Communities in Central Ohio are receiving $144 million in low-interest funding from Ohio EPA to improve wastewater and drinking water infrastructure.
The loans were approved between Jan. 1 and Jun. 30, 2020, according to the EPA.
The projects intend to improve Ohio’s surface water quality and the quality of Ohio drinking water systems. The loans include funds to six counties to help low-income property owners repair or replace failing home septic systems, which do not have to be repaid.
For the first half of 2020, according to the EPA, the following Central Ohio projects are receiving funding:
- Columbus is receiving $109.7 million in loans to improve water main lines, replace culverts, rehabilitate sewer laterals and sewer mains, install new metering equipment, and install biofilters to reduce odor releases and corrosion. Several of these are part of the Blueprint Columbus project.
- Franklin County is receiving $1.3 million to construct sanitary sewer laterals
- Newark is receiving $25.7 million to install nearly one mile of new sanitary and sewer lines
- Lancaster is receiving $4.2 million to construct more than 5,000 linear feet of gravity storm sewer
- Pataskala is receiving $1.5 million to make improvements to an oxidation ditch, pump stations, clarifier splitter box, and site piping
- Granville is receiving $220,000 to plan and design a new lift station, holding tank, loading infrastructure and a new water storage tank.
- Walnut Creek Sewer District is receiving $131,000 for the design of a plant expansion, new sewer and pump station along State Route 37.
Additionally, Health Departments and Districts in the following counties are each receiving $150,000 in principal forgiveness loans for the repair and replacement of household sewage treatment systems: Fairfield, Franklin, Licking, Madison County/London City, and Pickaway, as well as city of Columbus and the Fayette Soil and Water Conservation District.
