MORGANTOWN — It was a monumental task, Morgantown Utility Board General Manager Mike McNulty explained Tuesday, but after nearly six years and some $101 million the upgrade and expansion of MUB’s wastewater treatment plant is complete.
“Over and done,” McNulty said. “This is really a monumental task that was undertaken and completed, and it was a great job. What MUB has accomplished is going to benefit Morgantown and Monongalia County for many years to come.”
The plant, located along the Monongahela River in Star City, was originally built in 1965.
MUB leadership explained the facility began operating at or near capacity in 2016, the same year Morgantown City Council approved rate increases to finance the plant expansion as well as the ongoing Flegal Dam and Reservoir project.
The treatment plant project began in Jan. 2017 and increased the facility’s capacity from 12 million gallons per day to 20.8 million.
In other news, McNulty said MUB could know as early as Thursday whether the West Virginia Water Development Authority will help finance some $14 million in upgrades to water and sewer infrastructure supporting WestRidge and the larger Chaplin Hill/Mylan Park area.
The upgrades, totaling $7,225,000 on the water side and $6,838,000 for sewer, will include the construction of a new water tank, a booster station and the boring of new water and sewer lines beneath the Monongahela River.
MUB was initially petitioning the WDA for 80% of the project cost. That number was scaled back to 50% in October.
Of the $7,031,500 in local funds needed, $3,590,000 will come from MUB — $1.66 million on-hand as part of a future project reserve and $1.93 million through an Infrastructure and Jobs Development Council loan. Another $2,050,000 will come by way of American Rescue Plan Act dollars through the Monongalia County Commission and $1,391,500 will come from developer WestRidge and the surrounding TIF district.
Of course that’s all dependent on the WDA approving the project when it convenes on Thursday.
“There is a huge agenda. I think 30 different projects,” McNulty said of the meeting, which MUB leadership plans to attend. “Hopefully it’ll go very quickly and smoothly and we’ll get the 50%, but there are a lot of applicants. And this is just round one, I guess.”
Tuesday’s meeting was notable in that it was the first convened in more than two decades without J.T. Straface as a board member. Morgantown City Councilor Dave Harshbarger sat for his first meeting since being appointed to Straface’s former seat by council in line with utility board changes being considered by the city.
Once down to business the body approved $77,195 for the purchase of a new compact track loader from PARCS New Holland and $177,464 to purchase a new dump truck from FYDA Freightliner Pittsburgh.
The board also approved $300 holiday bonuses for MUB employees.
