The project team cuts the ribbon on the new wastewater system.
Scarcely a year and a half after the official groundbreaking, more than 1,300 rural residents of Clarktown, Minford, Muletown and Rubyville are now prepared to tap into a modern wastewater treatment system financed primarily through the U.S. Department of Agriculture. EMH&T served as the design engineer for the system.
“In Southern Ohio, clean water and sanitary sewer are the first building blocks for a higher living standard and a more robust economy,” said USDA Ohio Rural Development State Director Tony Logan. “Funded through the 2009 Stimulus Act, this project will enhance the environment, attract business to the region and increase real estate values for area residents. We at USDA are gratified to have had the opportunity to work with local residents and leaders to make this project a reality.”
Featuring a centralized wastewater treatment and collection system, the project includes roughly 71 miles of pipeline and nine regional pumping stations. During construction, about a hundred regionally-sourced jobs were added, infusing an estimated $2 million into the local economy. Logan was on hand today for a ribbon cutting ceremony at the new Minford Area Wastewater Treatment Plant, now located near the Greater Portsmouth Regional Airport. EMH&T project manager Adam Voris, PE, delivered remarks at the ribbon cutting ceremony praising the County and USDA for the spirit of cooperation that enabled a successful project.
"Any time you dig a hole 40 miles long, you'll have struggles," said Voris, "but the cooperation and camaraderie of this team made it a success."
Also attending the event on behalf of EMH&T, was the Construction Services team that oversaw the implementation of the project: Ken Kerns, Mark Hanson, Bill Jones, and Gregg Holley. The original 2010 commitment included more than $29.4 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds obligated through USDA Rural Development’s Water and Environmental Program, (WEP) including a $14.9 million low-interest loan and $14.5 million grant to the Scioto Board of Commissioners.
Additional leverage included $944,000 from the county and just over $638,000 from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. USDA’s WEP provides loans, loan guarantees and grants for drinking water, sanitary sewer, solid waste and storm drainage facilities in rural areas and cities and towns with populations of 10,000 or fewer. Public bodies, non-profit organizations and recognized Indian tribes may qualify for assistance. WEP also makes grants to nonprofit organizations to provide technical assistance and training to assist rural communities with their water, wastewater, and solid waste problems.