BELMONT COUNTY, Ohio – Belmont County commissioners took action at their Wednesday meeting to survey serious water issues in communities in the western part of the county.
Commissioners unanimously approved $2,580 for a moderate-income survey concerning water access in the communities of Hendrysburg and Kirkwood Township. The survey is required to obtain enough valid responses to meet the qualifications for a HUD Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), a critical step in securing additional funding for local water infrastructure projects.
The funding will support ongoing efforts to bring reliable water access to Hendrysburg and Kirkwood Township, areas that have struggled for decades with inadequate water supplies and contamination issues.
“This has been a long time in the making,” said Belmont County Commissioner J.P. Dutton. “Our goal is to secure this block grant to supplement existing funding and finally provide residents with a safe and consistent water source.”
The Village of Barnesville is part on the project, working in partnership with Belmont and Guernsey counties, as well as local townships. The grant must be applied for through the county, however.
Many residents in the affected areas currently lack access to public water infrastructure and rely on private wells that have tested positive for contamination, according to Dutton. As a result, many families are forced to haul in water for everyday use. The project, if successful, will not only provide relief for these residents but also serve as a model for other underserved communities in the region.
“This is a perfect example of multiple entities coming together to solve a longstanding problem,” Dutton noted. “We are committed to doing everything we can to bring this project to fruition.”
With the approval of the survey funding, officials hope to move forward quickly with the grant application process, aiming to secure the necessary funds to implement an effective and timely water solution for Hendrysburg and Kirkwood Township.
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