Trumbull expects to add $8.5M in sewers in 2010

By Ed Runyan

The county received a $463,000 state grant to acquire and preserve 85 acres near Lowe’s.

WARREN — The Trumbull County Sanitary Engineer’s Department extended $9.6 million worth of sewers in nine separate projects in 2009 and expects to add 302 customers and construct $8.5 million in sewers by the end of 2010.

The department reported this, and other statistics, to the Trumbull County commissioners Wednesday in an annual progress report required by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.

The department has overseen construction of sewers serving 1,612 homes and businesses totaling $27.7 million since 2002, the report said.

The commissioners entered into a consent agreement with the EPA three years ago requiring the county to construct sewers in 10 “areas of concern” by the end of 2010, 2015 and 2020.

The areas were of concern to the EPA because septic systems in those areas are contributing to groundwater contamination.

The report given to commissioners and to the EPA indicates how much progress the county is making in providing sewers to those areas.

The report says the department plans to extend sewers to 1,802 customers in projects costing $37 million in the next six years.

The department has two major projects on the drawing board for that time period: the Scott Street area of Newton Township and the Meadowbrook area of Warren Township.

The report says there will be $12 million in projects serving 500 customers in the five years between Jan. 1, 2016, and the end of 2020.

Among them are projects along Belmont Avenue in Liberty and Vienna townships, Kurmont Heights area of Hubbard Township, Maplewood Park area of Hubbard Township and southwest area of Bazetta Township.

Of the $27 million in sewers already constructed, $14 million came from grants provided by the Community Development Block Grant program, Ohio Public Works Commission, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. EPA, Army Corps of Engineer and U.S. Economic Development Administration.

The Trumbull County Planning Commission applies for most of the grants received for such projects.

In other business, the commissioners are likely to approve the receipt of a $463,425 grant from the Clean Ohio Conservation Fund to purchase and preserve 85 acres, half of it in the Mosquito Creek flood plain, on the west side of Niles-Cortland Road in Howland Township and the city of Warren.

The land is behind Lowe’s and just south of the state Route 82 exit ramp onto Niles Cortland Road.

The land will be purchased from Goldco Inc. of North River Road and is important for flood control, pollution abatement and wildlife habitat, said Trish Nuskievicz, assistant county planning director. The land could be used for natural trails, she said. The land will be turned over to Howland Township.

runyan@vindy.com