By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Close to $9.5 million is being sought to send sanitary sewer lines to solve environmental issues and create economic development opportunities.
Sewer lines have been proposed for Sugar Ridge and Dunbridge – where old septic systems are dumping raw sewage into ditches. Neither of the unincorporated communities can afford to extend sanitary sewer themselves, and many of the homeowners do not have adequate acreage or money to install new septic systems.
So on Tuesday morning, Northwestern Water and Sewer District officials made a pitch to the Wood County Commissioners for a share of the American Rescue Plan Act dollars that came to the county to aid recovery from the pandemic.
“There just hasn’t been this kind of money for capital improvement, especially water and sewer for many, many years,” said Jerry Greiner, executive director of the water and sewer district.
The county commissioners voiced their support for the projects.
“I think we all believe and know sewer and water are very important to Wood County,” Commissioner Doris Herringshaw said. “There are some areas that need it more drastically.”
Tom Stalter, district engineer for NWWSD, explained the scope and projected costs of the two projects.
The project expected to benefit the environment and economic development would involve the extension of water and sanitary sewer from the district office on Ohio 582, east toward Interstate 75, then bore under the interstate and continue east to the small community of Dunbridge.
The Ohio EPA has conducted testing in the area, identifying faulty septic systems. The EPA is currently working on issuing orders for the community to connect to a sanitary sewer, Stalter said.
“What a great use of funds,” he said to the county commissioners.
The Dunbridge community has numerous failed septic systems, according to Kelly Bechstein, a sanitarian with the Wood County Health Department. Most of the systems were installed in the 1970s or earlier.
“They are discharging raw sewage,” Bechstein said.
Many of the residents are low income, and many have no space on their properties for new septic systems – so a sanitary sewer system is the past option, Bechstein said.
Middleton Township Trustee Fred Vetter agreed the community would benefit from sanitary sewers.
“Dunbridge has a definite need,” he said, adding that township officials are supportive of the project.
A pump station would be constructed in Dunbridge, with sewage being sent down Dunbridge Road lines to the Bowling Green wastewater treatment plant.
The sanitary sewer would serve about 40 homes, and cost an estimated $9.1 million.
“Costs are difficult to predict right now,” Stalter said.
In addition to providing needed sanitary sewers to Dunbridge, the project would also make the acreage on Route 582 near I-75 shovel ready with water and sewer services. The lines would be large enough to serve significant customers, Stalter said.
Developers have shown interest in access to 100,000 gallons to 2 million gallons a day.
Stalter pointed out the similarities of the Route 582/I-75 project to the Stony Ridge/Lemoyne area in Troy Township, where the Ohio EPA also issued orders for sanitary sewers. The extension of utilities to that area of Troy Township has led to a great deal of development there.
“The county needs areas for economic development,” Stalter said.
So this would be a chance to solve an environmental problem and open up acreage for manufacturing and warehouse development, he said.
“We’re pretty excited about the opportunity,” Stalter said.
“There’s been interest for years out there,” Greiner said after the meeting. Water and sewer access could provide the missing piece.
The other community under EPA orders for a sanitary sewer is Sugar Ridge, located north of Bowling Green at the intersection of Mercer Road and Sugar Ridge Road.
“This project has been ongoing for many years,” Stalter said.
The water and sewer district has secured $1.6 million in funding from other sources to pay for the EPA ordered sewer extension. However, there are 31 other homes on Mercer Road, north and south of the community, and a few homes along Cross Creek Road that could benefit from the sanitary sewer, Stalter explained.
The district has reached out to those homeowners to see if they would also be interested in sanitary sewers. Residents are required to connect to sanitary sewers that come within 400 feet of their home, Stalter explained after the meeting. They are not required to connect to waterlines, he added.
“They all have one question – how much,” Stalter said. Many of the residents are willing to abandon their septic systems, but aren’t ready to sign on the dotted line until they know how much it will cost them.
The district has secured $462,000 from the Ohio Builds Program – which leaves it $320,000 short for extending the sewers to the additional 31 homes. So the county commissioners were asked for that amount also from the ARPA funds.
Bechstein said the situation is similar in Sugar Ridge, with many of the septic systems installed in the 1970s, and their aeration systems no longer functioning properly.
“They are discharging raw sewage,” she said.
The cost to install new septic systems for homes outside the original Sugar Ridge plan could range from $15,000 to $30,000.
With the ARPA funds, the cost to homeowners to connect into the sanitary sewer would be about $50 or $60 a month.
“This is important to those homeowners who are looking at very significant costs if they have to replace their septic systems,” Commissioner Craig LaHote said.
LaHote also expressed support for the project that would bring water and sewer to I-75 and Route 582.
“That is ripe for development,” he said.
Herringshaw said the grant funding for those projects should be looked at as an investment in the future.
“It’s a positive thing for Wood County,” she said.
