MORGANTOWN – Morgantown Utility Board President Erik Carlson said he’s sure everyone is pleased to see some relief from the recent run of frigid temperatures.
He’s also sure few are quite as pleased to see the mercury rising as MUB’s field personnel.
Communications Director Chris Dale said MUB responded to more than 300 no-water calls over the past couple weeks as Monongalia County went into the deep freeze.
“This doesn’t include the requests for assistance from customers who approached our staff in the field,” Dale said. “Despite the frigid temperatures and well below zero wind chills, our field staff and water and wastewater plant teams worked tirelessly. These staff members are true community heroes.”
Carlson was among the utility’s board members to take note of the effort during the body’s Tuesday meeting.
“The MUB staff has gone well beyond the call of duty in making sure that the system continues to operate efficiently, and under the most adverse conditions,” Tom Witt said.
The appreciation extended to Wednesday’s meeting of the Monongalia County Commission.
“The three of us have been giving shout-outs to the DOH and all the workers during the snowstorm, but I would be remiss … and I think all three of us would agree, that the MUB workers who have continued to operate the system under these adverse conditions also deserve a shout-out,” Commission President Tom Bloom said. “I do appreciate that.”
By way of reminder, Assistant MUB General Manager Rich Rogers said customers can help themselves by running water when temperatures get exceptionally cold.
“You don’t have to run much, just a little bit,” Rogers said. “And don’t take the water meter lids off. Because when you do that, maybe just looking to around to see if it’s frozen, but it lets all that cold air in there, and it’s certainly going to freeze if that happens … Leave the meter lid on there. Call MUB if you have a question about it.”
In other MUB news, the utility board approved a $70,000 contract with Downstream Strategies to handle its municipal separate stormwater sewer system (MS4) program implementation.
The contract runs from Feb. 1 through the end of the year and is expected to be renewed annually.
An MS4 program is federally mandated through the US Environmental Protection Agency.
According to the EPA, there are approximately 7,250 MS4s nationwide operating under a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination MS4 Permit that requires permittees to develop a program including pollution prevention measures, treatment or removal techniques and monitoring to control the quality of stormwater discharged into storm drains.
While it’s been a stated goal for years, this is the first time MUB has ever outsourced this effort, which, Rogers explained, is a significant undertaking traditionally handled by MUB’s engineering staff.
“Downstream Strategies seems like a great fit for us. They understand that program. They understand the permitting process and we have a great working relationship with them on past projects and current projects,” Rogers said. “They assist us currently with our source water protection program as well.”
Under the contract, Downstream Strategies will implement MUB’s MS4 program, including documentation and compliance related reporting.
The contract involves the management of all six areas of the regulatory framework, known as MCMs, or minimum control measures. Those are: public education and outreach, public participation and involvement, illicit discharge detection and elimination, construction site runoff control, post-construction runoff control, and pollution prevention and good housekeeping.
Downstream Strategies is an environmental and economic development consulting firm based in Morgantown with locations in Davis and Lewisburg.
