BUCKHANNON – The Route 33 West sewer extension, which will extend city service toward Weston, has been making steady progress this summer.

Sanitary Superintendent Bryan “Buck” Samples told the Buckhannon Sanitary Board that the city sewer department and JF Allen came to an agreement where JF Allen would build the line on the south side and sewer department crews would build it on the north side along U.S. Route 33 West.

“JF Allen has all the pipe in the ground and we’re almost to Smitty’s Suzuki,” Samples said. “We’re actually right at the end of the Way of Holiness parking lot, on the west side of their property, so this project has been going great so far.”

He said they will go ahead and put the last manhole in that area and then backup and bore across Red Rock Road. After that, they can start tying people into the system.

“We’re pretty sure that we’re going to change and go along the highway and Smitty Suzuki, and we’ll go out and we will set a pump station,” Samples said. “And we’re going to pick up Dave Anderson, the tire shop.”

He said participants will have the option to either pay their contribution of $16,222 upfront or pay a $2,400 tap fee and a monthly surcharge of $50 for about 20 years.

“We hope that area grows, and we hope to serve a lot of people,” Samples said. “Lots of times, if you get a public sewer service in an area, it’ll start growing like crazy.”

Samples didn’t have an exact date when the extension will be finished, but he anticipates it will be done by this winter.

“We hope to have it by snowfall,” Samples said. “We planned on one crew taking this construction season to get that done out there, so if they get it done quicker, that would be great. And if it takes a little bit longer, that’ll be alright too. We’re going to start having customers before it’s done.”