Project made possible by cooperation of partners and two counties
By Terry Troy
A new sewer line promises to open up business opportunities in Scioto and Lawrence Counties in Southeast Ohio. The $4.16 million dollar construction project, which was made possible through the cooperation of two counties and a team of economic development organizations, is being applauded by Governor Mike DeWine.
“This new sewer line will connect a corridor in Scioto and Lawrence Counties with premier access to transportation and additional utilities,” said DeWine. “When complete, this will be an ideal destination for businesses seeking the advantage Southern Ohio provides to support their long-term success.”
JobsOhio, Ohio’s lead economic development organization, provided a $3.36 million grant to fund most of the cost of the sewer line infrastructure from Franklin Furnace in Scioto County to the Southern Ohio Industrial District site (the former Dow Chemical plant) near Hanging Rock in Lawrence County. Contractors from Tribute Contracting and Consultants are on site now to install nearly 5.5 miles of 8-inch forced main sewer line along Gallia Pike and Route 1A.
“This corridor provides Scioto and Lawrence counties a remarkable opportunity to grow high-paying jobs in Southern Ohio,” said J.P. Nauseef, JobsOhio president and CEO. “We are grateful for the incredible collaboration with our many partners in the region, which has been essential to creating an asset that will be tremendously attractive to companies looking to build their success in the North American market.”
Leaders from both counties, Ohio Southeast Economic Development (OhioSE), the Scioto County Economic Development Office, the Lawrence Economic Development Corporation (LEDC), Ohio Valley Regional Development Commission, and Joint Economic Development Initiative of Southern Ohio (JEDISO) are all partners in the project.
“This investment by JobsOhio and OhioSE is a game-changer for our river corridor,” said Scottie Powell, Scioto County Commissioner. “By adding sewer to this corridor we are able to fill a critical gap in our river sites’ ability to attract new industry. New jobs and investment will add new dollars to our local economy and tax base, which will strengthen quality of life in Scioto County.”
The land corridor, located along the Ohio River, includes three large prime sites with direct access to the river, rail, highway transportation, and utilities suitable for heavy industry. The three sites include the Norfolk Southern Haverhill site, the Altivia site and the Southern Ohio Industrial District Former Dow Site. The sewer project will provide industrial sewer capacity to over 860 acres of developable land among the three sites. The availability of in-place utilities is an important factor that manufacturers consider in the site selection process as is transportation access to receive raw materials and move finished products to market.
“These sites are unique in that they are large properties along the Ohio River with rail, four lane highway access, massive utility capacities, and are out of the flood plain,” said Mike Jacoby, OhioSE president, Mike Jacoby. “Particularly the Norfolk Southern site boasts very rare attributes that would make it ideal for large users needing lots of energy and the ability to move high volumes of freight.”
With the completion of the improved industrial sewer both counties will have increased acreage that is ready for development. The sites in Scioto and Lawrence counties are well-suited for industrial projects including aluminum, steel, chemical or other heavy industry.
Once completed, the sewer line will be turned-over to the Scioto County Sanitary Sewer Department for ownership and maintenance. Scioto County Sanitary Sewer Department is jointly managing the construction of the new sewer line with the Lawrence Economic Development Corporation.
The sewer service project is expected to be completed by the end of 2021.
