Governor DeWine announces additional $135M to support critical water infrastructure projects

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Lt. Governor Jon Husted and Ohio Department of Development Director Lydia Mihalik Friday announced grant awards totaling $135 million that will support 90 critical water infrastructure projects in 64 counties throughout the state.

These grants are part of the fifth round of the Ohio BUILDS (Broadband, Utilities, and Infrastructure for Local Development Success) water infrastructure program. Since its inception, the program has provided nearly $500 million to support 343 local water projects impacting each of Ohio’s 88 counties.

Area projects include:

• The Village of Blanchester (Clinton County) will receive a $705,090 grant for a water main replacement along Orchard View Drive and Orchard Circle. Project activities include the installation of approximately 2,600 feet of 8-inch water main, new fire hydrants, services to the right-of-way and new meter pits. The project will also involve installing new sanitary sewer laterals for approximately one-half of the homes along Orchard Circle. The project will benefit 250 people.

• The Village of Bloomingburg (Fayette County) will receive a $218,350 grant for engineering design services and fees to support the replacement of the village’s existing water treatment plant. The current plant has reached the end of its useful life. The age, deterioration, lack of softening technology and recent raw water test results have all contributed to the need for a new plant. This design project will help the village leverage construction funding and provide the basis for the work to proceed. The project will benefit 919 people.

• The Village of Piketon (Pike County) will receive a $2,062,500 grant to construct a new wastewater treatment plant to serve the community. The new facility will be constructed on land northeast of the existing plant, and include influent screening, a new pumping station, biological treatment process tanks and effluent disinfection. The facility will also include a service building with workshop, electrical equipment, an office/lab, new sludge dewatering equipment, a blower room for the process tanks and a sludge storage area, as well as an on-site administration and training building. The project will benefit 2,269 people.

• The City of Washington Court House (Fayette County) will receive a $25,000 design grant to replace more than 1,000 linear feet of water main, along with seven fire hydrants and 92 service laterals. This area has been identified as a potential lead-service area, so they presence of lead service lines will be investigated and replaced, as needed. The project will benefit 250 people.

The City of Waverly (Pike County) will receive a $790,000 grant to construct a new sanitary sewer pumping station and force main to discharge into an existing 24-inch sewer main along Bridge Street. The project will eliminate an existing sanitary gravity sewer that has reached the end of its useful life and is a major source of infiltration and inflow. The project will benefit 4,500 people.

“From the first dollar awarded through this program to now, we’ve made hundreds of transformative investments in the future of our communities,” said Governor DeWine. “Having a strong water infrastructure not only safeguards the health and well-being of our residents, but it makes our neighborhoods more resilient and better prepares local leaders for sustainable economic growth.”

The grants announced Friday will help reduce or eliminate the financial burden community leaders face regarding 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 system backups, and extend sewer lines to support economic growth.

“This additional round of funding will help communities from one corner of the state to the next replace aging, overwhelmed infrastructure, ensuring that Ohioans have access to clean drinking water,” said Lt. Governor Husted. “These projects will not only greatly improve the quality of life for residents in these areas, but they also boost economic growth related to business expansion and housing development.”

A complete list of projects can be viewed here.

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, nearly $1.3 billion has been dedicated to the initiative.

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. Both the previous and current rounds of this award were funded through an additional $250 million in ARPA dollars appropriated by the legislature through House Bill 45, which was signed by Governor DeWine in January 2023.

“Businesses that choose to set up shop in Ohio do so, in large part, because of the generational investments we’ve made in local infrastructure,” said Director Mihalik. “Through the vision of Governor DeWine and Lt. Governor Husted, and the support of our state legislature, we’re creating more opportunities for communities large and small to be Ohio’s next great economic success story.”

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, including announcements from previous rounds, can be found on the program webpage.