The Ohio EPA has awarded H2Ohio grants to more than 100 communities throughout the Buckeye State.

A total of $1 million in grants will help pay for equipment needed to maintain public water systems.

Public water systems were eligible for up to $10,000 through the H2Ohio initiative.

Five Mahoning Valley communities are receiving grants including Cortland, Colonial Villas near Salem, East Palestine, Leetonia and Warren.

Cortland will receive $7,132 to buy a Hydrant Buddy Valve Exerciser, Gate Valve Key for Hydrant Buddy and a Magnetic Locator.

Colonial Villas will use $10,000 on a Sewerin AC200 leak correlator and detector and a Locating-Marking C200 Hydrophone Kit.

Another $10,000 will go to East Palestine for a Hydrant Buddy Hydrant and gate valve exerciser and a Subsurface LD-18 Water Leak Detector.

Leetonia will spend its $9,839 grant on a Subsurface LD-18 water leak detector, a Metrotech VM-810 Pipe Locator and a Magna-Trak MT202 Locator.

Warren's $10,000 grant will be used for a Clamp-on Flow Meter with internal data logging and a Leak Noise Correlator with 2 sensors.

“These grants will help communities in nearly all of Ohio’s 88 counties ensure that their residents have safe water to drink,” said Governor Mike DeWine. “Clean water is important for quality of life, and one of H2Ohio’s main goals is to help communities maintain their water infrastructure so this basic necessity is readily available.”