Elida receives state funding for wastewater improvement

ELIDA — The Village of Elida will work to upgrade its existing wastewater treatment facility, turning down a proposal it had previously considered for consolidation with the Allen County sewer system. To help finance the engineering of necessary improvements to the system, the village has received a loan from the state government.

In May, the village council was weighing its options for the future of its wastewater treatment operations. It was considering proposals to upgrade the existing treatment system or construct a new facility, as part of a project to reduce overflows during heavy rains and ensure compliance with federal Environmental Protection Agency standards.

The village was also considering a proposal for consolidation with the Allen County sewer district, which would have cost upward of $6 million to $8 million. Ultimately, the Village Council voted against consolidation, choosing instead to keep the village’s wastewater operations independent and upgrade the existing infrastructure.

Dave Metzger, the Village Administrator, said that the loan received by Elida will fund the engineering of the eventual improvements that will be made to the system. The village will receive a low-interest loan through the Ohio Water Development Authority’s Fresh Water Loan Program, which provides funding for the construction of public water and wastewater infrastructure through loans to local governments. The amount of the loan totals $570,911.00, to be repaid at an interest rate of 3.48 percent over the next five years.

According to a press release from the OWDA, the planned improvements include the “replacement of the existing trickling filters with an oxidation ditch and clarifiers, to eliminate bypassing and meet nutrient discharge limits.”

Metzger added that, once the final project is funded, the loan will be rolled over into a loan from the Ohio Public Works Commission for the completion of the improvements.