Hammond PSD Project Receives Almost $1 Million Boost From Brooke County
Photo by Warren Scott
An estimated $8.3 million project to improve and extend water lines in the Hammond Public Service District has received a boost from the Brooke County Commission.
The commissioners agreed Tuesday to provide $986,500 to the public service district for preliminary costs such as administrative and attorney’s fees.
They noted the district has been awarded a $4.6 million grant by the Army Corps of Engineers for the project and were advised district officials will seek a loan for the remaining cost.
The St. Clairsville engineering firm of Vaughn, Coast and Vaughn has planned to replace about 13,400 feet of main water lines and 500 feet of service lines as well as refurbish its four water tanks. It’s not clear how much of that will be included in the project.
Recurring line breaks in the district have been attributed to the age of the lines, many of which were installed in 1965, and, because they weren’t installed deep enough, seismic tests performed for natural gas drilling.
The district serves about 2,928 residents in 915 homes and 16 businesses as well as the transportation department of the Brooke County School District and the Wheeling-Ohio County Airport.
Areas receiving water from Hammond include Chapman Heights, Bethany Pike, Marshall Terrace, McKinleyville, McCord's Hill Road, Windsor Heights, Short Creek and, in Ohio County, Apple Pie Ridge.
The commission earlier allocated $78,000 from the ARP money for the district to extend electricity to its water tanks, which had been served by generators.
Also receiving ARP funds through the commission were the Brooke County Public Service District, which was allocated $567,300 for engineering for sewer upgrades to property in Beech Bottom owned by the Business Development Corp. of the Northern Panhandle; and the Washington Pike Public Service District, which was allocated $150,000 to replace pumps at two pump stations and inspect, clean and paint water tanks serving customers on Rabbit Hill Road, Chapman Heights and areas of state Route 88.
In other business, the commission agreed to accept letters of interest in seats on four local boards, including from those whose terms are set to expire.
The boards include the county’s health board, the park and recreation board, which oversees Brooke Hills Park; and the boards for the Brooke County and Hammond PSDs.
Letters of interest should be submitted to the office of County Clerk Kim Barbetta at the Brooke County Courthouse before the commission’s Dec. 12 meeting.