Two-state water project is funded for Mercer, Tazewell

Apr. 11—By GREG JORDAN

Bluefield Daily Telegraph

NEMOURS — A community once known for manufacturing explosive black powder both for the mining industry and the Navy will be seeing a project involving agencies in two states creating a modern water system capable of supporting fire hydrants.

The Mercer County Commission presented the Mercer County Public Service District with a $500,000 American Rescue Plan grant Tuesday for the new Nemours water project. Another $500,000 rescue plan grant was awarded several months ago to the same project, bringing Mercer County's contribution to $1 million, said Commission President Bill Archer.

Archer said he was called about Nemours's water situation soon after he was elected to the Mercer County Commission.

"Probably my first week on the job over here I had a call from a man in Nemours and he explained what their water situation is," he said. "They needed a fire hydrant. At that time (the water system) was under the control of the town of Pocahontas and they didn't have any funding."

One particular problem was the fact that the water lines are too small for a fire hydrant. Another problem was the water lines' age. The water system serving Nemours now dates back to when the community was a company town serving the mining industry, Archer said.

"Eventually we started working with the Tazewell County Public Service Administration and they already had plans to upgrade the service for some of their customers in that part of Tazewell County but also Mercer County," he said.

The water lines were installed decades ago by the Pocahontas Fuel Company. A black powder plant supplying the local coal mining industry was located in Nemours, Archer said. That same plant later started supplying the black powder that the Navy used on its warships.

"It was an antiquated water system," he said. "The PSA over there in Tazewell County really wanted to upgrade it and so did we as a commission."

Grants totally $6.8 million are funding the Tazewell County Public Service Authority along with the Mercer County Public Service District for the significant waterline replacement project.

The 12.3 mile project aims to revamp the water infrastructure with fire protection in the West Virginia portions of the Pocahontas service area, according to Rick Chitwood with Thompson & Lytton in Tazewell County.

The project is expected to be completed in 2025.

Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com

Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com