Ohio County is getting $2 million to replace a water main that has been breaking down since the 1960s, Governor Patrick Morrisey announced Tuesday. The money will go toward tearing out a 5,300-foot stretch of aging cast-iron pipe along Route 88 in West Liberty, a line that has repeatedly failed and left residents and West Liberty University without water.
The grant comes from the West Virginia Water Development Authority's Economic Enhancement Grant Fund and will be managed in partnership with the Ohio County Public Service District, according to the Office of Governor Patrick Morrisey. The 12-inch cast-iron main being replaced dates back to the 1960s, and its failures have caused recurring outages for the surrounding community.
Beyond the pipe itself, the funding will pay for maintenance on the 500,000-gallon Cabela Elevated Water Storage Tank near The Highlands and for new aeration mixing systems across the county's storage tanks. Those mixing systems are intended to address concerns about water stagnation and total trihalomethanes, or TTHMs, chemical byproducts.
Storm Damage Added to the Strain
The push to fix Ohio County's water system comes after severe flooding last year caused millions of dollars in structural damage to local water infrastructure, local officials noted during Tuesday's announcement, as reported by The Intelligencer.
According to WTOV, Morrisey said clear, clean water is critically important and that the state should address water infrastructure challenges before they become a crisis. The station reported that Morrisey is highlighting water and wastewater infrastructure as a key focus of his administration, with the Ohio County grant intended to fund storage tank refurbishment and address needs off Route 88.
A Regional Pattern of Investment
The Ohio County award coincided with another Northern Panhandle project. On the same day as the Ohio County announcement, Morrisey allocated $4.43 million from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund to modernize wastewater lines in nearby Moundsville, aiming to stop untreated sewage from spilling into local creeks and the Ohio River during heavy rains, per the Office of Governor Patrick Morrisey.
West Virginia's Clean, Clear Water Strategy includes 60-day project review windows and a public dashboard while prioritizing grants for systems facing active boil-water advisories or financial distress, according to West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
Help for Understaffed Water Districts
The strategy also leans on the state's universities to help small utilities navigate the paperwork. West Virginia University and Marshall University's Grant Resource Centers are offering technical assistance and dedicated grant writers to help small, understaffed water systems navigate the process, according to WVU Today.
Statewide, WTOV reported that Morrisey announced an additional $145 million in state funding for water and wastewater projects across West Virginia, money he said would support projects over the coming year. State officials said the investments are intended to provide more reliable water service and strengthen infrastructure for future growth. Morrisey said his administration is prioritizing fundamental investments over one-shot deals, adding that the state is investing in site selection, water and sewer systems, and personnel, and that results may not show up on day one.
The new $145 million commitment could leverage another $450 million in outside matching funds, according to WV Explorer.
