The Ohio EPA is mandating the city of Fremont install separate wastewater and stormwater systems, which according to Mayor Terry Overmyer will drive the city $70 million to $90 million in debt.  

Fremont is one of several cities in the Buckeye State with combined stormwater and sewer water systems. The federal and state EPAs also are requiring Fremont to get rid of its 13 stormwater overflow valves in a project that will cost the city an estimated $67 million over the next 20 years. (Pictured Right, Downtown Fremont, Ohio)

Headlines
Here’s another Ohio story. Last week, storms flooded some Columbus-area residents houses with water and ingredients for salad dressing. Storm water combined with sewage from the T. Marzetti Co., a producer of salad dressings, to overwhelm the Columbus storm-sewer system flooding at least 10 nearby homes.

In York, Maine, a water main break in the basement of Village Elementary School flooded it with more than 2,000 gallons of water. The situation necessitated bringing in the state Department of Environmental Protection, because the water mixed with some oil from the burners in the basement.

Construction has begun in Nashua, New Hampshire to repair a rotted pipe and sinkhole, which will temporarily reroute daytime traffic and take up to two weeks to complete. Heavy rains running in the pipe corroded it, and then material above the pipe washed away, eventually causing the pavement to cave.

Having placed a $500,000 appropriation for Hamilton, Montana’s wastewater treatment plant upgrade into the House Interior Appropriations bill, Congressman Denny Rehberg came to the city Tuesday to visit the plant. Funding for the request would come from the Interior Department’s State and Tribal Assistance Grant program.  

Sewer Rate News
Danvers, Massachusetts
Hammond, Louisiana
Ipswich, Massachusetts
Rich Creek, Virginia
Yanceyville, North Carolina

Photo by Flickr user Seth Gaines used under a Creative Commons license