City Manager Travis Blosser warns of $108M first phase to fix aging wastewater system, seeks federal aid

City Manager Travis Blosser told attendees at Fairmont’s 2026 State of the City address that the city’s aging wastewater treatment plant requires a phased overhaul with a first phase estimated at $108,000,000 and total utility improvements that could approach $1,000,000,000.

“The 1st phase, which will address many of the aging pieces and parts of our plant, is estimated to cost a $108,000,000,” Blosser said. He warned that components at the plant—built in the 1980s—are past their expected 20-year lifespans and that the city faces growing compliance risk if the upgrades are delayed.

Blosser said that because the city’s entire annual budget is roughly $5,700,000, the municipality cannot absorb bond interest for such work without raising rates. “With the current rates our customers pay, our entire budget, all $5,700,000 of it, could hardly afford the interest for that bond on that amount of money,” he said.

He described public-health and environmental consequences, saying videos showing “one of our combined sewer overflows puking into Buffalo Creek” underscore the urgency for upgrades to prevent sewage discharges during rain events. Blosser said the city remains technically in compliance now but that the margin is narrowing and future fines from the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection are possible if investments are deferred.

Blosser rejected an outright sale of water and wastewater systems to a private utility as a simple fix. “We could call them up tomorrow, sell off our water and wastewater systems for a massive payout,” he said of a hypothetical approach by West Virginia American Water, but added that such deals “can’t be undone” and typically carry much higher long-term rates for residents.

To reduce the burden on local ratepayers, the city is pursuing federal and state funds. Blosser said he and staff met in Washington with U.S. Sens. Capito and Justice and with Rep. Moore to request $10,000,000 and that the city is seeking an Economic Development Administration grant to improve redundancies in the water system.

Blosser said the city will exhaust every funding avenue and warned that without orderly action the municipality could face enforcement, fines and much larger eventual rate hikes. He said the council and administration will propose rate increases as part of a broader multi-year funding plan but emphasized the goal of minimizing costs for fixed-income residents.

Next steps: the city manager said staff will continue grant applications and refine a phased capital plan; no formal vote or ordinance was announced at the event.