did mention problems with their present well water system especially when there's no electricity to run the pumps. Right now the actual water is free for them. Still one has to wonder what their present system is costing the district for electricity to run those pumps, treating that well water and adhering to ever increasing EPA restrictions and regulations. What is not being said is speaking volumes about the SLSD water system today.
After leaving that meeting I rode out past where the new water line will be going in. Some of that land is farm land and some, like the long abandoned baseball field on Forbes, is not. From what I can see there is a lot of acreage available for development of some sort that just became more attractive when this economy turns around. I couldn't help but speculate how land value will approve and home owners will benefit with decreased insurance rates. Even if they don't tap-in, their homes will be a lot closer to the fire hydrants going in past their neighborhoods.
With the progressive expansion of the water district through out the region the potential of the county, and ultimately Wellsville, is looking up.
ole nib
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8 comments:
Well NIB you asked some good questions, when Southern Local started the expansion and were moving to consolidate all students to one campus, they were assured by SCREWED that they would have water available before they opened their new additions. When the one major addition was complete they were told they would not get a permit to occupy until the fire protection system was active. The board went back to the architects and were told that they would need at least 30,000 gallons of water to charge their fire system. The board had to buy this system to occupy the building. Later the EPA wanted to know just what the actual usage was as they had to upgrade the potable water system. The board installed a water flow meter, read it every day and documented the findings to the EPA's satisfaction. The Southern Local Board knew exactly how much water they were using and treating. The other schools that tapped into BWD did not know how much water they are using.
Southern Local could service the entire school off of a 2 inch Buckeye Water district line as the present fire system is still intact and approved for use. All the fire hydrants around the school are charged and ready for use.
Personally NIB I really don't want to stop at the spring to get a decent drink of water, like I see so many of BWD patrons doing.
No argument that SLSD knows exactly what they are using. Mr. H presented quite impressive documentation at a BWD board meeting.
The formula used to determine the tap-in fee is a standard industry formula that has been used in the past & no doubt, will be used in the future as the water district expands. It is not something BWD just pulled out of their hat.
You neglected to mention the extra costs involved using required 16" diameter water lines required to supply SL with fire fighting water required of a commercial supplier. If it wasn't for SL a smaller pipe line would have been sufficient to supply Salineville. Part A was set in stone before the question of the tap-in fee was brought up from the poor school district. In other words the BOE shut the barn door after the horse got out.
The tap-in fee is a one time deal. Once over that hurdle SL would only be billed for actual water used. If they do tap in it would end their worry about future EPA rulings or restrictions. Personally I think it is just a matter of time before any type of well water will be allowed to be used without elaborate, and expensive, water treatment & purification systems. The health nazis are taking over the world and will probably someday force government agencies to adhere to their whims. We've seen it happen in other areas and although many people have lived long lives on well water it's just a matter of time.
SL doesn't have to tap-in to the new line going past their complex. However, I think it's a case of pay me now or pay me later. The choice is theirs. I get the impression the amount is going to be the same.
As the economy eventually improves and funds become more readily available the aging pipe lines will eventually be replaced. The need of using spring water will be eliminated. Some of those pipe lines, especially in the ville, are older than our great-grand parents.
nib
NiB,
"You neglected to mention the extra costs involved using required 16" diameter water lines required to supply SL with fire fighting water required of a commercial supplier. If it wasn't for SL a smaller pipe line would have been sufficient to supply Salineville."
I most certainly did not forget to mention it."Southern Local could service the entire school off of a 2 inch Buckeye Water district line as the present fire system is still intact and approved for use. All the fire hydrants around the school are charged and ready for use."
SO just why are they running a 16 inch line is beyond my rational thinking. Just another case of a district led by people who are totally unaccountable to anyone. They make the county commissioners look like saints after they imposed the sales tax after having it defeated at the polls several times.
Why does Southern Local have to have a 16-inch line when Beaver Local, West Point, the Career Center and Elkton prison only have 12-inch lines? Surely they have fire flow needs as great, or greater, than Southern Local.
Answer me that, Nib.
don't pay them now southern. hold out for a better rate.
Good question about the lines. I'm guessing it has something to do with pressure but that is just my speculation. I'll have to ask someone from BWD.
nib
Glad your back in the ville, we missed you. Glad everything is o.k. with your family.
Thanks...
nib
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