ARPA funding more than $8.8 million in water, sewer projects locally
Signed into law just over a year ago, the American Rescue Plan Act will bring more than $8.8 million to Guernsey County for various water and sewer improvements projects in Cambridge, Byesville and the rest of the county.
ARPA payments consisting of 50% of the total award are scheduled to be delivered in 2022 and 2023, one year after receipt of the first distribution.
Locally, Guernsey County was awarded a total of $7,551,012 divided between the two payments while Cambridge received $1,006,000 and Byesville was awarded $260,000, also divided between the two payments a year apart.
In Byesville, village officials will utilize the $260,000 to help fund the South Second Street waterline project estimated to cost $400,000.
“Any time you can get that type of grant funding for any project where the grant covers more than 50% of the cost, it’s a win for the village and our taxpayers,” said Village Administrator Brennan Dudley.
The project is expected to begin by the end of April.
Cambridge and Guernsey County officials are pursuing multiple waterline and sewer-related projects, although none of them have been started by either entity and remain in the design stages.
“We are going to be able to help with a lot of things,” said Cambridge Mayor Tom Orr of the money awarded to the city.
Guernsey County commissioners identified sewer-lining projects at Colonial Heights and Morgan Manor subdivisions on the western side of the county as the first projects to be completed with ARPA funding.
Lining the sewers at both subdivisions is expected to save the county money in terms of the fees charged by the Village of New Concord for treating the waste water coming from those two locations.
“In the case of the lining project, there is twice as much liquid being treated than what is being consumed in the subdivisions,” said Commissioner Dave Wilson. “That’s a serious problem and as we have a contract with New Concord to treat the liquid waste, we need to reduce that cost.
“The lining project would go a long way to achieving that goal,” added Wilson.
The county has also identified improvements to a treatment facility at the former State Hospital grounds on Old 21 Road north of Cambridge and replacing a waterline that spans Interstate 77 on Eckelberry Road as other projects to be funded with ARPA revenue.
Those projects remain in the planning stages.
The $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan has distributed billions of dollars to help Ohio contain COVID-19 and build a strong, sustainable economic recovery, including:
- More than $5 billion for Ohio’s state and local governments, helping to preserve services, scale up testing, distribute vaccines, and keep essential workers on the job – including health care workers, police officers, firefighters, teachers, and food, sanitation and transportation workers.
- More than $4 billion for Ohio’s schools, helping students safely return to in-person learning.
- Relief checks of $1,400 to more than 6 million Ohioans.
- More than $613 million in emergency rental assistance for Ohioans, keeping a roof over working families’ heads.
- More than $1 billion in child care funds for Ohioans helping early childhood educators and family child care providers keep their doors open.
- $1.2 billion supporting Ohio colleges and universities, including $126 million for colleges and universities in Ohio’s 13th Congressional District.
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