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Dunkard water authority planning to move forward

5 min read

GREENSBORO – The Dunkard Valley Joint Municipal Authority board met Thursday, one week after a $9.5 million investment from the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority was declined. Money was made available for PennVEST and East Dunkard Water Authority to help make necessary improvements and modifications. However, PennVEST funding, which included a $5 million grant and a $4.5 million loan at 1 percent interest, could only be accepted by the EDWA.

When the EDWA board refused the money, citing various cost-related and manpower issues, the DVJMA began looking at its Plan B, working with Pennsylvania American Water Co. to reach a solution to its problems, among them, replacing aging water lines. Some of those lines date to the 1940s. Pennsylvania American Water helped DVJMA in the past when there have been water line breaks.

Vic Shine, a member of the DVJMA board, said the board met with representatives from PAWC Tuesday and “it went pretty well. They are still interested in acquiring this water authority. It is on hold (for now) until they get some things approved with the DEP.”

Board member Chuck Mallory said, “(PAWC has) the money to fix this. They can absorb a little loss (in repairs) for a while and don’t have to apply for money like we do.”

Shine said the authority is in “survival mode,” but they were not thrown out to the wolves, noting the Greene County commissioners, state Rep. Pam Snyder, D-Jefferson, and township supervisors, are on its side.

“By no means is this board ever going to give up,” he said, noting the DVJMA water system is fading fast but they are working on immediate fixes to stave off the inevitable, hopefully in time for PAWC to come to its rescue.

Mallory said the board is looking for what is best for the community. He noted PAWC is regulated by Public Utilities Commission, so any rate increases for its customers have to be approved. The company is quite large and can spread any debt, such as what would be needed to upgrade the DVJMA if PAWC acquires it.

Mallory said if the acquisition occurs and the DVJMA board dissolves, “who cares, as long as we have clean water for everybody?” He said the DVJMA customers are what is important as they are families, friends and neighbors.

Last month, DVJMA was forced to purchase 2.1 million gallons of water from EDWA to meet customer demand during a loss of water. Thursday morning DVJMA had two leaks along Alicia and Mapletown roads, across from the Monongahela Hill Cemetery.

“All of a sudden we’re buying all of this water. We can’t find (where the water is going),” said Shine.

Leaks like the ones being addressed Thursday were easy to find because the water came up to the surface. Despite bringing in leak detectors and walking the length of the water pipes in its system, even those in wooded areas, DVJMA was still left with a question mark as to where other water losses are occurring.

There was some talk at the meeting Thursday whether the meter that reads the water level in the tank for the system is giving a false reading. The board is considering placing flow meters throughout the system to try and get a more accurate reading of what is taking place and where.

In another matter, board members agreed to seek bids for the contractor position with DVJMA. Currently, that work is completed by John Kuis as an independent contractor. Kuis is a member of the EDWA board.

Shine said he wanted to go on record as being against the motion to seek bids. Shine said Kuis did an excellent job of fixing the leaks, knew the DVJMA system better than anyone and was there when they needed him.

It was noted the DVJMA pays $75 per hour to Kuis for labor and equipment. Last year, he worked on leaks plus installed lines along Greensboro and Kovach roads. According to the 2014 actual budget figures, released Thursday, Kuis was paid $23,958.81 for his services.

King said he previously found someone out of Uniontown who would provide labor and equipment for $45 per hour but the board did not act on it at that time. Shine said he had concerns over someone living a distance away not being able to get to a water line break quickly.

“I’m willing to look because we are in financial trouble,” Mallory said. “We don’t just jump into something. We are looking for the same quality of work and reliability for less money.”

Shine said the authority is already having difficulty finding operators and help. He said Kuis “won’t come back (if they replace him and then change their minds). You just can’t find somebody who works like he works,” Shine said.

During a reorganizational portion of its meeting, the board agreed to put off voting for an engineering firm for 2015 until its January meeting.

To give more community members an opportunity to attend the meetings and be brought up to speed on what is occurring with the authority, board members agreed to move the January, February and March meetings to the third Monday at 7 p.m. in the log cabin. The meetings will resume in April at 3 p.m. on the third Monday at the water authority building on Minor Street.

The board president for 2015 is Mallory; Bruce Nieno is vice president; and Shine is secretary.

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