Ohio communities getting $120M in water project funds

(The Center Square) – Ohio plans to spend more than $120 million in taxpayer funds on water infrastructure projects around the state.

The grants, which are part of the sixth round of Ohio Broadband, Utilities, and Infrastructure for Local Development Success grants, will be awarded to 59 of the state’s 88 counties.

The Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Grant Program will give $84.5 million to support 43 new infrastructure projects and $38.2 million in gap funding for 33 previously funded projects that came in over budget.

“The investments we've made through this program have been transformational in many Ohio communities,” Gov. Mike DeWine said. “The projects we're funding are about more than new pipes - they're about protecting the health and wellbeing of Ohioans across the state.”

The grants are expected to fund projects to replace sanitary sewer systems, prevent sewer system backups and extend sewer lines to support economic growth.

Since 2021, the Ohio Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Grant Program has handed out a total of nearly $620 million to support hundreds of local water projects in all 88 counties.

Five funding rounds used federal American Rescue Plan Act funds as COVID-19 pandemic assistance. The sixth round of money is state taxpayer funds set aside in the current budget by the General Assembly.

The program received 703 grant applications for this round, requesting more than $1.4 billion in funding.

“Whenever I travel the state, I’m inevitably greeted by Ohioans who share the transformative impact water/wastewater projects have had on their communities,” Ohio Department of Development Director Lydia Mihalik said. “But our work is far from over, and thanks to Governor DeWine, Lt. Governor Husted, and our partners in the Ohio General Assembly, we have the opportunity to create sustainable solutions in even more parts of the state.”