Governor Visits County to Present Hammond PSD with Grant

About 900 people in southern Brooke County received a double dose of good news this week.
Gov. Jim Justice announced a $1,287,333 grant for the Hammond Public Service District’s water treatment system.
The money will be used to match $4.6 million awarded by the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers and supplement a $1.2 million interim loan taken from the state Water Development Authority and $986,500 allocated by the Brooke County Commission.
In all, it’s nearly an $8 million project.
Speaking at the PSD’s office on Wellsburg’s Town Square, Justice also said the grant will keep the 300 households involved from seeing a rate increase.
Included in the project is replacement of 21,500 feet of main water lines near Marshall Terrace, Coss Lane and the Mazzella water tank to improve water pressure and address recurring leaks.
The project will also include upgrades to the district’s water plant near McCord Hill Road, the replacement of the Windsor Heights water tank with lines extending through the Mac Barnes Drive area and the installation of about 900 new water meters.
The new meters will be read remotely, reducing the time spent by crews in reading them from several days to one so they can focus their attention on servicing the water lines.
Customers will be able to access their meter readings online, and the meters will indicate any difference from their average readings, which may be a sign of a leak.
The St. Clairsville engineering firm of Vaughn, Coast and Vaughn, an engineering firm from St. Clairsville is preparing the final construction plans and expects construction to begin early next year.
Hammond PSD officials hope it will be completed by late 2026.
The governor said PSD officials had been faced with raising water rates, from $40 per 3,000 gallons to $56 per 3,000 gallons to support the improvements.
Following that announcement, Susan Donathan, chairman of the PSD board, said the district’s rates recently were raised to provide health care coverage for its staff for the first time, and she and the other board members couldn’t be sure another increase, in some amount, can be avoided.
“It’s a great day for a project here that’s been in the works for who knows how long, 50 years plus,” Justice told the crowd.
“It’s a great day. This is a project that has been long in the works for who knows how long, 50 years plus,” said Justice, recalling that funding for it came through the efforts of many local, state and federal officials.
“I can’t tell you how thrilled we are. This is long overdue,” Donathan said. “We’re going to do our best to keep the rates down.”
She hopes to secure additional funding as the project is closer to completion.
“For years, we’ve had multiple leaks and line breaks in specific areas,” PSD office manager Holly Stewart said.
“I’ve had a lot of customers come in and ask about so many breaks, when can we get improvements, get these lines replaced? And that’s something we’ll be able to do with this project.”
A.J. Thomas, president of the Brooke County Commission, thanked Justice for his support, and said the commissioners have made improving local water and wastewater treatment systems a priority through their allocation of federal American Rescue Plan Act funds awarded to the county.
Other funds for the project were secured with support from U. S. Sens. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Joe Manchin (D-WV) and the Brooke-Hancock-Jefferson Metropolitan Planning Commission.
The governor also stopped in Chester for a similar announcement involving the Chester water treatment system and Wheeling for the dedication of Orchard Park Hospital.