MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The Morgantown Utility Board (MUB) is preparing to return to White Park to replace an aging sewer line. MUB Senior Engineer Ken Hacker said the 1,000 foot section could be replaced by spring.
“The system is experiencing quite a bit of damage from hydrogen sulfide gas and just the age of the system,” Hacker said.
MUB, BOPARC and Morgantown officials conducted a site visit Thursday to review the scope of work and expectations. The site is on the south side of the park and the intent is to disrupt as little of the area as possible.
“There are some trails intended to go in there at some point in the near future,” Hacker said. ” Being able to get in there and get this work ahead of that will make this project better all around and I think everybody understands that.”
Hacker said the hydrogen sulfide gas is a normal by-product from the sewer and has caused severe deterioration over years of exposure. The age and condition of the section of line makes replacement a high priority for MUB.
“We’re experiencing a lot of not routine service issues that we need to get in there and perform on that line just because of the age and damage it has incurred,” Hacker said.
The new system will be upsized from 8 to 10-inch pipe to 18-inch including manholes with bolt-down lids. This is Phase I of the replacement project- the next phase will replace the section under University Toyota.
“It provides additional capacity in the system and also we’re dealing with an odor issue down there, so we’re trying to control that better with more free space in the system.”
Phase I is expected to cost about $300,000 and is funded by dollars made available through the purchase of surety insurance policies on outstanding bond issues.