For the Miami Valley Today
COLUMBUS — Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted recently announced the first round of water infrastructure grant funding awarded as part of a new, statewide initiative to help build a stronger foundation for improved quality of life for Ohio’s families and continued economic growth for Ohio’s communities.
A total of $250 million in grant funding will be invested in water infrastructure projects as part of the new Ohio BUILDS initiative. The first round of water infrastructure grants announced awards $93 million to 54 projects that impact communities in 60 Ohio counties. The remainder of the water infrastructure grants will be awarded in the coming weeks and will ultimately impact communities in every county in Ohio.
The Tri-Cities North Regional Wastewater Authority in Miami and Montgomery counties will receive a $2.4 million grant to line approximately 8,100 feet with a 30-inch sewer main. This pipe is the main interceptor from Tipp City and Vandalia to the treatment plant. Recent collapses of this interceptor, located in the Taylorsville Metro Park, have created an urgent need to line the other sections that have been identified as “at-risk” quickly. This project will benefit 67,000 people.
Funds recently awarded will help reduce or eliminate the local financial burden associated with critical infrastructure needs such as the construction of new water systems, the replacement of aging water lines, and the installation new water mains. Grants will also fund projects to prevent sewer system backups and replace failing household sewage treatment systems with new sewers.
“These grants are about strengthening our future, our people, and our communities,” said DeWine. “We want our kids and grandkids to stay in Ohio, and clean water is essential to the health and future of our state. Protecting and ensuring that every community in Ohio has access to safe and clean water has been our mission from the start, and with these grants, we are continuing our mission to provide access to economic development tools that will help communities grow and thrive well into the future.”
“From the beginning of our administration, Governor DeWine and I have made water quality and protecting our natural resources in Ohio a priority, but water quality isn’t just about the environment and our health, it’s also about our economic future, ” said Husted. “Investing this one-time money we have on infrastructure will improve our quality of life today and protect it for future generations.”
