KINGWOOD — Members of the Kingwood Sanitary Sewer Board received an update about a Kingwood project during its meeting on Monday.
Matt Fluharty, an engineer from Civil & Environmental Consultants (CEC), said the improvement project involves replacing grinder pumps.
“We’re replacing 40-plus grinder pumps and putting in gravity flow sewers,” he said. “The project will pick up about 40 additional customers.”
Also discussed was the possibility of Rowlesburg sending its waste water flow to Kingwood to be treated rather than building a new treatment plant. Fluharty said Rowlesburg has approximately 236 customers, noting Kingwood’s system could easily take it on.
According to a news release from U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, in April, Rowlesburg received approval from the West Virginia Infrastructure and Jobs Development Council for a $2.7 million sewer separation project.
“The project will separate storm water and sewage,” Preston County Economic Development Agency Executive Director Robbie Baylor said. “It will also address issues in the park, especially where sewage goes into the river.”
According to the news release, the town is proposing two sewer projects to address deficiencies outlined by the WVDEP. The two projects work to improve a few key areas with the town’s sanitary sewer system.
The first project proposes to replace the main lift station at its current location, replace existing gravity sewer lines, replace the main river crossing and install a grit removal system near the town park. The project also proposes to install a new flow meter at the wastewater treatment plant so more accurate influent flow data can be recorded.
The second project proposes to construct a new wastewater treatment plant and decommission the existing lagoons. The project will also include a new influent pump station, flow equalization basin, ultraviolet disinfection system, sludge management facility, supervisory control and data acquisition system and emergency backup generator.
This month, critical needs sewer work took place in Manheim and on Church Road to replace four mains at the Manheim station, manholes and sewer work in town. Brian Vandevender Contracting LLC, in Morgantown was awarded the contract for $188,240. The town has also received $299,000 in emergency funding from WVIJDC for road repairs due to collapsing sewer lines, according to the news release.
Fluharty said CEC will send a letter to the consolidation committee. He said once the committee receives the letter, board members will be invited to go to a meeting and voice any concerns.
No further action was taken.
In other business, sewer supervisor Nick Wolfe said 189 smoke testing letters went out to customers and 56 to the city. The letters gave recipients 90 days to repair inflow and infiltration problems on their property.
Wolfe said Camp Dawson has “many different issues” that need to be addressed. It has requested an extension beyond the 90 days.
Wolfe said 22 customers have repaired the problems.
No further action was taken.
Board members went into executive session to discuss personnel.
The next meeting of the Kingwood Sanitary Sewer Board will be 6:30 p.m. Sept. 11.
