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WOODSFIELD -- Monroe County officials discussed potential funding options for the estimated $34 million Ohio & Lee Water & Sewer wastewater project that has been in the works for the past two decades.
The company's wastewater system is in need of major repairs and upgrades; however, the project has remained at a standstill due to lack of funding. Three communities in the county are affected by the lack of a wastewater treatment facility -- Hannibal, Sardis and Duffy. In the meantime, individual property owners have septic tanks to manage the sewage from their homes while officials work to secure funding for the project. Officials are planning to install individual receptacle units per household. A similar septic system is used in Dexter City, Ohio, that serves around 70 units at a cost of about $3 million to install. The Sardis system alone would serve around 400 units.
Misty Tolzda, senior rural development specialist for Great Lakes Community Action Partnership, is assisting Ohio & Lee with the project and in finding potential funding opportunities. On Monday, Tolzda met with Monroe County Commissioners Diane Burkhart, Bill Bolon and Mick Schumacher to discuss the project and funding opportunities through the Ohio Water Development Authority, Ohio Public Works Commission, the Community Development Block Grant program, H2O Ohio, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, and other agencies. She said she will be submitting the paperwork for the funding opportunities in August.
Tolzda asked commissioners for monetary support to ensure the project has sufficient funding.
Schumacher said they are considering using some of the $2,648,000 in the American Rescue Plan funding to aid with the project.
The funding is meant to aid local infrastructure improvements and offset lost revenue.
Tolzda said they will have to see how much grant funding can be secured prior to making a commitment.
Schumacher said the project is set to be completed in four phases beginning with the village of Sardis -- the largest of the three communities with an estimated population of 677, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
In other news, commissioners met with Cody Pettit, public affairs liaison for the Ohio Treasurer's Office. Schuacher said commissioners inquired when the American Rescue Plan funding would be available. The funding is not finalized as of yet so they are unsure of the exact date the funds will be released.