Construction to begin Monday

The project will benefit Brookfield, Vienna, Liberty and Hubbard townships.
By PETER H. MILLIKEN
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- Construction will begin Monday on a new three-mile waterline and booster station in a project known as the Southeast Water District improvements.
The new water pipe will bring Mahoning Valley Sanitary District water, which comes from Meander Reservoir, from Niles to the southeastern part of Trumbull County.
"We were very happy to find an effective long-term solution to the long-term challenge of rising water rates," said Gary E. Newbrough, county sanitary engineer.
"This is a complete win for the county because we are able to purchase our bulk water cheaper and build this new infrastructure," for potential future expansion of water service, he said.
The Four Township, Brookfield, and Hubbard water districts will be merged into the new Southeast Water District. The new district will serve 2,800 customers in Brookfield, Vienna, Liberty and Hubbard townships. The county now pays Aqua Ohio -- a private company -- to supply water to these areas.
Today's action
Trumbull County commissioners were to authorize the contractors to proceed during their meeting today. If they do, a groundbreaking ceremony will be at 9:30 a.m. Thursday under the water tower at the terminus of Deer Trail Court in Niles.
Commissioners plan to execute notices today to proceed to Dave Sugar Excavating of Petersburg, which was awarded the $1,478,786 contract to install the waterline, and to W.E. Downie Co. of Poland, which was awarded the $880,000 contract to build the booster station under the water tower.
The waterline, which will begin at the tower, will be 16 inches in diameter under Niles-Vienna Road and 12 inches in diameter under Smith-Stewart Road to its terminus at Belmont Avenue in Liberty.
The booster station will provide the pressure for the water to travel through the new line, which will be installed beneath the road shoulders. Newbrough said he hopes water will begin flowing in the new line around Dec. 1.
The project, which includes 30 new fire hydrants, is to be paid for by a $500,000 State Issue 2 grant, with the rest of the money to be borrowed.
"By buying the water from the MVSD, we will see a bulk water savings of somewhere in the neighborhood of $500,000 per year," Newbrough said. Those savings will be used to pay off the project debt and will enable the county to make other water system improvements, he said.
Construction should cause no disruption to water service, with minimal inconvenience to traffic along Niles-Vienna and Smith-Stewart roads, Newbrough said.