MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – For over 17 months, sewer upgrades have been needed and discussed near Popenoe Run in Morgantown. On Wednesday, relief will start to come.

At the group’s weekly meeting, the Monongalia County Commission approved a sub-recipient agreement prepared by the City of Morgantown to facilitate the release of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to the Morgantown Utility Board for construction of upgrades in the area.

The sanitary sewer and storm sewer upgrades will feature an estimated 3,000 linear feet of new sanitary sewer main and an estimated 1,200 linear feet of new storm sewers. About 2,800 linear feet of stream restoration for Popenoe Run Stream between Stewart Street and Willowdale Road.

While Mon. Co. Commission president Tom Bloom is “somewhat disappointed” that the process took longer than a year and a half, he wants to look at the positives.

“Let’s look at the positive, it’s now been signed, we can start moving forward on it and it’s one of several ways to solve the problems of the flooding down there in Suncrest,” Bloom said. “It’s not going to solve it all, but just for the people that are along Popenoe Run and also down below it, it’s going to have a major difference, even down to Star City.”

The Mon. Co. Commission and the City of Morgantown have each contributed $1 million towards the project.

“Most of our ARPA money went towards broadband and towards sewer projects and it’s going to be a benefit for our public to see,” Bloom said.