The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

Local News

May 20, 2008

Unger wants ‘master plan’ on water, sewer needs

Mannix Porterfield

CHARLESTON — A master plan is needed to identify all areas of West Virginia in need of water and sewer service as regions compete for shrinking federal dollars, a legislative leader suggested Tuesday.

Sen. John Unger, D-Berkeley, told a West Virginia Development Office representative the plan could be patterned after the six-year plan drawn up by the Division of Highways to pinpoint road needs and assign priorities.

“That is our emphasis — our water and sewer projects,” Jeanna Bailes, community development specialist with the Development Office, told members of the Joint Legislative Oversight Commission on State Water Resources.

“Let’s come up with a master plan like the DOH has to get an idea of what the needs are,” Unger said.

Bailes said the state’s federal allocation for fiscal 2008 was $16,642,524, a decrease of $5 million from seven years ago.

Over the past seven years, she pointed out, the state examined more than 800 Small Cities Block Grant requests. Within that time, some 267 projects were awarded, leveraging some $354 million in federal, state, local and private dollars.

From fiscal 2007, the state has 81 pending applications that require more than $89 million. Last year’s federal allotment totaled $17,122,780.

“That may be the tip of the iceberg, and may not be the highest priorities,” Unger, the panel’s co-chairman, said of pending applications.

Unger said he would like to see such a plan in the committee’s hands by the end of the year

Jeff Brady, representing the Infrastructure Council, told Unger his entity would attempt to get such a plan drawn up.

“We want to serve the unserved and learn where those unserved are,” he said.

Delegate Mike Burdiss, D-Wyoming, cautioned that any water installation should be accompanied with an attendant sewer system as well, considering the extra strain imposed by the additional appliances.

“If you put in water and don’t put in sewer, you’re exacerbating the problem,” he said.

Brady told the other co-chair, Delegate Tim Manchin, D-Marion, that it takes an average of three years to bring a proposed project from “commitment to construction,” but from the point of conception, about five years.

“If they want a grant, it’s going to take a while,” he said. “If they want a loan, it’s a snap.”

The panel in the coming months will be taking a look at the state’s efforts to promote the availability of safe drinking water projects and how they are financed.

— E-mail:

mannix@register-herald.com

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