Monongalia County commissioners approve water hookup allowance for some Morgans Run residents

MONONGALIA COUNTY, W.Va. The residents in the Morgan’s Run area are one step closer to getting water service from the Morgantown Utility Board (MUB). Commissioners in Monongalia County have approved $2,000 for each water hookup in the area, totaling $56,000.

Director of Communications for MUB, Chris Dale, said they are working with the West Virginia Infrastructure and Jobs Development Council to secure a critical needs grant and a loan to complete the extension. The extension is estimated to cost as much as $3.7 million.

“We received a request for assistance from individual residents who live in the Morgan’s Run area, and what we’re doing right now is working to find funding to complete the project to get those residents water,” Dale said.

Residents in the area complain about low-producing wells that also have minerals that discolor the water, like iron and manganese.

“I’ve been hearing about the Morgan’s Run project from several home owners since before I came on commission, and I’m glad to see they’re moving forward on it,” Arnett said. ” MUB has been working through a grant and trying to provide that much-needed service to that area, so it’s pretty exciting.”

Monongalia County Commission President Sean Sikora said assisting with the cost of the hookup is something they do regularly to help residents and encourage development.

“Our contribution is anytime in the area. When a utility is going to do a new tap on a house, we’ll contribute $2,000 to that tap, so we do this all the time,” Sikora said.

Sikora said the policy also extends to fire hydrants when improvements are made as well.

“The vouchers that we approved today were fire hydrants that we approved for the Halleck Road area that we approved, so it’s an ongoing thing.”