| The effort to obtain customers to bring pubic water to southern Calhoun, a section of Millstone, Sand Ridge and Russett continues.
The Mount Zion Public Service District have been holding sign-up meetings to bring public water to sections of Calhoun that have long presented a need, with a third meeting scheduled at the Arnoldsburg Community Building on October 23rd at 6 p.m.
Jim Hildreth of Boyles and Hildreth Engineers will be on hand to answer questions, in addition to members of the Mt. Zion PSD.
Wilma Mace, secretary of the PSD, says 76 customers have signed so far, about 40% of the 183 needed to move the project along.
Thirteen new customers signed-up at the last public meeting at the Upper West Fork Park in August.
Mace said actual construction could start in the Spring of 2007 if 183 customers pay a $100 tap fee, which has been described as a three year commitment.
The wide-reaching $4 million extension is to be built from Arnoldsburg to the Upper West Fork Park (Rt. 16), and from the Millstone area to Sand Ridge, Sassafras Ridge and Russett.
The 21-mile water project includes about 110,000 linear feet of water line, a pumping station, two water storage tanks and other equipment.
The project could bring public water to an area that lacks an adequate supply and potable drinking water.
The Calhoun Commission has been urging property owners to sign-up, with an adequate water supply increasing the value of property and encouraging further development in the area for the 21st century.
Failure to meet the minimum number of customers will slow the time frame for construction, or if there is not enough interest in the project, funds could be shifted elsewhere.
Mt. Zion PSD has a letter of conditions from the Rural Utilities Service for a $1.8 million grant and a $600,000 loan. An application for $1.5 million grant from the Small Cities Block Grant program was submitted in February, 2005, but that part of the funding will now be provided by the Appalachian Regional Commission.
Because of rapidly increasing construction costs, mostly related to national disasters, engineers Boyles & Hildreth of Spencer were asked to review the cost estimate.
The construction cost is estimated to have increased by approximately $500,000, and the Rural Utilities Service will likely fund that additional amount.
Calhoun currently has two PSDs, Pleasant Hill and Mount Zion, both of which purchase water from the Grantsville municipal system.
Out-of-state residents who need a sign-up packet may call Mace at 304-354-6822.
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