Aqua Ohio Allocates $8M For Investment Locally

BOARDMAN – Aqua Ohio is expanding its Mahoning Valley operations to benefit existing customers and bring new options to struggling government-owned utilities, the company says.

Aqua is a regulated water company based in Boardman with a local operations center in Struthers.

The company spent much of 2019 rebuilding its water treatment plant in Poland Township, says Jennifer Johnson, area manager. The $12 million project is replacing equipment that has reached its expected useful life, modernizing treatment techniques for operational efficiency, and upgrading the plant to meet future supply and regulatory demands. The company expects to place the renovated treatment process into service this spring. 

The plant serves 20,000 customers in Struthers, Poland, Lowellville, New Middletown and Beaver, Boardman, Canfield, Coitsville, Poland and Springfield townships. Aqua’s local division also serves 1,400 customers in Masury and 300 customers in Lake Tomahawk.

On Jan. 23, Aqua welcomed 3,200 new customers in the city of Campbell. The company purchased the city’s utility for $7.5 million and will invest another $4.3 million to improve the system, Johnson says. Aqua Ohio is working on bringing aboard the former city water department employees who were offered employment with Aqua as part of the agreement. 

At the onset, Aqua will maintain operation of the existing water treatment plant in Campbell, but expects to connect city residents to the Poland water plant in a few years. 

The company spends between $30 million and $40 million annually to improve its systems. It projects to spend $53 million across the state in 2020; approximately $8 million will be invested locally, Johnson says.

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