KINGWOOD — Reedsville is looking to expand and address issues with its sewer system.
Mayor Dennis Pierson briefed the Preston County Commission on the challenges facing the town’s system and the projects it may take on at the regular meeting on Tuesday.
Mostly, it’s inflow and infiltration issues, Pierson said.
“Where pipes have been damaged, manholes don’t feel quite right, groundwater runoff can get into the system,” Pierson explained.
A lot of the problems are in Arthurdale with a system the town picked up in 2013 and 2015, Pierson said. When the town took those 49 houses there was no state or federal funding for the project and the town took a $3 million loan — which it’s still paying back — from the West Virginia Municipal Board.
“We inherited a lot of issues with that 100-year-old clay pipe system,” he said, adding that his worry with future expansion is inheriting additional problems.
Another area of concern is the Preston Meadows addition right outside of town.
Reedsville doesn’t have the manpower or funding to address those issues, Pierson said. However, he said the town does a pretty good job of maintaining the system.
As for the expansion, Arthurdale Heritage Inc., which uses a more than 100-year-old septic system, has approached the town about joining its system. West Preston School also may need to tap into a sewage system because of problems it’s experiencing — and that’s about as good as it gets.
While Pierson said he was at the meeting to, like everyone else, ask for money, he did not request a specific amount. Pierson said the money could help both with current issues and future expansion.
The total cost for all seven projects is $6,280,000, according to a cost estimate. That includes the inflow and infiltration issues, sewer infrastructure, lift station upgrades, and adding Arthurdale Heritage and West Preston School.
Darlene Bolyard, executive director of Arthurdale Heritage, said she’s willing to work with anybody who wants to help and would be more than happy to partner with Reedsville.
“Communities work best when they work together,” Bolyard said.
Bolyard said she’s been blessed to have conversations with Sen. Shelley Moore Capito and Gayle Manchin, co-chair of the Appalachian Regional Commission, about infrastructure.
Commission President Samantha Stone suggested talking to the Board of Education, which she said probably has a much larger platform to get funding through the state.
No decision was made with regard to funding any projects.
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