Members of the Buckeye Water District’s Engineering
Committee met yesterday to consider starting the Fredrick Heights project. With on-going litigation still in progress
with the City of East Liverpool the water district’s ability to install new
water lines has been hampered. Plans
were in the process to extend water service to the Frederick Heights area. Residents in that neighborhood presently use
well water that is, in some places, questionable quality. Members of the St. Clair Township trustees
have requested that BWD seriously consider extending service into that
subdivision.
Board of Trustees President Mike Ryan announced at yesterday’s
meeting that they have been informed by officials of the USDA that the water
district still has $480,000 in grant money available. The grant was originally intended for the
district’s new multimillion dollar Water Treatment Plant. District Manager Al DeAngelis reported that
USDA officials have advised it would be acceptable to apply the remaining
unused grant money toward a start on the Frederick Heights project. The money is actually held by the USDA which
is available to BWD in the form of a loan once a project is started. It is not cash on hand in BWD coffers.
Before East Liverpool garnished the water district’s cash
the Frederick Heights project was on fast forward to be started this year. Original plans called for the installation of
roughly 20,000 feet of eight inch diameter line into the subdivision. Before going ahead with the plans the water
district conducted a door-to-door survey of Frederick Heights residents and
found there were sufficient customers to make the project feasible. It was determined that the extension of the
water service would be around $1.5 million.
Engineer Committee Chairman Roy Dray estimated that the
amount of grant money available would be enough to get the new water service to
Ruby Drive and most of Avery. Dallis
Dawson Assocs. Engineer Jon Blair was asked to work up an estimate on
installing roughly 5,000 feet of new line.
Also being considered is including the mobile home park owned by the
Householders. BWD currently serves customers in the Turkana
Farms condo complex which is near Frederick Heights.
Once cost estimates are made available by the district’s
engineering firm the committee will consider what to submit to the BWD Board of
Trustees. Part of that consideration
will be whether to install water service to Frederick Heights in two or three phases. Ryan noted that will depend on what future grant
money will be available and estimates it may be two years to complete the whole
project. If the Board gives the green
light on the first phase any residents along the route would be given the
option to tie-in on the new line.
The BWD Board of Trustees next meeting is scheduled for Thursday,
August 16, at Wellsville Village Hall.
The meeting starts at 9 AM.
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