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Expect opposition to Southington water project, official says
By Ed Runyan
SOUTHINGTON
When the public attends a hearing for a proposed Southington-area water project at 7 p.m. Thursday at Southington Local Schools, 2482 state Route 534, there will be opposition, one Southington official says.
“Skip” Hanes, one of the people who circulated petitions from property owners who support the project, said Monday he’s heard a petition has been circulated that is critical of the project.
Based on Facebook comments and one conversation he’s had, he believes some people experienced “sticker shock” when they received letters from the Trumbull County Sanitary Engineer’s Office indicating what the project would cost him or her.
The estimated cost for the waterline to be installed – called the assessment – is $33.90 per front foot, said Gary Newbrough, project manager for the county sanitary engineer’s office.
Newbrough said the exact cost per front foot won’t be known until the project is complete, but it won’t exceed $33.90 per front foot.
Every county water project in the past 12 years has cost at least $50 per front foot, Newbrough noted. The cost for this one is low because of an anticipated $1.6 million Ohio Public Works grant, Newbrough said.
An additional $1,500 would be charged for each service connection from the main line into the yard. The property owner also would be charged monthly for use of water, Newbrough said.
The hearing will give the county information to determine whether to move forward with the project.
If the project is approved, every property owner within the 6-mile first phase would have to pay the $33.90 per-front-foot assessment, but no one would be forced to have the $1,500 service connection installed or tie into the waterline, Newbrough said.
People could keep their well water, he said.
Newbrough said assessments would be billed after the project is complete. Whatever amount the property owner didn’t pay up front would be financed over 20 years on his or her taxes, Newbrough said.
Hanes said he believes the people critical of the project are questioning comments members of his committee made when they circulated the petitions.
But he thinks his committee gave correct information to the residents and made it clear that the specifics of the project would be decided by county officials since they are the lead agency.