Midvale council authorizes water filtration plant design and bids

MIDVALE ― Village Council has authorized its engineering firm to prepare plans and seek bids to build a water filtration plant.

The decision will allow the Thrasher Group of Canton to seek more funding for the estimated $2.6 million project, which has received a $1 million federal grant.

More:Aqua Ohio could buy or lease and operate Midvale water system

Five council members approved the measure at a special meeting Tuesday. Councilman Jerry Propp was absent.

The village is under orders from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency to reduce levels of manganese and iron in water it sells to 958 residential and commercial customers in Midvale, Barnhill, Roswell and Brightwood.

Village Administrator Brian Anderson said the preparation of plans for the water plant can proceed on a parallel track with decisions about future management of the utility. Options include keeping the system under Midvale's ownership, selling it or leasing it to another entity.

If the water department were sold or leased, the new owner or operator would take over the improvements along with the rest of the system, which dates to 1951, Anderson said.

EPA drinking water regulations say no more than 0.05 milligrams per liter of manganese should be in the water because of the staining it causes. Midvale's is treated to reduce manganese.

"We use polyphosphate as a sequestrant to 'gather' the iron and manganese together which is then flushed out through the system by hydrant flushing twice a year," said Midvale water plant operator Aaron Willison. "Our current managanese level is on average between 0.15 to 0.25 (milligrams per liter)."

Willison is part of a four-person crew that keeps the water system running. He works about 12 hours a month. His father, Tim Willison, is the system's contract laborer; he works three to five days a week. LuAnn Kail, a former village council member, is a part-time clerk. John Heavilin is the only full-time employee for the system that has an appropriation of $368,588 this year.

Village Council is considering paying for its share of water system construction by adding $5 a month to bills every six months for two years, and 1% thereafter. The lowest monthly bill now is $26 for Midvale residents. Outlying communities pay more.

"Everybody's still going to be paying higher water bills, and everybody's still going to have water," Councilman Bill Weaver said.

More price increases are likely to be needed to replace other components of the system, such as pipes, pumps and electrical parts, Anderson said. The system does not have money set aside for infrastructure. As of July 31, the system had reserve funds of $595,569 and $420,193 in debt.

In addition to higher charges, most residential customers will see a new feature: meters. At present, only commercial accounts and Roswell customers have meters.

Anderson said meters will be a condition of any future grants or loans because without them, it is not possible to detect and find leaks.

Customers can also expect stricter enforcement of shutoff rules for delinquent accounts.

According to a July 18 report, 127 accounts owed a total $12,492. Many were past the date at which their service should have been shut off.

The village policy states that if an account is 30 days past due, a notice will be generated giving them 10 days to pay in full. If the account is not paid in full by the 10th day, the water service is to be shut off without further notice. The reconnection fee for terminiated service is $20, or $70 after the close of business at 2 p.m.

"We're going to have to do a much better job," Councilman Randy Cadle said. He was a member of the Board of Public Affairs, also known as the water board. The elected three-member body governed the water system until it was dissolved earlier this year in favor of having a village administrator.

Cadle said he was "one of the biggies" in having sympathy for people who didn't pay their water bills.

"We're going to have to crack down. They're going to have to pay their water bill just like me and you do," he said. "And if they don't, it's going to have to be shut off. It's the only way to survive."

"The bottom line is, if they don't pay their gas bill, it gets shut off," said Councilman Mark Bassett, also a former water board member. "If they don't pay their electric bill, it gets shut off."

Reach Nancy at 330-364-8402 or nancy.molnar@timesreporter.com.

On Twitter: @nmolnarTR

This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: MIdvale council approves preparing plans for water filtration plant