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Application submitted for Canfield water tower
By kalea hall
canfield
Mahoning County has submitted a grant application to the Ohio Public Works Commission for a 500,000-gallon water tower needed to support development, now and in the future, on U.S. Route 224 in Canfield between Tippecanoe and Raccoon roads.
The water tower would improve water pressure and flow and would benefit fire safety for areas such as the Westford and Ironwood developments.
“We believe we stand a good chance at getting the funding from them because it is a priority project,” said Bill Coleman, office manager for the sanitary engineer.
Aqua Ohio Inc., Canfield Township, the Mahoning County Commissioners’ Office and the sanitary engineer, with assistance from the Western Reserve Port Authority, are working to complete the water tower project, which was estimated to cost $2.8 million.
The need for the tower has been an issue for a decade, and plans are starting to come together to find a location for the tower and to have the funding to build it.
The result of the application for the OPWC grant should be known in the next six to eight weeks. To fund the local share of the project, other grant applications and programs are being considered, Coleman said.
Mike Naffah, owner of the Ironwood Development, which includes a Hampton Inn and Suites, an assisted-living home and four restaurants, said the water tower is definitely a necessity for future development and the current businesses there.
“It is very necessary,” Naffah said. “It is something that was supposed to be done over 15 years ago.”
The water tower was supposed to be built back when Naffah opened his Hampton Inn and Suites 11 years ago, he said.
“It was something they [the county] felt was really needed because of the water pressure,” Naffah said.
Naffah said the current water pressure could be better, especially if there is a fire in the area and more water pressure is needed than what is available now.
“We just definitely need more water pressure,” Naffah said.