Engineering
Water & Sewer Utilities
BY MICHAEL HAID. Even in a down econo- BY WAYNE MORGAN. Of the many types of infrastructure vital to
my, the need for engineers is ever present.
From site development design to chem-
ical operations and civil engineering
design to natural resources extraction
fields, engineering is a critical service
for West Virginia’s economy. However,
prior to the emergence of the shale gas
industry and the recently passed road
bond referendum, the industry was de-
clining in numbers.
Thankfully, the passing of the Roads to Prosperity bond in
2017 has had a dramatic impact on West Virginia’s engineering
industry. The general obligation bond itself totals $1.6 billion,
and many other legislative changes such as revisions to Grant
Anticipation Revenue Vehicle bond limits and parkway tolls
will pump even more money into the state’s ailing infrastruc-
ture over the next several years.
So far, nearly 20 new firms have focused on doing business
in West Virginia, and many of them have opened offices here.
Additionally, the core firms that have been here for years have
grown substantially. Employment numbers for the firms have
risen 30 percent over the last year, and the hope is that the
investment in the public sector will lead to long-term private
sector investment. Time will tell, but engineers should ride
this
big wave for years
come. 5:34 PM
TWillisMiller_Ad.pdf
1 to 7/10/18 everyday life in West Virginia, water and sewer utilities are at the
top of the list. In total, the state has 326 public water utilities and
293 public sewer utilities in operation. From a consumer stand-
point, 652,228 water customers are being served by a public water
system, and 449,449 are being served by a public sewer utility.
The West Virginia Infrastructure and Jobs Development Coun-
cil evaluates requests for water and sewer projects. According to
its 2017 Needs Assessment report, pending water projects are
in need of approximately $296 million in funding, and pending
sewer projects require $395 million. In addition, the requirement
to satisfy the state’s combined sewer overflow need exceeds $1.6
billion. The cost of providing water service to every remaining
unserved household in the state is approximately $2.3 billion.
For sewer service, the estimate is approximately $10.7 billion.
Challenges to meeting the state’s water and
sewer infrastructure needs include available
funding levels and the state’s geography
and geology, which create higher costs
for underground infrastructure. While
there are far greater needs than there
are funds available, state and federal
funding agencies are working with
public utilities and professional teams
to fund water and sewer projects that are
ready to proceed to construction.
Congratulations, Taunja!
August 29-31, 2018 • The Greenbrier Resort
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MY
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CMY
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The 82nd West Virginia
Chamber of Commerce
Annual Meeting and
Business Summit will be
held this year on August
29-31 at the historic
Greenbrier Resort. This
is the premier meeting of
business leaders from
across our state. We
hope to see you there!
Jackson Kelly PLLC is
proud to congratulate
Taunja Willis-Miller and
the entire 2018 class of
Lawyers & Leaders.
We are proud of your
accomplishments and salute
your dedication to serving others.
You deserve this honor for
demonstrating excellence,
leadership, service and ethics.
Register online at wvchamber.com
150 Clay Street • Suite 500 • Morgantown, WV 26501 • 304.284.4100
www.jacksonkelly.com
This is an advertisement
WWW.WVEXECUTIVE.COM
SUMMER 2018
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