Northwest Ohio Communities Receive $14.6 Million in Financing from Ohio EPA for Wastewater, Drinking Water Infrastructure Improvements

Communities in Northwest Ohio are receiving approximately $14.6 million in low-interest rate and principal forgiveness funding from Ohio EPA to improve wastewater and drinking water infrastructure and make other water quality improvements. Funding infrastructure projects and improving water quality across the state continues to be a priority of Governor Mike Dewine’s administration. These loans (financed through the state’s revolving fund) were approved between July 1 and Sept. 30, 2022. The lower interest rates and principal forgiveness will save these communities more than $3 million.

“Drinking water and sewage treatment infrastructure are important components of Ohio’s economy and Ohioans’ quality of life,” Governor Dewine said. “My administration has made clean water a priority across the state and will continue this effort moving forward.”

Statewide, Ohio EPA awarded approximately $220 million in loans during the third quarter of 2022, including more than $10 million in principal forgiveness. Combined, Ohio communities will save approximately $40.1 million when compared to market-rate loans. The projects are improving Ohio’s surface water quality and the reliability and quality of Ohio’s drinking water systems.

For the third quarter of 2022, the following Northwest Ohio projects are receiving funding:

Oregon is receiving $6.2 million to replace the existing chlorine disinfection process at the wastewater treatment plant with ultraviolet disinfection, make improvements to the existing grit removal system, and safety measures within the plant.

Greenwich is receiving two loans totaling $3 million. A $2.8 million loan for Phase E2 of the combined sewer separation project. The construction will remove existing source water from the system and help provide new sanitary sewer to carry sewage to the wastewater treatment plant. A $170,500 loan will design Phase 3 of the combined sewer overflow reduction project. A village wide monitoring program has been completed, providing the necessary locations of separation.

Delphos is receiving three loans totaling $1.78 million. The largest loan, $1.6 million, is to replace lead service lines along South Main Street. This project includes more than $394,000 in principal forgiveness. Principal forgiveness is the portion of a loan that does not need to be repaid. Another loan is approximately $115,000 to replace lead water main and lead service lines along Skinner Street. All of this loan is principal forgiveness. The third loan is for the design of projects to replace the Jefferson High School pump station and rehabilitate the existing Bredieck Street lift station. Both projects will include the replacement pumps, wet well lining, and replacement control equipment.

Northwestern Water and Sewer District in Bowling Green is receiving a $1.19 million loan for a project to loop several miles of dead-end water lines along Liberty Hi Road. The project also will provide unserved customers along the route opportunities to connect to public water.

Ridgeville Township Water and Sewer District is receiving $621,000 for a project to renovate and convert two existing pump stations to wet wells with submersible pumps. The project will eliminate confined space, access, and safety concerns associated with the existing dry well spaces.

Marblehead is receiving $521,000 to design a project to extend water service to Johnson’s Island.

Toledo is receiving more than $411,000 to replace private lead water lines while the public side of the service line is replaced. This is a principal forgiveness loan, meaning the loan does not have to be repaid. The private side replacement work will be contracted out to a vendor so that the replacements can be completed at a faster rate.

Hayesville is receiving more than $391,000 to build a new drinking water treatment plant and replacement meters. The project includes retirement of the existing water treatment plant and wells.

Edgerton is receiving more than $263,000 to upgrade two 100,000-gallon elevated storage tanks, including new interior and exterior coatings and upgrades to accessories and safety measures.

Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District is receiving three $50,000 loans to provide emergency backup generators for sewer system lift stations serving Pleasant Hill Lake Park, which pumps sewage from the park to the village of Perrysville for treatment; for the lift station serving the newly renovated main campground at Charles Mill Lake, which pumps sewage to the campground wastewater treatment plant; for the lift station serving the Charles Mill Sites Lake cottage area, which pumps sewage to the area wastewater treatment plant. All three loans are principal forgiveness, meaning the loans do not have to be repaid.

Elmore is receiving more than $94,000 to design a project to extend public drinking water service to existing single-family homes along Dischinger Road and promote additional development in this area north of the Ohio Turnpike.

Created in 1989, the Water Pollution Control Loan Fund (WPCLF) helps communities improve their wastewater treatment systems. The

Water Supply Revolving Loan Account (WSRLA), started in 1998, provides loans for improvements to community drinking water systems and nonprofit, noncommunity public water systems. Both programs offer below-market interest rate loans, which can save communities a substantial amount of money compared to a market-rate loan.

Ohio EPA’S state revolving fund (SRF) loans are provided to communities to build and upgrade wastewater and drinking water infrastructure, upgrade home sewage treatment systems, better manage storm water, address combined sewer overflows, and implement other water quality-related projects. Financial assistance helps support planning, design, and construction activities and enhances the technical, managerial, and financial capacity of these systems. WPCLF loans also make possible the restoration and protection of some of Ohio’s highest quality water bodies through the fund’s Water Resource Restoration Sponsor Program.

Ohio’s SRF loan programs are partially supported by annual federal capitalization grants and have grown substantially over time because of the revolving nature of the loan issuance and payments back into the fund. The SRF programs are managed by Ohio EPA’S Division of Environmental and Financial Assistance, with assistance from the Ohio Water Development Authority. Ohio EPA is responsible for program development and implementation, individual project coordination, and environmental and other technical reviews/ approvals of projects seeking funds. The Ohio Water Development Authority provides financial management of the SRF funds.