FUNDING APPROVED — On Tuesday, the Brooke County Commission approved the use of federal American Rescue Plan funds for three local water and sewer projects. -- Warren Scott

WELLSBURG — The Brooke County Commission agreed Tuesday to provide a total of $905,000 for improvements to the water treatment systems of two public service districts in the county.

Paid from $4.2 million in federal American Rescue Plan funds awarded to the county, the amount includes $150,000 to replace pumps at two pump stations serving the Washington Pike PSD and $677,000 to the district to inspect, clean and paint water tanks serving the Rabbit Hill Road, Chapman Heights and state Route 88 areas.

County Commissioner Stacey Wise said the pumps were to be included in another project but the cost exceeded federal funds secured for it.

The Washington Pike PSD was awarded $4.6 million through the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act for various improvements to its water treatment system, which serves 916 homes and 16 businesses.

County Commissioner A.J. Thomas said state regulations call for the water tanks to be refurbished every 20 years, and the WPPSD tanks were due.

The amount also includes $78,000 to the Hammond Public Service District to extend electricity to water tanks serving its customers, replacing generators currently used by Hammond’s staff.

The commissioners noted they earlier approved $567,300 from the federal ARP funds for the Brooke County PSD to extend sewer lines to about a dozen homes and one business in the Franklin Manor area near state Route 27 and to design sewer line extensions to the Beech Bottom Industrial Park and about 120 acres north of it along state Route 2.

Jacob Keeney, assistant director of the Business Development Corp. of the Northern Panhandle, told the commissioners earlier a packaging plant serving several businesses at the industrial park is at full capacity and there are no sewer lines to land north of it that’s been eyed for development.

Wise noted questions had been raised about supporting the project before others serving residents. But she said the move will support development benefiting the entire county, while businesses that may be served in the future will pay a premium rate for the service.

Thomas said, “We’re trying to take on projects that would make the money the county got go a long way. We have locations in this county that are prime for development, but they have no wastewater system or water.”

County Commissioner Tim Ennis said the county was fortunate to have gotten $4.2 million from the federal government, but the need for water and sewer lines in the county is much greater than that.

Wise said it’s not been determined how about $2 million remaining from the funds will be used.

When the funds were awarded to states and counties, infrastructural improvements and the expansion of high-speed Internet service were identified as key goals.

The commissioners, Tuesday, said a proposed collaboration between several Northern Panhandle counties for the extension of broadband has been abandoned.

They said that’ s because the West Virginia Development Office has awarded a grant to Comcast to provide that service to much of the Northern Panhandle.

Thomas said plans call for Brooke County to be served through the effort, though it’s not yet clear which areas or how many residents.

He noted the company also will be providing a 25 percent match to the grant it received.

State Sen. Owens Brown, D-Wheeling, who attended the meeting, said the state received about $900 million in federal money for broadband expansion and put up another $100 million of its own funds for the effort.

Brown called it “a good start” but added regional input is needed to determine the best way to reach more rural areas.