COLUMBUS – Locations in and around Shelby County will be receiving grant funds for water infrastructure after Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, and Ohio Department of Development Director Lydia Mihalik recently announced grant awards totaling $135 million which will support 90 critical water infrastructure projects in 64 Ohio counties.
These grants are part of the fifth round of the Ohio BUILDS (Broadband, Utilities, and Infrastructure for Local Development Success) water infrastructure program. Since its inception, the program has provided nearly $500 million to support 343 local water projects impacting each of Ohio’s 88 counties.
“From the first dollar awarded through this program to now, we’ve made hundreds of transformative investments in the future of our communities,” DeWine said. “Having a strong water infrastructure not only safeguards the health and well-being of our residents, but it makes our neighborhoods more resilient and better prepares local leaders for sustainable economic growth.”
The grants will help reduce or eliminate the financial burden community leaders face regarding critical infrastructure needs such as new water distribution systems, waterline extensions, water tower replacements, and new pipes and water mains. Grants will also fund projects to replace sanitary sewer systems, prevent system backups, and extend sewer lines to support economic growth.
“This additional round of funding will help communities from one corner of the state to the next replace aging, overwhelmed infrastructure, ensuring that Ohioans have access to clean drinking water,” Husted said. “These projects will not only greatly improve the quality of life for residents in these areas, but they also boost economic growth related to business expansion and housing development.”
Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman (R-Lima) announced infrastructure projects in the 12th district that will receive funding from the program, including:
• Sidney will receive a $1,077,407 grant to be used for the Brooklyn Avenue Sanitary Sewer Diversion Project to install a 36-inch sanitary sewer parallel to the existing sewer trunk line, allowing flows to be shared among both pipes. Continued growth in this area of Sidney, along with inflow and infiltration from aging sewers and illegal connections to the sewer have, at times, increased flow beyond the capacity of the collection system. This has led to backups into basements and foundations of connected buildings. This project would greatly increase the capacity of the sewer line, as well as reduce surcharging of sub-mains and private sanitary sewers upstream of the trunk line. The project will benefit 8,000 people.
• Fort Loramie will receive a $712,000 grant to upgrade an existing 6-inch waterline running along Park Street, between Main and Willman streets, as well as an existing 4-inch line running along Park Street, between Willman Street and Dogwood Drive. This existing waterline is severely undersized for both fire hydrant flow and adjacent properties’ water pressure. The village also experiences frequent breaks on this old transit line, leaving residents without water while it is fixed. The project will benefit 115 people
• Degraff will receive a $545,050 grant to update the village’s water treatment plant and replace out-of-date equipment that has reached the end of its useful life. The project will benefit 1,215 people.
• The Auglaize County Board of Commissioners will receive a $129,900 grant to improve the existing, 56-year-old sewer collection system, install a new lift station and 1,300 linear feet of force main, as well as the demolition of an old wastewater treatment plant. The project will benefit 60 people.
“My colleagues and I in the General Assembly made a serious commitment to protect Ohio’s water quality,” Huffman said. “From Lake Erie to Indian Lake to our drinking water aquifers, this grant money makes a difference to our neighborhoods here at home in the 12th district.”
“We would like to thank the governor and ODOD Director Mihalik. It’s an important project for the city, and one which will ensure adequate infrastructure is placed in a much needed area of our town. Our public works staff, consultants and Director Jon Crusey led the charge in applying for these dollars. This will also allow the city to divert funds to other areas of need,” Sidney City Manager Andrew Bowsher said.
Additional information on the Ohio BUILDS water infrastructure grant program, including announcements from previous rounds, can be found on the program webpage.
