Governor DeWine awards additional $114M to address critical water infrastructure; Village of Greenfield to receive $1.4M
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Lt. Governor Jon Husted and Ohio Department of Development Director Lydia Mihalik announced Friday that the state will award $114 million in grant awards to support 70 critical water infrastructure projects in 58 counties.
The grants are part of the fourth round of the Ohio BUILDS (Broadband, Utilities, and Infrastructure for Local Development Success) water infrastructure program. Since its establishment, the program has provided a more than $360 million to support 253 local water projects impacting every county in the state.
Several local projects were awarded:
• The Village of Greenfield (Highland County) will receive a $1,471,000 grant for a water system improvement project. The current system is experiencing a 25-percent water loss due to failing lines. The project will replace more than 8,000 linear feet of waterline and 5,500 linear feet of service line and install 59 new valves, 172 service reconnections and 32 fire hydrants. The project will benefit 1,971 people.
• The Village of Bainbridge (Ross County) will receive a $2,630,900 grant to establish a gravity collection sewer system and wastewater treatment plant. The village is currently the largest unsewered community in Ohio and is served by onsite wastewater systems. The project will include the construction of a 150,000-gallon treatment plant and the installation of 29,500 linear feet of gravity sewer line, 7,300 linear feet of force main line, 14,250 linear feet of service line, 101 manholes, two lift stations and one grinder station resulting in 311 household connections. The project will benefit 754 people.
• The Adams County Regional Water District (Adams County) will receive a $725,000 grant to repair two 100,000-gallon tanks for them to remain in service. The tanks require several repairs to meet ruling agency requirements. In addition to necessary repairs, the tanks will be stripped of existing paint and recoated. Repairs will result in an additional 20 years’ service life to the county. The project will benefit 2,500 people.
• The Adams County Regional Water District (Brown County) will receive a $242,500 grant for a waterline extension project for Brushy Fork Road residents. Currently, residents are serviced by private wells where the water quality is poor and unfit for consumption. The project will add nearly 10,000 linear feet of waterline as well as necessary valves and hydrants. The project will benefit 24 people.
• The Village of Blanchester (Clinton County) will receive a $350,955 grant for the replacement of water mains along Lazenby Drive between West Main Street and Bourbon Street. The current water main was installed in the early 1930s and has a history of leaks. In addition, the lines are undersized and do not provide adequate reflow. Project activities include the replacement of 1,200 linear feet of water main, catch basins and storm sewer along the route, and the installation of fire hydrants and new meter pits. The project will benefit 72 people.
• The Village of Frankfort (Ross County) will receive a $507,400 grant for water treatment plant maintenance upgrades. The project involves the construction, engineering support and administrative costs associated with key improvements required at the existing Village of Frankfort Water Treatment Plant. The project will benefit 1,101 people.
"Ohio is the heart of opportunity, and for our state to continue to thrive, we must ensure that more communities have steady access to reliable, clean water," said Governor DeWine. "My administration is committed to supporting as many local communities as possible with water projects that will improve quality of life and give residents more opportunities to live up to their God-given potential."
The grants announced Friday will help reduce or eliminate the local financial burden associated with critical infrastructure needs such as new water distribution systems, waterline extensions, water tower replacements and new pipes and water mains. Grants will also fund projects to replace sanitary sewer systems, prevent sewer system backups and extend sewer lines to allow for economic growth.
“Good infrastructure is vital for economic development and quality of life,” said Lt. Governor Husted. “With these additional projects, we’re able to expand our infrastructure to support development for businesses and housing for Ohioans.”
The DeWine-Husted Administration launched the Ohio BUILDS water infrastructure program in 2021 as a continuation of Governor DeWine's H2Ohio initiative, which launched in 2019 to focus on ensuring plentiful, clean and safe water for communities across the state. In total, $500 million has been dedicated to the program, and a fifth round awarding additional funding will be announced later this summer.
The first three rounds of the program, awarded in October 2021, November 2021 and December 2021, were funded with $250 million from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) appropriated by the 134th Ohio General Assembly. In response to the tremendous demand for water infrastructure support, the legislature added an additional $250 million in ARPA funding to the program through House Bill 45, which was signed by Governor DeWine in January 2023.
“At Development, we’re working to build strong communities so that when people come to our state, we have the infrastructure and amenities to support them,” said Lydia Mihalik, director of Development. “We’re grateful to the Ohio legislature for additional funding to make these critical investments and help prepare our communities for continued growth.”
In addition to water infrastructure upgrades, Ohio BUILDS strategically invests in a broad range of projects to improve quality of life and support economic growth such as broadband expansion, brownfield redevelopment, the demolition of blighted buildings and more.
Additional information on the Ohio BUILDS water infrastructure grant program can be found on the program webpage.