Rep. McNally Announces $30,000 in H2Ohio Public Water System Equipment Grants

COLUMBUS – State Rep. Lauren McNally (D-Youngstown) today announced $30,000 in Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) H2Ohio Public Water System Equipment grants for the cities of Youngstown, Salem, and Sebring. 

“Providing clean and safe water is an essential government function, and one that we should be funding at the state-level. People deserve to trust that their city’s water is healthy,” said Rep. McNally. “In the grand scheme of things these grants are small, but anything we can do to lighten the burden on local governments we should be doing.”

The H2Ohio Public Water System Equipment grants are mini grants for drinking water system equipment needs in communities across the state, intended to strengthen the ability of public water systems to reduce leaks, purchase critical equipment, evaluate rates, and successfully operate into the future. Ohio community public water systems are eligible to apply for a maximum mini grant of $10,000 and more than 250 Ohio communities, representing 78 counties in the state, received a total of $2.2 million in assistance with equipment purchases. 

Recipients of funds in Ohio’s 59th district include:

• $10,000 for Salem
• $10,000 for Sebring
• $10,000 for Youngstown

While other requests for reimbursement of equipment may be made on a case-by-case basis, typical distribution equipment eligible for the grant includes:

• Valve exercising equipment
• Amplified Listening Devices to detect leaks in the distribution system
• Pressure loggers
• Clamp-on flow meters to check accuracy of meters
• Metal pipe locators
• Training on the use of the above equipment