Water Break Near Captina Slip Delays Repairs

Jun 5, 2023

Workers look over the aftermath of a Belmont County waterline break near a slip repair near Little Captina Road. There has been some disagreement about whether a county waterline project exacerbated the slip. (Photo Provided)

A slip repair project on Little Captina Road was interrupted by a Belmont County waterline break Wednesday night and raised questions of responsibility from the York Township trustees.

York Township Trustee Ron Graham has spoken at prior commission meetings. The commissioners had assisted in obtaining Ohio Public Works Commission grant funding with a local match of 10 percent. Graham had asked the commissioners to assist the township in paying its local match, since he believes a county project exacerbated a road slip on York Township Road 132, or Little Captina Road. The commissioners believe otherwise, saying there had been prior issues of the earth moving in that area.

"We put a wall in that at the expense of the township, and they (were) going to pave it (Thursday) and the Belmont County waterline broke again and slid the hillside below the slip out," he said. "We did the slip repair like I said — paid for at the township. Belmont County commissioners would not pay a penny for it, and then they come down to pave the slip area where they put the retaining wall in and they had a waterline break behind the new wall and blew the hillside out below the new wall."

He said the township spent $200 on a new wall and the total local match comes to 10 percent of $205,000, or $20,500.

"We had a company come in and they put a retaining wall in then the line blew out (Wednesday) night and the water was running under the new wall," he said. "It did not compromise the new wall, but it ran all the night and blew the hillside out. … The commissioners aren't concerned with the townships in … Belmont County."

Graham said there are two homes along the road and that it is a well-traveled route with frequent traffic, including oil and gas vehicles, making use of it.

"It could delay the end of the project for a week or two yet. We’ve already had to close, we’ve already had the roads closed … since May 18 and they was just finishing. Today was the last day to put guardrail in, then the waterline come apart again."

Belmont County Commissioner J.P. Dutton said the county has been cooperative and attentive to the township.

"They’re paying their full local share. They got money from the state of Ohio to the tune of like 80 percent," he said. "It's their road. They would pay the local share. We declined to pay additional dollars. We did pay for the study that helped them secure the grant, and we’re down there making additional repairs now."

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