COLUMBUS—Communities in Northwest Ohio are receiving more than $15 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. The loans were approved between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31, 2021. The lower interest rates and principal forgiveness will save these communities almost $2.4 million.
Statewide, Ohio EPA awarded more than $159.9 million in loans during the fourth quarter of 2021, including more than $22 million in principal forgiveness. Combined, Ohio communities will save approximately $44.5 million when compared to market-rate loans. The projects are improving Ohio’s surface water quality and the reliability and quality of Ohio drinking water systems. This funding includes assistance to local health districts to help low-income property owners repair or replace failing household sewage treatment systems.
Ohio EPA financed approximately $797 million for public works projects in 2021, saving communities more than $166 million in interest when compared to market-rate loans. This includes nearly $10.6 million in principal forgiveness loans to 72 local health districts to help lower income homeowners repair or replace failing home sewage systems.
For the fourth quarter of 2021, the following Northwest Ohio projects are receiving funding:
- Delphos is receiving loans totaling $10.3 million for two projects. A $6.97 million loan will fund the final phase of a project to replace filter membranes at the wastewater treatment plant. This phase will add a third treatment train to restore the treatment plant to its original average design flow. A $3.35 million loan will fund a new elevated 500,000-gallon drinking water storage tank and improvements to sections of water distribution system piping along the Miami Erie Canal and on Lima Avenue.
- Huron is receiving $2.9 million to install tube settlers in the existing settling basins at the drinking water plant to optimize treatment as part of the harmful algal bloom general plan. A building also will be built over the tube settlers to allow better operation of the basins.
- Cridersville is receiving $1.1 million to replace the sanitary sewer between Rail Road and South Dixie Highway. The sanitary sewer main also will be replaced on South Dixie south of East Main.
- Shelby is receiving $289,600 to replace 41 lead service lines in the drinking water system. This loan includes $288,600 in principal forgiveness, which is the portion of a loan that does not have to be repaid.
- Oak Harbor is receiving $225,331 to make improvements to the 500,000-gallon elevated drinking water storage tank, including interior and exterior coating, to bring the tank up to standards.
- Marblehead is receiving $126,688 to design a project to build a new elevated drinking water storage tank at the southern end of the water distribution system.
- Bucyrus is receiving $107,877 to design a project extending a new waterline to connect the village of Nevada distribution system to the Bucyrus distribution system. Bucyrus has agreed to provide Nevada with the community’s daily supply of drinking water.
- Ayersville Water and Sewer District is receiving $46,114 to design a project to construct an aeration system near the intersection of Shindler Road, Fullmer Road, and Ayersville Pleasant Bend Road to remove disinfection byproducts from the water distribution system.
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 stormwater, 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 make restoration and protection possible for 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, environmental, and other technical reviews/approvals of projects seeking funds. The Ohio Water Development Authority provides financial management of the SRF funds.
More information about the SRF loan program is available at: https://epa.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/epa/divisions-and-offices/environmental-financial-assistance.