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ST. CLAIRSVILLE -- Belmont County has another major wastewater infrastructure project on the horizon - improving service around the Ohio Valley Mall.
"We've been working with Congressman Bill Johnson over the past year on federal funding through the federal budget bill for a sewer project that impacts sort of the sewer system leaving the mall area and heading down through Blaine and eventually making its way to East Ohio Regional Waste Authority," Commissioner J.P. Dutton said. "There's a constraint issue there as you leave the retail area. Some improvements and upgrades need to be made to that area, so we've been working to try and secure federal funding, and a federal funding bill approved right before the end of the year did have $800,000 of (Environmental Protection Agency) dollars for the Belmont County Sanitary Sewer District to do that project."
Johnson's office received the Community Project Funding request for U.S. Fiscal Year 2023.
According to Johnson's letter of support to the House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environmental and Related Agencies, the project will expand sewer capacity and correct noxious odor venting. The funds will be used for the construction of a larger gravity force main that would eliminate the inadequate hydraulic capacity in the wastewater transmission system for sewage to the EORWA. This will also allow the water level at the top of the force main to maintain in the line and not overflow downstream of the old comminution structure, which reduces the particle size of solid materials. Incorporating robust odor control in the venting would also eliminate odor issues.
The mall area includes 12 hotels, 33 restaurants, three car dealerships and more than 100 retail stores.
"It was championed primarily by Congressman Bill Johnson," Dutton said. "Then it was supported as well in the Senate by U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) as well. ... It's a much-needed project. It's something that would have been a very big issue at some point for the retail area as pertains to the sewer system."
"This project is an effective use of taxpayer funding," Johnson said in an emailed statement. "I will continue to support real and effective infrastructure projects that improve the quality of life and provides benefits for hardworking Eastern Ohioans ... just like this one does."
Brown agreed the project is important.
"Up-to-date sewer infrastructure is critical to the health and well-being of Ohio families as well as to local communities' ability to create jobs and compete," Brown said in an emailed statement. "This investment will have a significant economic impact for the Belmont County Water and Sewer District."
Dutton said the county will be working with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
"Once we get instructions from the EPA, we'll hopefully get moving on that project and hopefully it won't be a long wait time until we can get dirt moving," Dutton said.
Dutton said there is no set schedule for the project. He does not expect work to be completed this year. The total cost is estimated at about $1.8 million, but the commissioner will have a clearer idea of costs in the future. He said there are other potential funding sources for the rest of the cost, and the $800,000 will prove a "shot in the arm" and a "foundation" for the upgrades.
"By spring, I would just be hopeful that we're in dialogue with the EPA. To my knowledge, that dialogue hasn't started yet. I'm sure it will be initiated by the EPA," he said. "That'll primarily work through (Director) Kelly Porter of the Belmont County Sanitary Sewer District and get the process rolling with them."
Dutton said the expanded capacity will be an opportunity for more development.
"We maintain the system for what we currently have, but obviously the goal is to accommodate future growth," he said.
"The sewer system is part of the Belmont County Sanitary Sewer District. ... The sewer system is difficult as compared to our 10,000 direct customers in water, we only have around 2,000 in sewer," Dutton said. "Obviously the villages and cities have the more tightened systems. Ours look more spread out, so that makes it more difficult. So anytime that we can bring in outside money to assist with our sewer system, it's much needed and this is an important project."
This project follows the conclusion of a large-scale upgrade of the county’s water and wastewater system, made possible with grants and loans from the United States Department of Agriculture.
"We've had this big package of water/sewer projects we've been working on for several years and have been wrapping up," Dutton said. "We have more projects that we want to work on, and our next group of projects we're being very aggressive on that. And this improvement is outside that initial package. It was one that was sort of next on the list that we really wanted to get moving, and because of this funding we'll be able to do so."