Wednesday, December 19th, 2018
Harbor Point water line project to proceed
By William Kincaid
CELINA - Mercer County commissioners plan to proceed with a plan to replace a water line in the Harbor Point subdivision in East Jefferson Township at the request of property owners.
The total project - entailing 4,000 feet of 6-inch pipe and 1,500 feet of three-quarter-inch service line - is estimated to cost $498,415. If ultimately green-lighted, county officials likely would look to the bond market or the Ohio Water Development Authority loan programs to finance the upfront costs, county community development director Jared Ebbing told the newspaper. Property owners would then be assessed on their taxes for 20 to 30 years.
Commissioners Greg Homan, Jerry Laffin and Rick Muhlenkamp unanimously voted to ratify the plans, specifications and cost estimates to construct, maintain and operate the proposed Harbor Point water line replacement project.
"This is the first step that we need to do since we've already established the water district in that area," administrative assistant Kim Everman told commissioners.
A public meeting will be held in the near future to review the proposal with property owners. If everything goes as expected at the meeting, county officials would proceed with the project, Ebbing said.
If so, the project could conceivably be bid out this winter, with construction getting underway in the spring or summer and wrapped up by the end of next year.
Last year, a petition signed by 71 subdivision property owners representing 48 of the 51 residences asked commissioners to install new water lines and hydrants in the Harbor Point addition to ensure basic fire protection and safety.
"The residents of Harbor Point residing south of the bridge on Harbor Point Drive are serviced by the original two-inch pipe line which is approximately 55 years old, is severely corroded, rusted, frequently breaks and is too small to handle the personal needs and fire protection of the homes," the petition reads.
Ebbing said the Harbor Point subdivision water line had originally been private but was later deeded over to the county. He said the line is undersized and old, resulting in pressure and water-quality issues.
