The Birch River PSD had recently applied to the West Virginia Infrastructure Jobs and Development Council (IJDC) for a grant to fund a waterline extension to approximately 25 new potential customers on Wilson Ridge. IJDC announced last week that the Birch River PSD will receive $800,000 in a Critical Needs Grant to fund that project.
The PSD’s efforts to supply water to Wilson Ridge have been in the planning and development stage since 2010. However, several setbacks resulting from a number of different funding agency applications being rejected, ever changing criteria for grant eligibility, and false promises of financial assistance have caused the project to be delayed until now. In the fall of 2018, the PSD was able to use some AML funding to establish a booster station at the beginning of Wilson Ridge and extend service approximately 1.5 miles along the Ridge to service 5 customers. In the fall of 2020, using their own resources, the PSD was able to further extend the line approximately 900feet farther to pick up 5 more customers.
Now, with IJDC’s Grant, the PSD will be able to complete approximately 2.5 miles of service line to serve an additional 25 potential customers on Wilson Ridge. Preliminary work on the project will begin in the following months in expectation of the project construction to begin in the spring of 2022at the latest. The PSD wants to thank Region IV Planning & Development who has stuck with the PSD for all these years and recognize that without their valuable knowledge and assistance, the PSD certainly would not have gotten as far as they have regarding this project. The PSD wishes to express its sincere gratitude to IJDC for their support of this much needed and anticipated project.