LEWISBURG (WVDN) – The progress of the water project pipeline construction is on schedule, according to Lewisburg city manager Misty Hill.
“We are on the projected timeline and on target,” Hill said.
Currently, construction along Stone House Road is half complete — “right at the Yates’ tank,” according to Hill.
Notification will be made publicly as each section is opened into the Lewisburg community. There will be a section on Dwyer Lane and one in Teaberry Subdivision. There will be plenty of notice as each section begins work, she said.
A portion of the Greenbrier River Trail is closed to public access and viewing during construction. No photos are being allowed.
The weather has been favorable. According to Hill, “Snowfall and ice could make the environment treacherous and cause delays.”
At this point, she says, target date of project completion remains September 2024.
A lengthy list of payees for the project is presented each month at the Lewisburg City Council meeting, and the dollar amounts are significant. Hill assured that there are multiple oversight levels that each cost must pass through.
“There is an engineer from Chapman Technical onsite each day signing off on every step. Both myself and public works director Tony Legg are also on-site every day,” she said.
Then the paperwork goes to the management of Chapman Technical for careful review and is submitted to Region 4 as well, before the city of Lewisburg makes any payments, Hill said.
At the November City Council meeting the following bills related to the Water System Improvements Project were paid:
Orders Construction Company, St. Albans, $982,671.91
Pro Contracting Inc, Lost Creek, $370,226.10
Dinsmore & Shohl, LLP, Cincinnati, Ohio, $3,838.01
Region 4 Planning, Summersville, $816.64 (August 2022)
Reimbursement to the city from USDA, $26,284.08 (legal fees)
Reimbursement to the City from USDA, $11,110.33 (lands and rights of way)
All these invoices were paid with money from the USDA totaling $1,394,947.07.
City local contribution, city of Lewisburg American Rescue Plan Act funds, West Virginia Infrastructure Jobs and Development Council and West Virginia Water Authority are also possible payers for invoices submitted, but this time around USDA was the source for the money.
The next meeting of the Lewisburg City Council is Tuesday, Dec. 20.
