$13M grants awarded for wastewater infrastructure improvement to three counties.
Muskingum, Perry and Morgan counties were awarded a combined $13.49 million in funds this week from the Ohio BUILDS water and wastewater infrastructure grant.
The program awarded $122.7 million total in grant awards to help improve water infrastructure in 59 counties.
The funding is part of the sixth round of the Ohio BUILDS (Broadband, Utilities, and Infrastructure for Local Development Success) Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Grant Program. Funding will provide $84.5 million in support of 43 new critical infrastructure projects and $38.2 million in gap funding for 33 previously funded projects with costs that exceeded initial estimates.
The program received 703 grant applications for this round, requesting more than $1.4 billion in funding.
Muskingum County
The Muskingum County Board of Commissioners was awarded $2 million to upgrade the existing Weber Sanitary Sewer Force Main in the eastern part of the county near the Airport Road exit affecting 1,588 people.
“(The Weber Main) is functioning, but it needs updated,” said county commissioner Cindy Cameron of the project, which will allow for the expansion of service to key areas east of the current sewer system and increase sewer capacity for future expansion and regionalization opportunities, while also eliminating environmental issues caused by line breaks.
The current sewer system has failed multiple times allowing raw sewage to spill onto the ground, according to the release from the state.
“If we get a new customer at the (Airport) industrial park, we need to be able to support additional capacity,” said Cameron. “We want to be ready.”
Project activities include constructing 23,000 feet of 12-inch main, as well as six air releases and five check-and-plug valves, according to the release.
Muskingum County will also receive $187,500 in gap funding to eliminate two booster stations without back-up power in the Village of Roseville.
“Installing the new line will eliminate the boosters, which will also eliminate health and safety issues during power outages,” the release said.
Project activities include installing approximately 6,700 feet of 6-inch waterline, gate valves, and meter vault modifications. The project previously received WWIG funding, but materials costs have risen significantly since the initial application, according to the release.
The project will benefit 1,900 people.
Perry County
Perry County will receive more than $2 million for the Village of Crooksville ($870,200) and the Village of Junction City ($1.38 million) for sewer projects.
Crooksville will receive gap funding to replace two main lift stations within the village’s sanitary sewer system, according to the release. The two stations, which pump all the flow from Crooksville to the joint Crooksville-Roseville Treatment Facility, are experiencing severe corrosion and infiltration that have shortened their useful life to just one-to-three years, it reads.
“Without these stations, the village cannot provide basic sanitary sewer service to its residents,” according to the release. “Crooksville previously received WWIG funding for this project in 2021; however, project costs have increased by nearly $1 million since. This additional funding will help close the gap and complete the project.”
The project will benefit 2,534 people.
Junction City’s grant will allow it to upgrade its aging wastewater treatment plant, originally built in 1990. With more than 30 years of service, the plant’s mechanical and electrical components need replacement, leading to operational challenges and compliance issues, according to the release.
Project activities include installing a fine mechanical screen and a new flow control structure, replacing clarifier equipment, installing post-aeration and flow meters, electrical equipment upgrades, site enhancements, replacement of the emergency generator, and more. The project will benefit 721 people.
Perry, Morgan, Athens, and Hocking counties
Four counties in southeast Ohio will receive nearly $4.98 million dollars in gap funding for the Burr Oak Regional Water District project to add Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) to the water treatment process for a previously funded project, according to the release.
The grant affects Perry, Morgan, Athens, and Hocking counties.
The use of GAC provides water utilities with an efficient and cost-effective means to minimize the formation of disinfection byproducts while also removing other organic contaminants found in groundwater, according to the release. The project will help ensure the district provides safe drinking water to customers and meets Ohio Environmental Protection Agency standards. The project will benefit 40,000 people.
Morgan County
Morgan County will receive more than $4 million in grant money for water and sewer services.
As part of the Burr Oak Regional Water District project, Morgan County will receive $3,601,500 in gap funding to upgrade the Bishopville Water District system so contamination and inadequate water supply issues can be addressed, according to the release.Project activities include installing approximately 100,000 feet of 6-inch through 2-inch waterlines, including hydrants, valves, water services, and more. The project previously received WWIG funding; however, project costs have increased since the initial award, according to the release.The project will benefit 300 people.The Village of Stockport will receive a $475,000 grant to replace and upgrade its deteriorating sanitary sewer system trunk line, according to the release.
The existing 6-inch sewer line and aging manholes cannot handle sewage demands and pose overflow and environmental risks. With no improvements since the 1960s, the system is currently endangering the entire village, the release said.
Project activities include installing 3,100 feet of 8-inch sewer line, replacing 11 manholes, and 21 service reconnections.
The project will benefit 483 people.