Tuesday, August 20, 2013

NEW BOSTON RECEIVES OHIO EPA LOAN TO DESIGN SEWER IMPROVEMENTS


As many of you know, New Boston has been ordered by the EPA to redesign and replace existing sewer lines that collect raw sewage and storm water. 

We were excited to find that the Ohio EPA has issued a $400,000 interest-free loan to the village of New Boston to design important sanitary sewer improvements.

The loan will fun detailed design work for future construction to replace a combined sewer system and four pump stations that collect raw sewage and storm water in New Boston and convey it to Portsmouth for treatment.  Wet weather produces storm runoff that feeds directly into New Boston's sewers, sometimes exceeding the capacity of the combined system.  As a result, discharges occur at two combined sewer overflow (CSO) outfalls and overloading occurs at the pump stations.

To address this situation, New Boston submitted a sewer separation plan to Ohio EPA that will create a dedicated storm system, greatly reduce inflow and form the basis of planning for further CSO control programs for the village.  It will be completed in phases as funding becomes available.

Since 1989, Ohio's Water Pollution Control Loan Fund (WPCLF) has awarded more than $6 billion in below-market financing for sewage treatment plant upgrades and other water quality improvement projects.  The program has saved borrowers more than $1.1 billion in interest.  Low-interest loans have also been provided to municipalities and individuals for agricultural best-management practices; home sewage system improvements; contaminated site clean-up; and landfill closures.  Additionally, the WPCF can provide technical assistance to public wastewater systems in a variety of areas from the planning, design and construction of improvements to enhancing the technical, managerial and financial capacity of these systems.

This state revolving loan fund is partially supported by federal grants and designed to last indefinitely through repayment of loans and investments in bonds.  The loan program is jointly 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, and environmental reviews of projects seeking funds.  The Ohio Water Development Authority provides financial management of the fund. 

Mike Payton
8/20/2013