Ohio announces $160M in water infrastructure loans

This week, Ohio announced than communities in the state are receiving over $159.9 million in loans, including more than $22 million in principal forgiveness.

The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency has stated that these loans will save about $44.5 million compared to market-rate loans, while also helping improve the state’s drinking water, wastewater, and surface water quality.

The state had approved the loans between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31, 2021. The loans are distributed through two state programs: the Water Pollution Control Loan Fund for wastewater treatment systems and the Water Supply Revolving Loan Account for drinking water systems — both supported by Ohio’s state revolving funds.

A full list of the funded projects, sorted by region and amount, is provided below.

Northwest Ohio: $15 million

• Delphos is receiving loans totaling $10.3 million for two projects: A $6.97 million loan will fund the final phase of a project to replace filter membranes at the wastewater treatment plant. This phase will add a third treatment train to restore the treatment plant to its original average design flow. A $3.35 million loan will fund a new elevated 500,000-gallon drinking water storage tank and improvements to sections of water distribution system piping along the Miami Erie Canal and on Lima Avenue.
• Huron is receiving $2.9 million to install tube settlers in the existing settling basins at the drinking water plant to optimize treatment as part of the harmful algal bloom general plan. A building also will be built over the tube settlers to allow better operation of the basins.
• Cridersville is receiving $1.1 million to replace the sanitary sewer between Rail Road and South Dixie Highway. The sanitary sewer main also will be replaced on South Dixie south of East Main.
• Shelby is receiving $289,600 to replace 41 lead service lines in the drinking water system. This loan includes $288,600 in principal forgiveness, which is the portion of a loan that does not have to be repaid.
• Oak Harbor is receiving $225,331 to make improvements to the 500,000-gallon elevated drinking water storage tank, including interior and exterior coating, to bring the tank up to standards.
• Marblehead is receiving $126,688 to design a project to build a new elevated drinking water storage tank at the southern end of the water distribution system.
• Bucyrus is receiving $107,877 to design a project extending a new waterline to connect the village of Nevada distribution system to the Bucyrus distribution system. Bucyrus has agreed to provide Nevada with the community’s daily supply of drinking water.
• Ayersville Water and Sewer District is receiving $46,114 to design a project to construct an aeration system near the intersection of Shindler Road, Fullmer Road, and Ayersville Pleasant Bend Road to remove disinfection byproducts from the water distribution system.

Northeast Ohio: $18.8 million

• Barberton is receiving $6.1 million to install new influent and effluent flow meters at the wastewater treatment plant.
• Akron is receiving $4 million for two projects, including replacing and reconstructing existing sanitary and combined sewers, and lining and repairing sewers throughout the city; and replacing lead and galvanized service lines. The loans include $1 million in principal forgiveness, meaning this amount does not have to be repaid.
• Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District is receiving $1.7 million to design the primary effluent bypass channel at the Southerly Wastewater Treatment Plant.
• Geauga County is receiving $1.3 million to construct approximately 7,300 linear feet of waterline extension along Bainbridge and Chagrin Roads.
• Salem is receiving $1.1 million to improve the wastewater treatment plant, including rehabilitating the trickling filter and converting the sludge handling process to full conventional anaerobic digestion. The upgrades will provide more efficient treatment and increase reliability.
• Conneaut is receiving $1.1 million to replace equipment in the water treatment plant and low-service pump station.
• Elyria is receiving $1.05 million to replace lead service lines. The loan includes $1 million in principal forgiveness, meaning this amount does not have to be repaid.
• Cleveland is receiving $1 million in principal forgiveness to replace lead service lines at all state-registered childcare facilities in the service area.
• East Palestine is receiving $618,528 to replace approximately 20,000 linear feet of waterline, including valves, hydrants, water services, and improvements to a booster pump station.
• ABC Water and Sewer District is receiving $461,000 to replace deteriorated stormwater infrastructure along Pebble Beach Court.

