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The long-awaited upgrade to St. Clairsville's water distribution system begins this week as city leaders ponder prices customers will pay when the city eventually shifts from treating its own water to purchasing from Belmont County.
Safety and Service Director Jeremy Greenwood made the announcement Monday, informing council that work will begin Thursday at Spring Park Avenue, with the line running around the Spring Park residences, then north to and beneath U.S. 40.
Greenwood said this may be a few weeks to a month of the total 18-month project. The city received a $5 million grant from Ohio Environmental Protection Agency in late 2021 that had been intended to cover upgrading the distribution system throughout the city; however, inflation has increased the cost and curtailed the scope of the project to the main routes, with northern and southern sections to be considered later.
In any case, an increase in water rates is inevitable, since the county's water municipal bulk minimum bill is $23.98, and $6.85 per 1,000 gallons. Since St. Clairsville charges 2,000 gallons minimum, the total cost would be $37.68 as the minimum bill in 2023, with prices expected to increase in 2024 to a $26.26 minimum and $7.50 per 1,000 gallons for a minimum bill of $41.26.
Sewer rates are a minimum of $44.24 and $7.58 per 1,000 gallons for a total monthly bill of $59.40, and increases to $62.98 and $66.75 expected in 2024 and 2025.
"They're saying it's going up 2.5-3 percent every year," Greenwood said.
City Council has discussed a possible 6 percent increase in monthly water rates and a 2 percent increase in monthly wastewater rates.
During a lengthy utility meeting prior to the regular council meeting, Greenwood said the disadvantage of either selling the water system to a private entity -- as had been discussed a few years ago -- or purchasing water from another entity is that the city is "at the mercy" of that other entity. He noted the county allows the purchase of 550,000 gallons of bulk water daily, but the city sometimes uses as much as 700,000 daily.
Councilwoman Kristi Lipscomb asked if the OEPA could allow the city to continue using the water plant and reservoir system. Greenwood said plans to purchase water from the county for the near future are in place. The OEPA had mandated the city take action to rectify its aged and long-neglected water system. The county is upgrading its own water system and has not yet been able to supply water to the city.
Councilwoman Beth Oprisch said the most pressing problem is the distribution system and the loss of 41 percent of processed water from the plant.
"The fact that 41 percent of our water is unaccountable to me is such a waste of money. We're buying 500,000 gallons of water a day and we only need half of that," Oprisch said. "Forty-one percent, we cannot live with that number. We are buying water from the county and then just dumping it down the drain."
Oprisch also asked if the OEPA required the city to discontinue operating the water plant.
Lipscomb agreed with Greenwood that the water system should be run responsibly "like a business."
"I don't know a business that would have merchandise, throw 40 percent of it in the garbage and charge their customers for what's left. That's fiscally irresponsible," she said. "We need to increase rates, but how do we do that when we know there's this much water going out? What does it take to fix it? We can't keep kicking the can down the road."
Council President Jim Velas said many of the leaks are not easily detectable and the water could easily be lost underground.
Service Director Don Smithberger said the city staff is insufficient to dig up all of the lines and look for breaks and that the city would have to hire a contractor. He speculated that eventually the city could decide to construct another water treatment plant, but for any of these options, money would be needed and rates would increase.
Greenwood estimated the city has spent $2 million on waterline breaks in the past 10 years.
Councilwoman Terra Butler voiced concerns that high water rates could mean the loss of residents and potentially the loss of city status should the population drop below 5,000. Greenwood pointed out the population was only 5,097 as of the 2020 census.
Smithberger said new businesses coming to the area would likely mean more new residents.