Streetsboro’s City Council discussed waterline improvements and how to pay for them at its meeting, when council reviewed multiple projects that could cost about $9.1 million.
Council will consider the project design during its April 26 meeting. If approved, the project will go out for bid, with construction planned for Spring 2022.
Someone is going to have to pay for it all.
Even with low-interest loans from the Ohio Water Development Authority, $9.1 million is a lot to borrow and a lot to pay back. Streetsboro’s water contract with Portage County includes an annual 2% rate increase, and council will consider raising rates an additional 1% on top of that, Mayor Glennn Broska said.
The additional 1% increase, which council’s finance committee must approve, would not take effect immediately.
New water lines can’t come fast enough for some Streetsboro residents. Council member Julie Field said she knows of one resident on Hale Drive whose well has deteriorated to the point that they rely on bottled water. She suspects there are additional residents on the road, and perhaps others throughout the city, whose wells are also drying up, or whose wells no longer can provide drinkable water.
“There are people who live on these roads who do not have usable water. That is ridiculous,” she said. “We need to get moving on this. It’s time we get them city water. It’s time to do it now.”
Broska noted that the federal government’s massive infrastructure plan might help Streetsboro out with project costs, but he’s not holding his breath. He advised getting started on the project and “hope and pray” that the federal money comes through. If it does, the city could pay off the loan more quickly, he said.
Waterlines are scheduled to be replaced along:
- Frost Road from the Gardens at Liberty Park to Greenhaven (2,700 feet)
- The Greenhaven and Gaylord Park allotments to David Drive (3,680 feet), including: 2,160 feet along Diane Drive, 540 feet along Edmond Avenue, 930 feet along Greenhaven Street, 500 feet along Raymond Street (from Diane to Stewart), 810 feet along Rodney Street (from David to Stewart) and 1,420 feet along Stewart
- Arrowhead Trails allotment, including 2,140 feet on Apache Pass, 1,720 feet along Cherokee Trail (Shawnee to state Route 43), 1,340 feet along Kickapoo Pass, 960 feet along Navajo Trail, 5,520 feet along Seminole Trail and 410 feet along the northern end of Shady Lake Drive
- Hale Drive, from Stone to East End (2,610 feet); for Harper Road from Stone to East End (1,800 feet); for state Route 303 West from Market Square to Walters (790 feet); for state Route 303 East from the police station to Page Road (2,040 feet); for Stone Road from McCracken to Harper (3,040 feet); for Walters Road and Olga Drive (state Route 303 to Brook Valley Trail, 2,520 feet)
Wendy DiAlesandro is a former Record Publishing Co. reporter and contributing writer for The Portager.