Craig Howell ALMOST FINISHED – Weirton Sanitary Board members declared the project to expand the treatment capacity at the city’s wastewater treatment plant to be substantially completed Thursday. Final payments are expected to be made in late May.

WEIRTON — The project to upgrade Weirton’s wastewater treatment plant has reached substantial completion, members of the Weirton Sanitary Board announced Thursday.

Officials with the board and Thrasher Engineering reported the $38 million project — designed to expand the plant’s sewage treatment capacity from 4 million gallons per day to 8 million gallons per day — has reached 96% completion, with Triton Construction working on finishing touches in the coming weeks.

“The equipment that has been installed has been turned over for its intended use,” said Jesse Alden, project manager with Thrasher.

The date of substantial completion has been set for April 24, with final payments due by May 24.

“The next month or so, we’re going to see a lot of cleanup,” Alden said, noting plans to begin grass seeding around the plant, complete concrete work and install fencing, along with other small-scale projects. “We’re really turning a corner to completion.”

The project’s contingency fund still has $907,962.52 remaining from its initial $1.86 million, with staff hoping to use those funds for other maintenance projects at the plant, if possible, before the contract is closed out.

Along with reaching this milestone, Utilities Director A.D. “Butch” Mastrantoni said the second tier of rate increases supporting the project has begun.

“They went into effect in March,” he said, explaining customers will see the rates reflected beginning in May.

The project broke ground in April 2024 with the goal of doubling the plant’s treatment capacity from 4 million gallons per day to 8 million gallons per day.

Planning began in January 2019 when local officials were notified of interest from a large manufacturing company looking to locate in Weirton. At the time, officials said the treatment plant, which was built in the 1960s, had little room for additional capacity and would need expansion to support new development in the community.