In a recent government meeting, officials discussed significant upgrades to the Cheat Lake wastewater treatment facility, driven by increasing flow and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) that have exceeded permit limits. The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) raised concerns about these exceedances, prompting the development of a corrective action plan that includes a comprehensive facility upgrade.

The planned enhancements will increase the plant's capacity from 750,000 gallons per day to 1.75 million gallons, addressing current demands and anticipating future population growth of 3-4% over the next two decades. The project will also tackle odor issues and replace aging infrastructure, including two lift stations that have surpassed their useful life.

A shift from chlorine to ultraviolet (UV) disinfection is also part of the upgrade, which has proven successful at other facilities. The project includes a new pre-treatment building and final clarifier, along with necessary pumping and piping improvements.

To fund these upgrades, a proposed rate increase of up to 100% for Cheat Lake customers is on the table, with estimates suggesting an average monthly bill could rise from approximately $35.59 to around $68. This increase is necessary to cover the costs associated with the upgrades and to retire bonds related to the project. Officials emphasized that this would be the first rate increase in a decade for Cheat Lake customers, and the new rates would only apply to sewer services, not water.

The timeline for the project is critical, with a $6.7 million grant contingent on having contracts signed by December. Failure to meet this deadline could result in significant fines from the DEP. The meeting underscored the urgency of the upgrades, as officials reiterated that the project must proceed to ensure compliance with environmental regulations and to accommodate future growth in the area.