SOUTHINGTON, Ohio - Southington Township leaders want a water line project to move forward amid questions and concerns from property owners.

Sticker shock is what Skip Hanes believes property owners are experiencing as they learn just how much it will cost to bring Warren city water into a portion of their township. Hanes is the chairman of the Southington Water District board and he understands why some worry about the overall cost of the project.

"If you stop and realize what goes into that piece of pipe and the water going through it and the technology involved with it, then you begin to get a better understanding," Hanes said.

Hanes joined Southington and neighboring township officials at a town hall meeting Monday morning. 

The ultimate goal is start with phase one and expand to other portions of the township. If approved by propery owners within the project area, water lines would be installed along Parkman, Leiby Osborne and Warren Burton roads.

"We need it, because we don't drink the water out of our taps," Marlene Russomano said, who lives within the first phase of the project.

While she's okay paying an assessment fee of about $8,500, but other property owners don't want to foot the bill for the installation of the water lines.

21 News met with Jeff Hoover last week. Hoover is gathering signatures for a petition to stop the project. He says he doesn't want to pay the assessment fee. 

If homeowners choose to connect to the water lines, the tap in fee would cost them $1,500 dollars.

The water line project will cost property owners $33 per foot of front footage. Connecting to the water lines is optional, not mandatory. Residents can pay all up front, pay a portion and the remainder on their taxes over a 20 year period, or the entire cost on their taxes over a 20 year period.

A public meeting on the project is set for 7 p.m., August 6, at the Southington Local Schools. Property owners will be asked to vote on the project at the meeting.