News
Trimble Gets More Funding For Water Project
By: Steve Robb - Athens Messenger staff reporter
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Another piece of funding has fallen into place for Trimble’s proposed $1.86 million water distribution system replacement project.
U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown announced Tuesday that the Appalachian Regional Commission has awarded the village $250,000 for the project.
Michael Betts, project engineer with the firm Stantec in Logan, said the village has already been awarded $917,500 by the Ohio Public Works Commission. Of that, $500,000 is a grant and $417,500 is a zero-interest, 30-year loan.
Still pending is an application for a $500,000 Community Development Block Grant.
“They will be getting the grant,” said Penny Martin, spokeswoman for the Ohio Development Services Agency, which administers the CDBG Residential Public Infrastructure Program.
Martin said the agency’s application review office has recommended it for funding, and the agency will be working to complete the grant agreement with the village. She said an official announcement of the grant award will be made soon.
The remaining $192,500 for the project will be sought from the Ohio Water Development Authority in the form of a low-interest loan, Betts said.
If all the funding is obtained, the project will probably go out to bid late this year, with construction starting in late winter, according to Betts.
The project would replace all of the village’s water lines — about 24,000 feet — and will include new fire hydrants and water meters. Betts said the system dates back to the 1960s.
“They suffer from a water loss problem,” Bett said. “With the age (of the system) being over 50 years old, it’s just going to get worse.”
He said that in 2013 the water loss cost the village $6,700, in 2012 it was $15,700 and in 2011 the loss was $9,700.
Trimble buys its water from the Burr Oak Regional Water District. Betts said the village’s water tank was replaced about 10 years ago, so is not included in the proposed project.
Mayor Doug Davis Sr. was unavailable for comment Tuesday.