Aqua Ohio Receives National Award for Water System Partnership

BOARDMAN, Ohio – Aqua Ohio was recently recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as an Aquarius Recognition Program award recipient. 

The annual national award recognizes projects funded by Drinking Water State Revolving Funds for exceptional focus on five main areas, including community partnerships. 

The project was selected from among 21 Ohio applicants. 

The initiative includes $4.2 million through a partnership between Aqua Ohio and the city of New Franklin, along with a partially forgivable loan from the Ohio EPA’s Water State Revolving Loan fund.

The selected project includes the construction of a new 4-mile water main that will provide clean, safe, reliable water to the city of New Franklin. This will regionalize 14 small public water systems by linking them to Aqua Ohio’s water treatment plant in Massillon. 

In addition to the water main, the project will add 52 fire hydrants and 113 valves in the area.

Additionally, 249 homes will have the option to abandon their private wells in favor of the service.

“Everyone deserves clean, safe, reliable water, but costs and regulatory expectations make that goal more difficult for small systems to maintain,” said Keith Nutter, Aqua Ohio’s area manager. “When Aqua shows up, things get better, and I’m personally proud of the work we’ve done to connect these 14 small systems who can count on us to provide operational excellence for decades to come.”

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.