Hundreds of county residents without public water should see dirt move this fall on new lines, Hecla Water Association officials said.

Monday, September 11, 2000

Hundreds of county residents without public water should see dirt move this fall on new lines, Hecla Water Association officials said.

"It’s really all falling into place," said Tim Dalton, Hecla technical support engineer.

County commissioners approved several construction right of way permits just over a week ago. Wednesday, crews installed a pump and motor in Hecla’s new wellfield.

That installation work should finish and well production should begin within three to four weeks, Dalton said.

There are still a few permitting hurdles, but Hecla expects water line construction to move forward afterward, he said.

The county was awarded about $600,000 in grant money last year to match Hecla funds to expand water lines along Ohio 93, Turkey Fork, Fox Hollow, White Oak, Sharp’s Creek and in other areas to serve more than 200 people who currently rely only on home wells.

The projects progressed through the engineering phase but encountered trouble after last year’s drought depleted groundwater supplies.

The EPA told Hecla earlier this year that it must bring up well production enough to serve the new customers before a required permit could be issued, which delayed the line expansions, officials said.

Some county grant work also led to a few delays.

But now that the new well project is finishing up, construction is getting closer.

"We’re tying up the loose ends," Dalton said. "We have seen a lot of obstacles but we’re eventually getting them all taken care of and we should be ready to begin this fall."

Hecla expects to begin line construction on Sharp’s Creek, where Dalton has been meeting with property owners recently.

"We don’t have a lot of flexibility in where we put lines but we are meeting with property owners to make sure we avoid what they have buried on their property," he said.

"When we start talking to people on the roads, it’s getting real close to construction."

Hecla crews can install lines throughout the winter months, so there will be few delays because of winter, Dalton said.

"The only thing that can stop us is if the roads are closed," he said.

Once finished, new water lines will become a welcome benefit in the northern Lawrence townships, commissioners said.

For more than a year, the county has fielded public water requests from residents there who must buy water or face muddy and contaminated wells, they said.