Residents attended a public hearing Tuesday regarding the Northwest Regional to Eastern Regional Water System Interconnection — a plan to install about seven miles of water main pipe that will serve the areas of Wilberforce, the village of Cedarville and Shawnee Hills.
New water lines will connect residents to the county’s water system after the county opted to not renew the water service contract with the city of Xenia.
That contract is set to end in June 2018, and the county must have water service available to those residents by then, according to Randy Gilbert, assistant director at Greene County Sanitary Engineering.
MORE: Greene County village to host Ohio Chautauqua tour
Contractors will start bidding on the project in late summer, construction should begin this fall and work will continue until May 2018.
Property owners who want to connect to the new service will have to pay an “equalization charge” of $5,000 in addition to other charges and the cost of installing plumbing on their own property, Gilbert said.
Those other charges could be significant. For instance, if a property owner in a residential plat wants to connect, an additional $3,740 will be required.
Gilbert said the new water lines will be available to more than 100 homes, but it will be voluntary to connect because many residents have access to well water.
The initial estimated cost for the project of $8.5 million is expected to go up because length was added in the design phase and the final cost will depend on the bids that the county receives starting in August or September.
The capital investment was needed after the county decided last year to end its agreement with Xenia. County officials said the city’s surcharge was too high when compared to similar surcharges in other communities.
Xenia spokesman Lee Warren said the water rates in the city have been increased to compensate for the potential loss in revenue.
“Overall, Xenia water is still very competitive throughout the region from a ranking standpoint,” Warren said. “We still have an offer on the table that we feel provides a better value to Greene County water system consumers, especially in light of the estimated total project cost.”
Traffic woes
Construction to install nearly seven miles of 12-, 16-, and 20-inch water main lines in Greene County is set to begin in the fall. Motorists will experience lane closures in various areas until the project’s slated completion in May 2018.
Expect periodic lane closures in the following areas starting in the fall:
- Trebein and Hilltop roads
- Ohio 235 and U.S. 68
- Clifton and Brush Row roads.
- The project also calls for lines to be installed along the bike trail.
About the Author