Charleston Leader

U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito announced a Congressionally Directed Spending award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to enhance the water infrastructure for Camp Dawson Army National Guard facility and its neighboring community in Kingwood, West Virginia.

The funding was secured through a CDS request made by Senator Capito for Fiscal Year 2023. The initiative aims to provide safe and reliable drinking water to Camp Dawson, Kingwood, and nearby rural areas.

“I was proud work with our military and civilian partners in Kingwood to secure resources for this project because it combines the need to improve our infrastructure, bolster our homeland security, and protect water—one of our most precious resources—from potential vulnerabilities,” Senator Capito said. “Camp Dawson is an incredibly important military asset in West Virginia and this project helps protect our servicemembers, as well as civilians in Kingwood, from attacks on our infrastructure. Through my roles on the EPW Committee and Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, I will continue to advocate for projects like this, especially when it serves our state’s civilians and economy, as well as our servicemembers and national security.”

The $4 million EPA CDS award targets improvements at the Camp Dawson Army National Guard Facility's water treatment operations. This facility purifies 700,000 gallons daily from the Cheat River. The upgrades are significant due to their implications for national security by safeguarding against threats that could disrupt essential services.

Key components of the project include replacing water storage tanks, telemetry systems, valves at Camp Dawson; increasing raw water intake; installing clarifier covers; replacing intermediate storage tanks; and upgrading systems in Pleasantdale to manage pressure issues effectively.