Work set to begin in Nov. on water line to Nineveh
Southwestern Pennsylvania Water Authority expects to begin work within the next few months on a long-awaited, eight-mile water line extension from Waynesburg to Nineveh.
“We hope to get started in November and be completed by about July,” authority manager Tim Faddis said Tuesday.
The project, which has been discussed for a number of years, came about as a result of a partnership between the authority and Rice Energy that will bring an estimated $29.5 million in water infrastructure improvements to the county.
The extension of the line along Route 18 from West Waynesburg to Nineveh, estimated to cost $5.2 million, also received funding from a $2.5 million state grant, for which the match was provided by the authority, county and municipalities benefiting from the line: Morris, Franklin and Washington townships.
Rice Energy contributed $1.25 million toward the line-extension project.
The authority announced the partnership for the infrastructure improvements two years ago, initially with Vantage Energy. After Vantage was purchased by Rice, Rice agreed to honor the commitment, Faddis said.
The arrangement is “mutually beneficial” to the company and the authority, Faddis said.
The authority receives much-needed funding to expand and improve its water system, benefiting all customers, while the company gets access to water for its well sites.
“It’s a good way for them to get water to their fracking sites, other than by hauling it by truck on local roads,” Faddis said. This arrangement should help reduce truck traffic on local roads, which also is a benefit to the community, Faddis said.
Under the agreement, Rice will recoup some of its investment through the receipt of revenue generated by an existing authority surcharge on the sale of water to oil and gas customers.
The company also will receive preferential treatment among oil and gas companies to access water available after the needs of the authority’s regular customers are met.
“It is nice to see the public and private sectors partnering for the common good of the area,” Faddis said. “Without this agreement, we’d never be able to afford to do these projects.”
Other projects funded under the partnership include:
• Construction of a 4.5-mile, 24-inch water main through Waynesburg. The project, estimated to cost $7.3 million, will increase water flow to the western part of the county. The project is expected to start in mid-August and be completed in December.
• An $11 million expansion of the authority’s water treatment plant that will increase plant output from 9.2 million gallons of water a day to 16.1 million gallons a day. Work is expected to begin in August.
• The replacement of 1.7 miles of eight-inch water line with 16-inch line on Route 221 in Morgan Township at an estimated cost of $1.3 million. Construction began last week.
• Construction of a new pump station near Rogersville, estimated to cost $900,000, to increase flow in western Greene County. The project should be completed next month.