WARREN TOWNSHIP — The Ohio Department of Development has approved a total of $5.15 million in grants to upgrade water infrastructure across the state, including in Warren Township.

Warren Township is the location for a planned wastewater treatment plant in the Meadowbrook area.

Trumbull County will receive $750,000 to assist with the construction of the wastewater collection system in Leavittsburg. The project is aimed at protecting Ohio waterways and improving the sanitary conditions for residents.

It will benefit 932 people, according to the Ohio Department of Development, which awarded the grant.

The funding comes from the Residential Public Infrastructure Grant and Economic Development programs, both of which are supported through the federal Community Development Block Grant.

Lydia Mihalik, director of the Department of Development, said the funding for the various projects will improve the quality of life for nearly 3,400 Ohioans, create dozens of new jobs and open doors for future development opportunities.

“Whether that’s ensuring families have access to clean water or businesses have every opportunity to thrive, we’re giving our local partners the resources to cement Ohio as the place where anyone can live their very best life.” Mihalik said in a news release.

The Residential Public Infrastructure Grant program supports projects aimed at providing safe and reliable drinking water and proper disposal of sanitary waste. Eligible project activities include water distribution systems, wastewater collection systems, treatment plants and household connections in communities that demonstrate the improvements mainly benefit low- and moderate-income households.

Last year, Trumbull County and Warren Township officials hosted a meeting and explained efforts to seek the $750,000 in state funding for the planned nearly $15 million sanitary sewer project for the Meadowbrook area of the township.

Trumbull County Sanitary Engineer Gary Newbrough said construction on the wastewater plant is set to start this year. The project will include installation of sanitary sewers to serve 111 homes and two businesses, installation of 42 manholes and building of a new wastewater treatment plant. Officials noted the project will replace failing septic systems.

He said the $750,000 will be used for the Pendelton and Gilmer area, which is the second phase of the project. He said this phase of the project will benefit 275 customers.

Newbrough said he is also waiting to hear if the county received a $3.66 million grant through the Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grant (OSG) Program.

“I am confident we will have all funding in place soon,” he said late last year..

Newbrough said there will be a public hearing in May on the project.

The county has secured $900,000 in American Rescue Plan funds, $1.5 million in Ohio Public Works Commission grant funding, $250,000 in Appalachian grant funding, and $11.6 million from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency’s water pollution control loan fund of which $4 million will be principal forgiveness.

Of the $750,000 awarded, $520,000 will be used for the main sewer line, $200,000 for household connections and $30,000 will be administrative costs.

Newbrough said the project is being required by a consent decree from the Ohio EPA. The project is one of 15 the county agreed to do since it was placed under a consent decree with the Ohio EPA in 2007. The county has completed 13 of the projects in the decree.

Newbrough said the Leavittsburg project is one of the largest projects under that consent decree.

Warren Township Trustee Ed Anthony said the project is in the Meadowbrook area, south of Parkman Road. He said the project has been long awaited by the residents, who have asked at past meetings about the project if the removal of the Leavittsburg Dam and the lowering of the Mahoning River water level would affect the project and Newbrough has said it will not.