Due to the number and complexity of factors at play, it’s hard to nail down exactly when the Morgantown Utility Board’s Robert B. Creel Water Treatment Facility off Don Knotts Boulevard will begin approaching its functional capacity.
It might be 2029. It might be 2032.
The point is it’s coming — sooner rather than later — and the scope of upgrades needed will likely take four to five years to plan, engineer, finance and construct.
That, in a nutshell, was the message delivered Tuesday as Scott Stearns and Sam Hocevar of Strand Associates broke down the engineering firm’s comprehensive examination of MUB’s water delivery system — everything from the treatment plant to water mains, booster stations, elevated storage tanks and even customer metering.
The bottom line?
MUB’s probably looking at just over $64 million in today’s dollars to address all the future bottlenecks and technology deficiencies system wide.
“These are associated with actual needs, but all these projects don’t need to be done simultaneously,” Stearns said. “But the water treatment plant, I think we’ve identified here as a real need.”
The treatment plant upgrade would include numerous improvements across the facility at a current estimate of just over $40 million.
The heart of that project would be the construction of a new high service pumping station, likely on the neighboring Dinsmore Tire site purchased, and recently cleared, by MUB.
While Tuesday’s report was informational, Stearns said the day is rapidly approaching when MUB will have to make a decision regarding the plant.
“There definitely are some projects that do, in my opinion, have a driver that has a time function associated with it,” he said.
MUB is currently ramping up to begin an expansion of its Cheat Lake wastewater treatment facility at an estimated cost of $39.7 million.
Assistant General Manager Rich Rogers said four contractors showed up at the recent mandatory pre-bid meeting for that project.
Bids will be opened Sept. 24.
In other news from Tuesday’s meeting, the board once again recognized leadership from its Star City and Cheat Lake wastewater treatment facilities.
Both facilities have racked up decades of Platinum Peak Performance Awards signifying perfect compliance with National Association of Clean Water Agencies standards.
This year marks the 25th consecutive year of perfect marks for the Cheat Lake facility and the 23rd consecutive year for the Star City plant.
The perfect compliance streaks place both facilities in the top 2% of wastewater treatment plants nationwide.
Lastly, the board approved a $651,339.75 bid from Parrotta Paving to construct a sanitary sewer project for the development of 69 townhouses along Harner Run Road, which is located off S. Pierpont Road.