Ohio EPA awards stimulus funds for home septic system
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Nearly $5 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and Ohio EPA's Water Pollution Control Loan Fund (WPCLF) will go to counties, cities and villages across Ohio to allow homeowners to repair or replace failing home septic systems. Ohio EPA and the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) are working with U.S. EPA to distribute the funds.
The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency administers the funding, and awards ARRA assistance to counties and municipalities who then assist local homeowners. ODH facilitates and assists local health districts which in turn work with local residents to determine eligibility and installation requirements.
Counties that applied for and received ARRA subsidies through a WPCLF low-interest loan agreement to finance 75 percent of each homeowner's failing home septic systems include:
• Highland County -- $56,000 to be matched with $14,000 locally to improve eight septic systems affecting 3,200 gallons per day;
• Adams County -- $61,877 ARRA funding to be matched with $20,626 locally to improve nine septic systems with 3,600 gallons of raw sewage removed daily from local watersheds;
• Athens County -- $76,500 to be matched with $25,500 locally to improve 12 septic systems affecting 5,000 gallons of discharge per day;
• Carroll County -- $168,750 to be matched with $56,250 locally to improve 15 septic systems affecting 6,000 gallons per day;
• Clark County -- $63,750 to be matched by $21,250 locally to improve 10 septic systems affecting 4,000 gallons per day;
• Columbiana County -- a $112,500 award to be matched with $21,250 locally to improve 15 septic systems affecting 6,000 gallons per day;
• Defiance County -- $56,250 to be matched with $18,750 locally to improve 5 septic systems affecting 2,000 gallons per day;
• Fayette County - $67,121 to be matched with $22,374 locally to improve 15 septic systems affecting 6,000 gallons per day;
• Geauga County -- $180,000 to be matched with $56,667 locally to improve 10 septic systems affecting 18,000 gallons per day;
• Hamilton County --  $180,000 to be matched with $56,667 locally to improve 14 septic systems affecting 16,000 gallons per day;
• Henry County -- $33,750 to be matched with $11,250 locally to improve four septic systems affecting 1,600 gallons per day;
• Lake County -- $135,000 to be matched with $45,000 locally to improve 15 septic systems affecting 6,000 gallons per day;
• Morgan County -- $72,000 to be matched by $24,000 locally to improve 12 septic systems affecting 4,800 gallons per day;
• Muskingum County -- $44,998 to be matched by $15,000 locally to improve seven septic systems affecting 2,800 gallons per day;
• Noble County -- $40,000 to be matched with $10,000 locally to improve 10 septic systems affecting 2,800 gallons per day;
• Paulding County -- $75,000 to be matched with $25,000 locally to improve 10 septic systems affecting 4,000 gallons per day;
• Richland County --  $170,000 to be matched with $56,667 locally to improve 20 septic systems affecting 8,000 gallons per day;
• Ross County -- $37,500 to be matched with $12,500 locally to improve five septic systems affecting 2,000 gallons per day;
• Stark County -- $165,000 to be matched with $55,000 locally to improve 20 septic systems affecting 8,000 gallons per day;
• Trumbull County -- $180,000 to be matched with $56,667 locally to improve 20 septic systems affecting 8,000 gallons per day;
• Vinton County -- $81,000 to be matched with $27,000 locally to improve 12 septic systems affecting 4,800 gallons per day;
• Washington County -- $180,000 to be matched with $56,667 locally to improve 30 septic systems affecting 12,000 gallons per day; and
• Wyandot County -- $37,500 ARRA funding to be matched with $12,500 locally to improve five septic systems affecting 2,000 gallons per day.
In addition, the city of Ontario received a $30,000 ARRA subsidy through a WPCLF low interest loan agreement to finance 75 percent of individual homeowners' failing home septic systems.
Qualified applicants had to submit a project nomination form to Ohio EPA, estimating the number of systems to be repaired or replaced, costs per upgrade, a map of the general locations for upgrades and the local entity that will oversee the work. Local matches are to be provided by homeowners receiving federal subsidies.
For more information about the program, please visit the ODH Website, www.odh.ohio.gov/ASSETS/0BE3E96EDAE34872BD930AB4FA4CBD40/upevents.pdf, Ohio EPA's stimulus funding Web site: http://www.epa.ohio.gov/arra.aspx, or contact your local health department.
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