Cleaning Water One Community at a Time
You may not be familiar with the term inflow and infiltration, or I & I, but it is a major issue for sewer systems across our country. I & I occurs when stormwater gets into the sanitary sewer lines. This is caused by roots, cracks, pipe failures, downspouts, foundation drains, and sump pumps. The excess water can lead to sewer overflows, which can pollute our streams, rivers, and lakes.
At The District, we are tackling this issue one community at a time, by investigating areas prone to I & I, and exploring problem lines with our sewer camera.
There are 365 miles of sewer pipe in our sewer collection system. Our camera truck started in the Village of Milbury and has since examined over 50 miles of pipe in Williamsburg-On-The River, McComb, Rossford, and Weston.
After the data is collected and analyzed, The District determines what types of repairs need to be made and then develops future projects
Investing in Our Sewer System
Pump stations are a key element to wastewater collection and treatment. They assist by moving wastewater to wastewater plants for treatment. Due to residential and business growth in northern Wood County, The District will soon begin two major pump station projects to ensure our wastewater is handled properly.
The Ford Road station is the largest pump station in our system. It moves up to 3,000 gallons per minute of sewage from the communities of Perrysburg, Rossford, and Perrysburg Township to the City of Perrysburg treatment plant. According to District Assistant Engineer Garret Chamberlain, "This pump station has exceeded its useful life and needs upgrading. The planned improvements will resolve safety issues and increase the capacity for the growth we are seeing in this service area." Construction on this $4.75 million project will begin in the next few months.
The District also plans to invest $2.4 million in another replacement pump station to keep up with residential growth in Perrysburg and Middleton Townships. The Willowbend pump station will have the capacity to move 2,200 gallons per minute of wastewater from these areas to the Lucas County water reclamation facility. Both projects will begin once contracts have been awarded later this year.
Construction Corner
Center Township: Waterline replacement:
Expect lane and shoulder restrictions on County Home Road for waterline replacement. Project complete: December. Project investment: $358,000.
Lake Township: Water Tower:
Expect construction traffic and possible shoulder restrictions on Lemoyne Road between Latcha and Hanley Roads for water tower construction. Project complete: August 2022. Project investment: $4 million.
Weston: Sewer project:
Intermittent road closures are possible throughout the Village of Weston for sewer rehabilitation. Project complete: October. Project investment: $900,000.
District-Wide: Hydrant flushing:
Through October, on weekdays from 7:30 a.m. until 4 p.m., crews will be flushing hydrants in various locations in Northern Wood County. Residents are advised to flush water from their taps if water becomes discolored.
Auditor of State Award With Distinction
The District was recently recognized for its commitment to sound financial management by the Ohio Auditor of State. The District was awarded the Auditor of State Award with Distinction. According to Lori Brodie, Northwest Regional Liason to the Auditor of State, "Of the 5,900 entities that we audit, only about 3-5% receive this award."
Many factors go into this recognition and it takes every employee following policy and procedures, making proper purchases, proper handling of credit cards, proper inventory control, ethics training, and following all financial and control procedures, among other factors.
"We are committed to sound financial management," said District CFO Kay Ball. "Everyone in our organization takes their financial responsibility very seriously"