PUTNAM COUNTY CHAMBER PRESENTS PIPES FOR PUTNAM II

January 26, 2000 - The Putnam County Chamber of Commerce presented a public informational session at Scarlett Oaks today at noon. The Chamber hosted the meeting to present Pipes for Putnam II: 2000 Sewer System Plan . The final report was prepared by Benatec Associates, Inc.
Committee Chairman Tom McKean thanked members of the committee for over one year's work in assembling the detailed study and explained the history, goals and objectives of the committee.

One of the major considerations included in the study was the anticipated future growth of Putnam County. Randy Richardson explained that the committee examined individual watersheds within the county to identify the specific characteristics and needs of each area. He explained that the county included 17 watershed with all but the Trace Fork and Charley Creek watersheds emptying into the Kanawha River. Watershed analysis also led to collection and transmission recommendations that maximize the ability to use gravity flow collection.

In the plan, the committee recommended that $78 million be expended over the next 20 years to handle Putnam County's sanitary and industrial sewage. The recommendation included the upgrading of the Hurricane, Nitro and Buffalo treatment plants to serve as regional treatment plants. The cummulative upgrade to all three plants would result in a total treatment plant capacity of 11 million gallons per day. the plan also includes the construction of nearly 180 miles of new major sewer lines and the rehabilitation of existing collection systems.

An important part of the plan is the recommendation for "immediate" improvements. The immediate project includes a main sewer tranmission line to Buffalo serving areas of Putnam County north of the Kanawha River not included in the Nitro or Poca systems. For Winfield, the Immediate Project presents the Buffalo Waste Treatment Plant as an alternative to continuing the operation and maintenance of its treatment lagoon. Critical riverside areas south of Winfield are also served by a main line and river crossing to Buffalo, and communities in Bills Creek and Scary Creek areas.

The Immediate Project also proposed the closure of the North Putnam PSD treatment plant without interruption of service to its customers. Finally, the Immediate project includes a river crossing near Fraziers Bottom to serve the new Huntington-Charleston Business Center.

The committee expects to present the plan to the Putnam County Commission on February 2 and recommend its adoption.