H2Ohio Grants Made Available To Ohio Communities

Presented By Hometown-Motors, Inc.

(COLUMBUS, Ohio)— Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Ohio EPA Director Laurie A. Stevenson announced today that $3.7 million in H2Ohio grants will go to several local communities to help improve drinking water quality and to repair or replace aging water and wastewater infrastructure.

“Many of these systems have degraded to the point that they’re a threat to public health because improvement projects are often much too expensive for our smaller communities to handle on their own,” said Governor DeWine. “All of these projects are long overdue, and we’re excited to contribute toward improving water service and quality of life in the areas of the state where H2Ohio’s help is needed the most.”

“Governor DeWine’s H2Ohio plan enables Ohio EPA to extend available funding to help communities across the state address their water and wastewater needs,” said Ohio EPA Director Laurie A. Stevenson. “We are using H2Ohio funding to make a difference in these communities and in the lives of Ohioans.”

Three project grants are coming to southern Ohio.

H2Ohio Drinking Water Infrastructure Grants

• Manchester (Adams County), $500,000 
  The water distribution system servicing the village of Manchester suffers from damaged pipes and regular waterline breaks. H2Ohio funding awarded to Manchester will support the near-total replacement of the village’s water distribution system to significantly reduce the health threats associated with waterline breaks and provide a more reliable water source to the village’s approximately 2,120 residents. 
• Lawrence County, $250,000 
  H2Ohio funding will cover the planning and engineering design for a project that will provide safe drinking water to 50 residents in the Macedonia Hill area of Lawrence County who currently do not have a safe and reliable supply.

H2Ohio Wastewater Infrastructure Grants

• Bainbridge (Ross County), $500,000 
  The village of Bainbridge is currently unsewered with many residents using inadequate household sewage treatment systems. H2Ohio funding awarded to Bainbridge will support the development of a new sanitary sewer system and wastewater treatment plant to serve citizens in the village’s approximately 500 homes.

More than $15.3 million in H2Ohio grants have been awarded by Ohio EPA since the launch of the initiative in 2019. An announcement regarding additional funding to reduce exposure to lead in drinking water and support communities in repairing or replacing failing household sewage treatment systems is expected later this fall.

H2Ohio is a collaborative water quality effort to provide clean and safe water to Ohio. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Ohio Department of Agriculture, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, and Ohio Lake Erie Commission each have a significant role in H2Ohio through the natural infrastructure of wetlands, the reduction of nutrient runoff, and the increase in access to clean drinking water and quality sewer systems. To learn more, visit h2.ohio.gov.