MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – As negotiations saunter along between the city of Morgantown and MUB about the licensing agreement for the raw water pipeline project costs mount.
Director of Communications for MUB, Chris Dale says the most quantifiable cost now is a $3,000 per month cost to store the contractors equipment.
A delay until November, the targeted restart time, would add $35,000 to the project cost.
However, if a deal isn’t reached the delay could balloon to one year or more, which would push costs higher.
“The current license agreement states that work to be performed, to the extent possible, will occur during the late fall and winter seasons to minimize the impact to nesting birds,” Dale said, “this means that if we do not begin work soon the project will be delayed for an entire year.”
Dale adds that labor, equipment, materials and overhead are all subject to market escalations over time.
If MUB proceeds with the route on Mississippi Street instead of White Park option the cost could increase by about $6 million and come with a rate increase of 2.7 percent according to the MUB Matrix dated June 19,2019.
The Matrix shows no rate increase if route 3 is built.