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NEWTON FALLS -- Village officials will be seeking proposals from engineering firms to study the two dams and the village water treatment plant to gauge what work needs to be done and what costs will be involved.
Once the study is done, officials plan to seek available grants and other funding to make the needed improvements.
Officials said the infrastructure is aging so work is needed.
During a town hall meeting Monday, Brian Gorog, an engineer with OHM Advisors; Cody Zeleney, superintendent of the village water treatment plant; and Ken Bodnar, superintendent of water distribution, discussed what needs to be done at the dams and the water treatment plant.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources inspected the two dams indicating they are past their useful life and noted water is seeping through deteriorated parts.
Gorog said the West Branch Dam near Veteran's Park needs some work and could have repairs made at the current site, but the Low Head Dam off First Street, which is the village's water supply, has more deterioration and needs more repairs.
Gorog said the Lower Head Dam may need to be moved upstream near Lake Milton, a better location for improved water quality.
WATER PLANT
Zeleney said the water treatment plant, built in 1958, had updates made in 2003 and 2004. Now, 20 years later, the plant needs additional work due to aging sections that need addressed, including water filters and valves, and the water intake area that needs updated.
Zeleney said the plant is reaching its life expectancy because they can no longer replace parts from the 1950s.
"There are parts so old, they may not be able to be fixed," he said.
Gorog said if the village does not do something, ODNR could take over the dams.
Village Manager Pam Priddy told the more than 10 people at the meeting, including village officials, the work will likely be a $10 million or higher project.
"We are not just supplying Newton Falls. There are other communities that depend on us making sure the water plant is functioning," Priddy said. The village provides water not only to Newton Falls but also Braceville, Southington and West Farmington.
She said whatever is decided, it will be a major project and the village will have to find funding through either forgiveness loan or grants.
"The study will let us know what kind of funding we will need to go after. The study will show us what the current situation is," Gorog said.
Acting Mayor John Baryak said the dams have been in bad shape for many years and should have been addressed years ago.