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Officials present preliminary $190 million plan to replace Weirton’s aging water mains
Summary
Weirton utilities and consultants told council the West Virginia PSC requires a Preliminary Engineering Report to address ~95 miles of cast-iron and galvanized mains; planners estimated roughly $190 million in replacement costs and a phased schedule that could begin construction in 2028 if funding is secured.
Weirton — Utilities officials and engineering consultants told the Weirton City Council on March 9, 2026, that a West Virginia Public Service Commission order requires a Preliminary Engineering Report (PER) outlining a plan to replace cast-iron and galvanized water mains across the system.
Utilities Director Butch Mastrantoni and representatives from The Thrasher Group and the Brooke Hancock Metropolitan Planning Commission said system mapping has identified approximately 500,000 linear feet (about 95 miles) of cast-iron and galvanized water lines and that a planning-level replacement cost is approximately $190 million. Officials described phasing the work into ten geographic areas to permit smaller contracts and better funding opportunities and said the PER is being developed for a likely June 10, 2026 submission to the state infrastructure funding council.
Presenters summarized past capital work, including about $8.8 million in projects from 2015 to 2025, a 2020 slip-lining transmission project installing roughly 18,480 feet of HDPE pipe at an estimated cost of $5.4 million, and a 2021 smart-meter rollout that moved billing from bi-monthly to monthly without a rate increase. Officials also reported fewer winter line breaks in the most recent winter (86) compared to the previous winter (163).
Consultants explained that after PER submission the application would move through technical review, a funding recommendation process, detailed engineering design, permitting and easement work, and competitive bidding. If approvals and funding are secured, officials suggested initial construction could begin in 2028 with the first phase potentially extending into 2029. Officials cautioned that grant and state programs may cover only a portion of the total cost and that Weirton’s relatively low water rates may affect eligibility and prioritization for certain funding sources.
Council members asked about project scope, pipe materials, phasing, freeze-depth requirements, and funding opportunities. Presenters said they plan to meet with the Public Service Commission to discuss the feasibility of a five-year replacement schedule given the scale of work identified.
Next steps recorded in the presentation timeline include a 90% review of the PER in April 2026, PER completion and funding-application submission by June 10, 2026, and subsequent design, permitting and anticipated bidding activity beginning in mid-2028 if funding is secured.
