Schiavoni introduces bill to seek $1B for sewer upgrades

COLUMBUS — A Democratic state lawmaker has proposed seeking voters' approval to borrow $1 billion in bonds to provide grants for communities to upgrade their sewer and water systems.

Senate Minority Leader Joe Schiavoni (D-Boardman) introduced SJR 3 this week, partially in response to ongoing water quality issues at Mill Creek MetroParks in Mahoning County. Other Ohio cities are facing similar issues but don't have the millions or billions or dollars needed to replace aging underground pipes or outdated treatment plants.

"These are all projects that need to be addressed," Schiavoni said. "This would help move these projects forward... This is an investment that is needed now. We need to do these upgrades."

Newport, Cohasset and Glacier lakes in the Youngstown area have been closed to recreational users since earlier this summer, when county health officials identified E. coli concentrations in the water, attributed, in part, to overflows from Youngstown sewer system, which handles sewage and storm water. Heavy rains cause overflows, which spill over into places like Mill Creek.

City officials already have long-term plans for dealing with that and other water and sewer issues, with $147 million in projects outlined over a 20-year period. The third phase of that project, not scheduled to start for about 15 years, focuses on Mill Creek, with new infrastructure that would direct rain overflows to the Mahoning River.

Youngstown officials were in Columbus last month for a meeting with representatives from various state agencies, seeking funding to cover the costs of the improvements. They were told at the time that grants for such work likely would be limited.

Schiavoni has proposed issuing up to $100 million annually for 10 years to provide grants for water, wastewater and sewer improvements. The issue would have to be OK'd by voters, after which lawmakers would set criteria for how the funding would be distributed.

He cited a U.S. EPA assessment pinpointing $15.5 billion in wastewater and $12.2 billion in drinking water improvements needed statewide.

"It is not a unique situation in Youngstown," Schiavoni said. "We have aging infrastructure underneath the ground that needs to be upgraded, that needs to be renovated."

He added, "We're talking about something that I think would be supported by both the environmental community as well as the business community. This would create jobs and also attract new businesses and residents to the state of Ohio."

Schiavoni hopes to gain enough support to move the resolution to the March ballot. Separate bond legislation is being considered by Republican senators.

In last year's primary, voters approved a similar state bond issue to provide nearly $1.9 billion for roads, bridges and other infrastructure projects. The third renewal of the State Capital Improvement Program is providing up $175 million-$200 million annually over a decade, with portions being used for water and wastewater systems.