At Switzer Water Association, our goal is to provide safe, clean, sparkling water to all of our residents! Listed below is a brief history of Switzer Water.
Switzer Water was one of the first rural water systems in Appalachia. It was conceived in the 1960's on a Sunday in the parking lot of St. John's Church on German Ridge Road by just a simple question. "Is it possible to have public water in Switzerland Township?" Early in the 1960's we experienced very dry weather. Farmers needed water for their livestock. Many were hauling water from creeks and from the Powhatan water sysem. In the following few weeks, a committee of five met, comprised of Jim Brockwell, Carl Lehman, Roy Miller, Jr., Paul Zink, and Reverend Kenneth Heasley. This committee, plus many volunteers, canvassed Switzerland Township, some of Salem Township, and some of York Township, to sign up land owners to be new members of the Switzer Water Association. Those who did then became patrons, or owners, of Switzer Water. 220 land owners were needed to sign up in order to receive $200,000 plus in grant funding. Also, a loan was needed to cover additional expenses.
Switzer Water does not own any wells. All water that Switzer Water pumps and sells comes from Clarington Water's wells, which we buy and pay for. The first water was pumped in the very late 1960's or very early 1970's. In a few years, Switzer Water began to grow. By 2025, there are over 700 accounts, with around 650 bill bill cards mailed each month. Switzer Water now serves an area from the Ohio River to Beallsville, and from Captina Creek to Sunfish Creek. We started with 200 water patrons and are now over 700. Switzer Water has expanded over the years from just Switzerland Township to parts of Salem Township, parts of York Township, parts of Washington Township, parts of Sunsbury Township, parts of Adams Township, and even into parts of Belmont County. Switzer Water has no towns or villages; it is completely a rural system. Each of these areas can be considered as a small community working together. Back when we started, farmers gave us water line, free land easements, and provided equipment, laborers, and donations. This all allowed Switzer Water to provide water service at a lower monthly rate. This is a good example of what people working together can accomplish! Our water users are not considered customers, but as patrons. We are all owners of the Association. Every member pays a $20.00 membership fee. The forefathers of Switzer Water from the 1960's, and the many volunteers at that time, later became known as Switzer Water Association, which is a Non-Profit Entity. The Switzer Water Board is continually working to improve service to you, the water patrons.
The Switzer Water Distribution System consists of a pumphouse located near Clarington, which houses two alternating pumps. Also, there are two water tanks, one near Clarington, and the other near Beallsville. There is a booster pump station near Clover Ridge Road on State Route 556, and many, many miles of water pipe in the ground. In recent years Switzer Water has tried to incorporate modern technology into our system. The latest major project has taken many years to reach completion, which is being online. The last problem was solved when South Central Power offered fiber internet, instead of satellite internet. Our Water Patrons now have several options to pay their monthly water bills. This includes by mail to Belmont Savings Bank, in person at the bank, or online. Switzer Water is now on the internet at switzerwater.com, which means you can now pay your bill online if you prefer, through our payment company, Nuvei. Modern technology makes Switzer Water billing more automated, but it does not mean less work. Being online means more work in preparing and printing the water bills, more items to keep track of, and more time. The many years that have led to the webpage and online bill-pay have been accomplished by the work of Carla Hendershot (Treasurer), and Elizabeth Gates (Omni Straegic Technologies of Wheeling, WV). Through patience and strong will, the program is now functioning.
We will continue to keep improving at Swtizer Water. We plan to install new meters to all our water patrons in the very near future. The Switzer Water Board would like to thank all of you for being water patrons, and for your continued support in the future!
Switzer Water has many roads in its sytem, including the following: Armann Hill Rd, Atkinson Run Rd, Bolon Ridge, Boltz Hill Rd, Brock Ridge, Cain Ridge, Case Ridge, Cats Run Rd, Center Ridge, Clover Ridge, Cochran Hill Rd, County Rd 31, Crum Rd, Datkuliak Lane, Dover Ridge, Dusty Lane, Eichorn Rd, Gallaher Rd, Game Ridge Rd, German Ridge Rd, Gibbs Rd, Goddard Rd, Headley Ridge Rd, Hidden Acres Rd, Hutchinson Rd, Krebs Hill Rd, McGarry Rd, Mellott Ridge Rd, Oak Ridge Rd, Orchard Lane, Pittman Rd, Powhatan Hill Rd, Pugh Ridge Rd, Reed Lane, Run Rd, Saffell Church Rd, Spruce Lane, St Rt 556, St Rt 78, Stukey Rd, Twp Rd 1006, Twp Rd 1047, Twp Rd 105, Twp Rd 142-A, Twp Rd 168, Twp Rd 180, Twp Rd 185, Twp Rd 187, Twp Rd 196, Twp Rd 198, Twp Rd 199, Twp Rd 200, Twp Rd 205, Twp Rd 2061, Twp Rd 207, Twp Rd 210, Twp Rd 2106, Twp Rd 211, Twp Rd 2117, Twp Rd 2118, Twp Rd 215, Twp Rd 2158, Twp Rd 2160, Twp Rd 2161, Twp Rd 2164, Twp Rd 2166, Twp Rd 2169, Twp Rd 2172, Twp Rd 218, Twp Rd 2180, Twp Rd 2188, Twp Rd 2207, Twp Rd 2236, Twp Rd 2280, Twp Rd 231, Twp Rd 2788, Twp Rd 714, Twp Rd 910, Twp Rd 913, Twp Rd 964, Varner Ridge Rd, and Walter Emery Rd.
