Township Trustee Steve Ross recently stated that approximately 12 homeowners, who reside on Dayton-Yellow Springs Road between West Enon Road and State Route 235, are facing a dwindling water supply. Some residents are dealing with waters levels that are dropping below a pump intake, and a number of residents have drilled deeper wells to obtain a better water supply.

“We (township trustees) have been talking about bringing water from the water tower on West Enon Road and running a water main extension west along Dayton-Yellow Springs Road to the last house on the road,” Ross said during the May 16 Bath Township meeting. “Waterlines actually run about a quarter of a mile down that road already, and this would be a simple solution.”

However, Ross pointed out that the project would be very costly. He said construction costs would total approximately $217,000. Contingency expenditures and engineering fees would each cost $21,700. Inspection fees would add up to $6,500, and Ohio EPA fees would be approximately $900. Legal fees would total $4,300 and interest fees to float a bond would cost around $14,100.

“This brings the cost of the project to a grand total of $286,200, divided by the number of residents who want to participate,” said Ross. “The maximum number of residents there is 12, which means $23,850 added onto each of the 12 homeowner’s property taxes over 20 years.”

Ross noted that residents would also be charged a $3,500 tap-in fee and a plumber’s fee to install a water line from the water main to each resident’s house.

“I have been told that the plumber’s fee might be as much as $10,000,” Ross added. “So, depending on the distance to run a line, it could be as much as $37,350, which is a much better buy that what it was a year ago.”

The township trustee said the total projected cost of the project was closer to $400,000 in 2017, in comparison to $286,200 this year. Ross said these figures came from the Greene County Engineering Office.

“The township cannot participate in or fund this project, so we have to find a vehicle to finance it,” Ross said.

Ross reported during the May 30 township meeting that he, along with several township residents who reside on Dayton-Yellow Springs Road, attended a three-hour-long funding workshop May 17, hosted by the Greene County Department of Development. Representatives from multiple state and federal agencies discussed potential funding options and programs for local community improvement projects.

“I been told that this project fits right into what they (state and federal agencies) are doing because it is unaffordable for these residents,” said Ross. “The funding workshop was a good thing, and we are going to pursue a partnership with the Ohio Public Works Commission. It is still going to cost the township residents as individuals, but if we can get some participation from the Ohio Public Works Commission, we can cut that cost in half.”

According to Ross, the West Enon Road water storage tower, which holds approximately 400,000 gallons of water, was erected more than 10 years ago to help provide potable water to the Greene County Career Center and residents in eastern Bath Township, including those residents living in the Country Club Village subdivision. Since its establishment, Ross said the water storage tower is underutilized, and county officials dump stale, stored water periodically.

Ross told fellow trustees that township resident, Jerry Neely, who resides at on the 700 block of West Dayton Yellow Springs Road, runs out of well water during an extra dry summer season or drought. Mike Bocko, who lives at on the 800 block of East Dayton-Yellow Springs Road, said test results of his well water revealed a significant level of bacteria. Ross also said that Mike Uecker, who lives on the 900 block of Dayton-Yellow Spring Road, has drilled several wells and is running out of water again. He also explained that the wells along Dayton-Yellow Springs Road varied in depth and amount of water supply.

“One resident will have plenty of water, and his or her neighbors, who live just a few hundred feet away, will have serious issues with their water supply,” Ross said.

Township Trustees John Martin and Tom Pitstick agreed that applying for financial support from the Ohio Public Works Commission (OPWC) is a step in the right direction and could possibly prove beneficial for township residents.

Martin explained that the OPWC provides financing for local public infrastructure improvements through both the State Capital Improvement Program (SCIP) and the Local Transportation Improvement Program (LTIP). SCIP is a grant/loan program for roads, bridges, water supply, wastewater treatment, storm water collection, and solid waste disposal. Applications are usually due each year on the first Friday in October. Funding for approved projects becomes available the following July, which is the start of the state’s fiscal year.

“The state legislature makes money available for OPWC projects. There is not a lot of money available, but every county gets a portion of this pie,” Martin said. “There may be three or four projects in the county competing for the funding. The greater amount of local money, the greater the chance to be awarded OPWC funding.”

“It is a scoring system with a list of grading criteria, but I am optimistic,” said Ross.