STEUBENVILLE - Jefferson County commissioners Thursday announced water rates for residents using less than 3,000 gallons of water a month may be reduced.

Harry Andrews, a member of the county water and sewer department advisory committee, told the commissioners more than 2,000 of the county's 7,500 water customers use less than 3,000 gallons of water per month.

The county's monthly minimum water bill is based on 3,000 gallons. The commissioners may vote next week to reduce the minimum bill to 2,000 gallons a month. The result will be a savings of $7.50 a month if a household uses between 2,000 and 3,000 gallons of water a month.

The county now charges a minimum of $33.79 for the first 3,000 gallons of water. Each 1,000 gallons after costs $7.50. The county may drop the 2,000 gallon minimum cost to $26.29.

Steubenville has a minimum charge of 2,000 gallons a month.

Commissioner Tom Gentile said the commissioners will review the rates and may make a decision next week. Commissioner David Maple was absent from the meeting Thursday.

"We want to review this thoroughly. This may not be the final effort to bring some relief (to county water customers,)" Gentile said. Commissioner Thomas Graham said he doesn't want to reduce rates this year and then be forced to increase costs to county customers next year.

In another water matter, Jack Gilmore, county sanitary engineer, presented the commissioners with an engineering study of the need for improvements to the water booster station near Brilliant that serves 1,700 customers in the southern part of the county.

Gilmore said the system initially was designed for only 250 customers but it has grown over the years.

The engineering report recommends 24,000 feet of new water lines, two new booster pump stations and a 100,000-gallon water tank at an estimated cost of $2.7 million. The report says the improvements will provide a safe, reliable water supply to the southern part of the county, and allow for future growth.

Commissioners also:

Were informed Friendship Park received a $61,000 grant through the Ohio Mid-Eastern Government Association for a sewage collection and treatment system. The county has received $212,000 from the Ohio Public Works Commission. The commissioners also agreed to put $100,000 of piggyback tax recreation money toward the project.

James Branagan, a Friendship Park commissioner, said the engineering design should be completed in a month and the project will be advertised for bids in the next several months.

Commissioners also approved speed limit reductions on four county roads. Branagan, who also is the county engineer, said his office conducted speed studies on the following roads and presented the recommended speed limits: county Road 23, 55 mph to 45 mph; county Road 36, 55 mph to 40 mph; county Road 39, 2.7 miles south of state Route 43 to 0.43 mile north of township Road 201, 55 mph to 45 mph; and county Road 39B, 55 mph to 35 mph. Then entire sections of county Roads 23, 36 and 39B will be covered. Nearly all of county Road 39 previously was approved for a speed limit reduction. The section of county Road 39 approved Thursday will complete the entire road.

Agreed to support Issue 2 on the Nov. 3 ballot that will establish a livestock care standards board at the request of the Jefferson County Farm Bureau.

(Law can be contacted at mlaw@heraldstaronline.com.)