— Federal Abandoned Mine Land monies have been approved for the proposed regional water system intended to serve Wyoming and McDowell counties, according to Sen. Richard Browning, D-Wyoming.

That money could fund anywhere from 28 percent to 35 percent of the $120 million project, according to officials.

“The project is being looked at for funding by USDA officials in Washington, and I am told we have a very good chance at receiving funding,” Browning said.

The USDA is being asked to pick up between 65 percent and 72 percent of the project costs.

“We are moving through the bureaucracy,” Browning said.

“When we actually get funding, my estimation is that construction is still a ways off because of design issues, etc.”

Using R.D. Bailey Lake as the source, the project is expected to provide water to all of Wyoming County and a large portion of McDowell County, Browning noted. Mingo County officials opted not to participate.

All the environmental and engineering studies have been completed, Browning said.

By tying local systems and public service districts (PSD) together, individual systems can “buy or borrow water” when they need it, Browning explained.

Browning emphasized the plan is intended to provide a primary source — as well as a backup source — for those systems in need of water for any reason.

Although the initial costs for a state-of-the-art water treatment plant to serve the regional area could be substantial, savings would come by tying systems together, by “putting pipe in the ground” rather than constructing numerous new plants, which can cost in the millions of dollars, across the region, officials noted. Capacity could be added to the treatment plant as needed.

The reasons for a regional water project with a reliable, plentiful source are many.

Underground water sources are notoriously unreliable and can also be unhealthy, explained David Cole, executive director of the Region I Planning and Development Council, especially with the increase in mining and drilling.

Unhealthy levels of sodium and barium have contaminated water sources within the region, Cole said. Treatment plants have to be specifically constructed to remove particular contaminants, according to officials.

A 2007 drought that nearly resulted in Oceana’s water source drying up also sent up a red flag, bringing to light the need for a backup source for established water systems.

Operating costs for smaller municipalities and water systems are creating budget shortfalls. Browning noted the regional project may be a “way out” for the smaller towns with decreasing populations that are forced to subsidize water systems and other utilities.

A long-term study of the region following the July 8, 2001, flooding projected these smaller municipalities would cease to exist in the coming years due to the population declines and escalating operations costs.

Additionally, with increased government regulations, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find and keep a certified water treatment plant operator.

R.D. Bailey Lake could provide a reliable source and would be very cost-effective, according to officials. Preliminary projections indicate the lake could provide up to 10 million gallons of water a day without any significant impact to the lake pool.

Subsidized with federal funding, cost of the water could be reduced dramatically due to the number of low-income households in the region, officials noted.

“This could pick up a lot of unserved areas,” Browning said.

“We may have to create a regional water authority and everyone involved is going to want a seat at the table,” he said.

With a huge customer base, the regional water operation could possibly generate enough revenue to hire an engineer to maintain the system, he emphasized.

“This will benefit so many people,” Browning said. “This is truly government at its best ...”

Officials hope the bulk of the funding will come from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development. The agency has $6 billion to award in loans and grants for water and wastewater projects across the nation, according to Jim Maras, deputy assistant administrator for the USDA RD Water and Environmental Program in Washington, D.C. That figure includes billions of extra dollars due to the federal Recovery Act, also referred to as “stimulus funding.

The Hanover area — which will be the first area connected to the project — will encompass 1,209 users. Oceana will provide another 1,700, then Ravencliff-McGraws-Saulsville Public Service District will add 1,300. The Pineville system will add 1,765 customers, with the Eastern Wyoming Public Service District adding about 1,600.

McDowell County users will total more than 3,000, with the new federal prison, near Welch, doubling the city’s daily water consumption once it opens this year.

Spreading the total project costs over the larger customer base drastically reduces the per customer cost and makes the project more appealing for federal and state agencies which provide such funding, according to officials.

Construction cost per customer for the original water project, which included the Hanover areas, equaled $59,250 per customer. Once all the systems in Wyoming and McDowell counties were included, the cost was reduced to $8,875 per customer.

Officials hope to keep water bills between $40 and $50 per month.

— E-mail: mcbrooks@register-herald.com