Central Ohio: $83 million

• Columbus is receiving approximately $79.8 million for seven projects that include constructing a new digester to provide additional digestion capacity, augment the interconnector sewer, and make improvements to the boiler system for the Southerly Wastewater Treatment Plant; constructing 9,200 linear feet of drinking water mains, fire hydrants and valve installations in the Mock Road area; constructing a regional bioretention basin for the Blueprint Linden-Agler/Berrell project area; constructing 11,700 linear feet of drinking water mains, fire hydrants, and valve installations in the Woodland Avenue area; and purchasing and installing combined heat and power generators, equipment to clean the biogas, and electrical and data and control systems for the Jackson Pike Wastewater Treatment Plant.
• Grove City is receiving $2.5 million to construct and install sanitary sewers.
• Bremen is receiving $860,000 to replace influent screens at the Bremen wastewater facilities to improve operations and help extend the wastewater treatment plant’s useful life.

Southwest Ohio: $25.6 million

• Logan County is receiving $7.8 million to construct a sanitary sewer serving the residences of Orchard Island and Wolfe Islands in Washington Township. The project will include gravity sewer, force main, and associated items such as manholes.
• Palestine-Hollansburg Joint Sewer District is receiving $7.5 million to construct a new regional sanitary sewer collection system and wastewater treatment plant that will replace failing home sewage treatment systems. The system will be operated in an agreement between the Palestine-Hollansburg Joint Sewer District and the Glen Karn Corridor Sub-Sewer District. $4.05 million of the loan is principal forgiveness and does not have to be repaid.
• Wilmington is receiving $3.4 million to design a new wastewater treatment plant and repurpose the existing wastewater treatment plant.
• Dayton is receiving $2.1 million to begin the design for Phase II of the anaerobic digestion project which will address all remaining digester improvements not addressed in Phase I.
• Union is receiving $1.76 million to extend 5,300 lineal feet of 12-inch watermain from the intersection of East Martindale Road and Frederick Pike south to the Aullwood Audubon Center and Farm, and 750 lineal feet of 8-inch watermain from Frederick Pike west along the center's driveway entrance to the building. The entire amount is a principal forgiveness loan, which means the loan does not have to be repaid.
• Greene County is receiving $1.25 million for the design and construction of approximately 7,260 feet of 8-inch watermain to replace existing 6-inch watermains, which are undersized and prone to breakage.
• Ansonia is receiving $900,000 for a project to locate and eliminate inflow and infiltration into the sanitary collection system. The project will line and replace sewers and rehabilitate a lift station. The entire amount of the loan is principal forgiveness, which does not have to be repaid.
• Greenville is receiving $856,980 to replace lead service lines and replace or relocate water meter pits. The loan is a principal forgiveness loan and does not have to be repaid.
• New Vienna is receiving $40,135 to plan a project to replace an aged and deteriorated waterline on Church Street and develop a GIS database to assist in asset management and hydraulic modeling.

Southeast Ohio: $17 million

• Cadiz is receiving $5.3 million to rehabilitate and replace the South and Center collection system lines and separate stormwater lines from the sanitary sewer system. The loan includes $3.2 million in principal forgiveness, meaning this amount does not have to be repaid.
• West Union is receiving $3.3 million to eliminate household sewage treatment systems in the Panhandle region for approximately 60 homes and businesses and connect them to the West Union sewer system. The loan includes $3 million in principal forgiveness, meaning this amount does not have to be repaid.
• Frankfort is receiving $2.9 million to make improvements to the existing sewer system and wastewater treatment plant. The loan includes $1.6 million in principal forgiveness, meaning this amount does not have to be repaid.
• New Boston is receiving $2.6 million in principal forgiveness to construct combined sewer overflow improvements in the village.
• Scioto Water Inc. is receiving approximately $1.6 million for two projects that include installing a main pressure reducing valve station and 5,800 linear feet of water main in the Franklin Furnace area and replacing a steel storage tank with a larger glass-lined storage tank.
• Cambridge is receiving $1 million in principal forgiveness to replace approximately 200 lead service lines.
• Philo is receiving $37,834 for the planning and engineering design of a project to replace water lines and a booster station.