North Trunk Collection System Improvements

The Village of Cadiz, Ohio is located in Harrison County, Ohio. The village is in the midst of the shale oil activity in Ohio. Two shale oil plants have been constructed in the village, along with two new motels. In June of 2012, Ohio EPA mandated the village make improvements to their wastewater system. A tight timeline was included in the mandate from Ohio EPA.

The village’s wastewater system was constructed in 1939. No significant improvements or extensions were made to the system before issuance of the Finding and Orders by Ohio EPA. The system consisted of 197,684 linear feet of gravity lines ranging from 4-inches to 15-inches, 22,069 linear feet of 1.5-inch to 6-inch force mains, 794 manholes, 14 cleanouts, and 9 pump stations. The collection system was constructed primarily of clay pipe. The system surcharged during wet weather events. Resulting untreated wastewater flowing into nearby creeks and onto private properties.

Ohio EPA required the village to submit monthly reports and to participate in a monthly conference call with staff from Ohio EPA’s Columbus and Southeast District offices. E.L. Robinson Engineering staff drafted monthly reports for the village and participated in the conference calls. The reports and calls focused progress made on wastewater system improvement. The village was placed under a “connection ban.” No new wastewater customers were permitted to connect to the village wastewater system without approval from Ohio EPA. E.L. Robinson Engineering developed a report that tracked elimination or reduction of inflow and infiltration to the wastewater system. As I&I was eliminated by the village, Ohio EPA granted credits for new connections. It was critical for the village to maintain report and document elimination of I&I. The credits generated permitted new shale oil industries and supporting businesses locating in the village to connect to the wastewater system.

The North Trunk Collection System project is the third project completed by the village in an effort to improve their wastewater utility. This project involves replacement or rehabilitation of the many of the most problematic collection lines, manholes and other appurtenances. Work includes nearly 3,700 feet of pipe lining, 1,200 linear feet of 8-inch gravity line and 1,400 linear feet of 4-inch service laterals.

This project has a budget of $870,000. Funding for this work was provided by Ohio EPA’s Water Pollution Control Loan Fund (WPCLF). E.L. Robinson Engineering staff is currently completing planning and design of the next phase of collection system improvements. This phase is significantly larger in scope than the current project. Anticipated cost for the next phase is expected to be $8-milllion. A funding package is being developed at this time for those improvements. It is anticipated that funding will be provided by USDA-Rural Development, USACE, Appalachian Regional Commission and possibly Ohio EPA’s WPCLF program.

E.L. Robinson Engineering staff has worked with the village to complete a rate analysis to appropriately set wastewater user charges at levels that provide adequate revenues to cover operation, maintenance, capital improvements, debt service and reserve accounts.