DeWine announces new H2O program to help remove, replace lead pipes for two Valley communities
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Ohio Governor, Mike DeWine announced on Monday that his H2Ohio initiative is investing $4 million to locate, remove and replace toxic lead pipes in various communities throughout Ohio.
Two communities in the Mahoning Valley are part of this project: Hubbard and Sebring.
Hubbard will receive $180,000 in grant money for this project. Hubbard Mayor, Ben Kyle tells 21 News that he is grateful for Governor DeWine's commitment to make water safer for Hubbard residents.
"We're able to start with these 30 lines that we're able to replace here in the city in some of our older neighborhoods, and should be able to take this section by section and try to eliminate the toxic lead that could be in the pipes," Kyle said.
Kyle hopes this program will continue so Hubbard can apply for more funds to replace other water lines. The lines are the responsibility of the homeowner, but many folks can not afford the estimated $3,000 cost.
Sebring will receive $500,000 in grant money in order to remove and replace its lead pipes. Sebring City Manager, Jack Haney tells 21 News he had applied for this grant in 2021 and has the entire city mapped out.
"It took some work on our part, Mr Saner, and council have been behind this, the mayor, everybody's been behind this," said Haney.
Sebring and the other municipalities awarded the grants did invest in mapping out lead lines.
The OEPA explained municipalities awarded funds from this program are more ready to begin projects due to their investment in the mapping process to idenitfy water lines, and by their work with the agency.
Of the $4 million to be awarded through the H2Ohio Lead Service Line Replacement Grant Program, approximately $2 million will go to six communities including Sebring whose lead pipes are mapped and ready for replacement.
The removal and replacement projects in these communities will eliminate a total of nearly 500 lead service lines.
The remaining $2 million will be awarded to help identify, inventory and map lead service lines in public water systems that do not have the financial means to properly assess where their lead service lines are located.
This funding includes $1.4 million for mini grants of up to $50,000 for individual public water systems and $600,000 for the Rural Community Assistance Program (RCAP) and the Ohio Rural Water Association (ORWA) to provide direct identification and mapping assistance to small public water systems.
Ohio EPA will begin accepting applications for the $50,000 mini grants on March 28. Ohio EPA will host a webinar to answer questions from communities on this program on March 17 at 2:00 p.m.
Registration for the webinar is available here.
