Located along a portion of the Potomac River known as the Paw Paw Bends, the town of Paw Paw, W. Va., may be a small community of 410, but it is accomplishing big things with several new projects that range from infrastructure improvements, additional amenities in public parks and even a historic designation. Whether it is in the planning stages, pending, or nearing completion, this little town has plenty of exciting things happening.

“Water” we waiting for?

The town is currently completing a sewer upgrade that began last summer and consisted of two phases to rehabilitate and replace aging infrastructure. Phase one included improvements to the town’s sewer processing plant as well as its pump stations, while phase two replaced the sewer lines on the southern portion of the town.

Phase one’s contract went to Ferri Contracting of Canonsburg, Pa.; the work involved enhancing the sewage lagoon’s air quality and installing a new barscreen at the pump station to catch debris. Workers also dredged the solids from the lagoon space and rehabilitated some buildings with replacement piping. Carl Belt of Cumberland, W. Va., was awarded the contract to replace the sewer pipes for the second phase of the project.

“The total project cost was $4.5 million,” said Paw Paw town clerk Ron Davis, noting that the project was paid for with a $2 million grant from the West Virginia Infrastructure and Jobs Development Council, a $1.85 million grant from the West Virginia Water Development Authority Economic Grant, $25,000 from the town of Paw Paw’s American Rescue Plan and money from the Department of Environmental Protection’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund.

Many of those same entities are behind the town of Paw Paw’s water upgrade, which is set to begin soon. In July, the town received a $1 million grant from the West Virginia Infrastructure and Jobs Development Council and, coupled with funds from the Drinking Water Treatment Revolving Fund, the town secured $3.75 million to help complete the work. Davis said that the engineering has been completed and the project should be out for bids soon.

“Our current water supply is pumped from the Potomac River and treated at our water plant on Bethel Road,” he said. “The current plant was built in the early 1980s and is in bad condition. To make matters worse, the manufacturer of the equipment is no longer in business. There is also a need to replace water lines on the southern end of town.”

John Cole and the team at RK&K engineering has proposed that the town use groundwater instead of river water to supply the town because it will be easier and less costly. They plan to upgrade the system by drilling two wells near town hall and construct a small building near the two wells to treat the water while using the two present water storage tanks to gravity-feed the town. The current water plant will be used as a maintenance building.

“The projected cost is about $4.5 million, which is much less than the projected cost of $8 million to upgrade our current plant with river water processing equipment,” Davis said.

But wait … there’s more

The upcoming improvements don’t stop there. The town of Paw Paw will rehabilitate its old 1937 fire house into a community center thanks to a $725,000 earmark from Senator Shelley Capito for the project. The Paw Paw Fire Department opened its new station at 832 South Gremps Street in May 2023, leaving the previous location vacant and in a perfect position for repurposing.

The town has also received a grant to help with the purchase of a 2025 Police Inceptor Ford F-150 truck for the police department as well as Transportation Alternatives Program and Federal Lands Access Program grants to engineer the upgrades to the sidewalks from Lee Street to the Paw Paw Library and improve access to the parks and C&O Canal.

Speaking of parks, the town of Paw Paw maintains two parks, one of which is on the southern end of town and features a ball field and pavilion while the one on the northern end of town boasts a walking trail and visitor’s center. Davis said that grant applications have been submitted to add volleyball, basketball and pickleball courts. Other additions include a pavilion and pavement to the trail and parking areas.

“We are also pleased to announce that the town’s old town hall, built in 1893, has recently been added to the National Historic Register and will be opening soon as a museum that will display old artifacts from the town when it was established in 1891,” he said. “The town of Paw Paw has a lot going on, thanks in part to its employees; town, county, state and federally elected officials, town residents and the Eastern Panhandle Regional Planning and Development Council (District 9). We hope you can stop by and visit while traveling through town!”

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