Parkersburg City Council to vote on forever chemical filtration funding, design

No impact on customer rates from project

PARKERSBURG - Members of Parkersburg City Council are expected to vote Tuesday on the first readings of ordinances authorizing the funding, design and construction of upgrades to remove forever chemicals from drinking water provided by the Parkersburg Utility Board.

The ordinances are among legislation on the agenda for the regular meeting at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in council chambers on the second floor of the Municipal Building.

The project, which is projected to cost $25,746,000, would utilize a granular activated carbon filtration system to remove chemicals like C8, also known as perfluorooctanoic acid or PFOA, from PUB water, which is provided to customers in and around Parkersburg. The substance was used for years in the Teflon-manufacturing process at the Washington Works plant south of Parkersburg and has been linked to thyroid cancer and birth defects. Although its use was discontinued, the substance remains present in area water sources.

Funding for the project will not require a rate increase, according to documents provided with the meeting agenda.

The bulk of the money will come from $17,771,200 in settlement funds from Chemours, the company which was spun off from DuPont and now owns the Washington Works. Another $5 million will come from the West Virginia Bureau of Public Health's Drinking Water Treatment Revolving Fund, $2 million in grant funds from the State Economic Enhancement Grant Program and $974,800 from the PUB.

One ordinance on Tuesday's agenda, which will have to be approved on three readings instead of the usual two, relates to the revolving fund money that will be provided as a principal forgiveness loan.

"The ... program does not allow grants," Bennett said. "They give you a loan, and ... there is no interest; at the end of every year, the principal that you've drawn down on goes away. So you never have to pay it back."

Although the anticipated amount is $5 million, the ordinance is written to accept up to $12 million in the event of cost overruns, if there is money available, according to the memo with the ordinance.

The other ordinance, which requires two readings, would authorize the design and construction of the project, as required by state law.

Bennett said the project is out for bids now, and they are expected to be opened on Aug. 27.

Also on Tuesday's agenda is the first reading of an ordinance that would rezone property at 709 Rayon Drive from a residential to a business zone. The same ordinance failed in a 4-4 tie at the July 28 meeting with one member absent.

Some members expressed concern about changing the zoning to commercial, though Development Director Ryan Barber said the owners propose building a 10-unit multi-family dwelling. The B-2 zone was chosen over an R-4 residential zone because there were no other adjacent R-4 properties, he said.

The ordinance is sponsored by Councilman Dave McCrady, Councilwoman Sharon Kuhl and council President Andrew Borkowski, all of whom voted in favor of it at the last meeting. It was originally referred to council by the Municipal Planning Commission.

The agenda also includes the final reading of an ordinance conveying city property at 909 13th St. and 912 LaVerne St. to the Urban Renewal Authority.