It keeps looking like the decision not to sell was the correct one for St. Clairsville.
During a May meeting, council voted not work up an updated contract with Aqua Ohio for the purpose of selling the city’s water service. That decision effectively ended all talks of sales to a private company. Instead, the city is opting to purchase bulk water from Belmont County.
Initial estimates included the need of an East End booster station along U.S. 40 to meet the city’s needs. Recent metering of five public buildings shows the city’s water loss, once believed to be near 60 percent, is considerably less.
“We had meters put on the five municipal buildings, and we were pleased to hear the loss was not 57 percent, but more like 28 percent, almost 30,” Mayor Kathryn Thalman said. “It’s very encouraging because you don’t want to be paying for water that is getting lost.”
There is an upcoming seminar with the Rural Community Assistance Program that will detail how the city can perform a water audit. There are still leaks and the city wants to find out where and how to limit the loss even further.
But the best news will likely be in cost savings. Less capacity needed means that a booster station likely isn’t necessary.
“It doesn’t look like we’ll need it,” Thalman said. “There is a (county) tank by Undo’s that (engineer) Jeff (Vaughn) believes gravity will be enough to get the water into town.”
Presently there is a gauge at the tower that is only opened a slight amount, far less than it’s capable. Once the opening is increased, water can flow west and uphill into town.
Making the Correct Call
“That’s why I was such a proponent of exploring all the options,” Thalman said of the water decision. “You can’t make a good decision until you have all the information. Jeff was so instrumental in helping put this together with the water report for the citizens to hear.”
Once St. Clairsville officially switches to county water, the reservoir will no longer be in use as a potable water source.
But what will become of it?
“I can’t tell you exactly yet as I don’t know,” Thalman admitted. “Quite honestly we’ve been more focused on getting the potable water ready.
“But I would like to see it still used as a fishing or recreational area.”
Thalman notes the city will need to hear from likely both the state EPA along with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Their findings may dictate what the city can or can’t do with the reservoir.
“Because we have insurance on it, we have to make sure the dam is safe, and all the T’s are crossed, and the I’s are dotted,” the mayor added.
A Parade for the Fourth
Many residents were disappointed by the canceling of community days and the lack of the accompanying fireworks, but the city is not forgetting the July 4 holiday and is prepping an impromptu parade to celebrate.
The idea stemmed from the success of a similar venture back around the Easter holiday.
“We took the Easter Bunny around 3-4 days before Easter and had a lot of positive feedback from that,” Thalman recalled. “In talking to some of our policeman, they said it was a shame we couldn’t have fireworks this year and be able to celebrate.”
Thalman admitted she went a little crazy with her credit card on Amazon buying various costumes for parade participants to wear, and she invites residents to bring out their lawn chairs, eat their holiday meals and take in the parade as it winds its way through town.
The parade, which begins at the city building, gets under way Saturday at 7 p.m.
