Sewer project under way

STEUBENVILLE - Work officially began Tuesday on the $2.3 million Pottery Addition sewer project as county, state and local officials held a groundbreaking ceremony.

The county is under an Ohio Environmental Protection Agency mandate to install the sewers because of a faulty community septic system that is allowing raw sewage to be dumped into the Ohio River.

The county received $600,000 in Community Development Block Grant funding obtained through the Jefferson County Regional Planning Commission, $150,000 from the Ohio Public Works Commission, a $817,736 no-interest loan from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and $817,736 grant from the OEPA.

"This is a great day for Jefferson County and Pottery Addition," said Jefferson County Commissioner Thomas Graham. "The EPA did the right thing in mandating this project with raw sewage going into the river. That is unacceptable,"

Graham noted the EPA is forcing the county to do the project but also is proving a bulk of the financing.

Timothy Campbell, OEPA environmental manager with the Southeast District Office, said the state agency is "proud to provide financial assistance to protect human health, while saving Jefferson County $1.6 million over the life of the loan."

Pejmaan Fallah, OEPA division of environmental and financial assistance, said the state agency is there to offer a "spirit of partnership."

"The problems facing Jefferson County is also our problems," Fallah said.

Tom Hartwig of Malcolm Pirnie, the county's consulting engineer for the project, said Pottery Addition was a long-term pollution problem for people using the Ohio River. He said the OEPA made the project affordable to residents.

Residents will have to pay $3,300 to tap into the sewer system, plus the cost of connecting homes to the sewers.

The county has reached an agreement with Steubenville to treat the sewage.

Domenick Mucci, Jefferson County Regional Planning Commission executive director, said Pottery Addition is one area of the county being eyed for economic development. He said about 18 residents will receive financial assistance to pay for the tap-in fee using CDBG funds.

County Commissioner David Maple said the mandated project is the right thing to do for the area and for the environment. Maple noted the collaboration of many agencies on the project, including Steubenville.

County Commissioner Tom Gentile thanked the work of Shannan Gosbin, county water and sewer department director, and her staff.

"Projects like this just don't fall out of a tree. It takes a lot of hard work," Gentile said.

Gentile also noted the Pottery Addition area is ready for commercial and industrial development but the lack of sewers has hampered efforts.

He said the county will work to attract businesses to the Pottery Addition area and also will work with the Island Creek Township trustees in cleaning up unkempt properties.

Walt Cramer, a Pottery Addition resident, said he thinks the project is great for the area.

"I'm in favor of the project. It has been needed for years," he said.

(Law can be contacted at mlaw@heraldstaronline.com.)

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Sewer project under way