Un-Sewered Area Assistance Program

The Un-Sewered Area Assistance Program is administered by the Ohio Water Development Authority (OWDA) with the purpose of funding publicly owned sewer system construction in un-sewered areas experiencing failing on-lot sanitary systems. The program supports public entities aiming to improve wastewater infrastructure in communities where individual septic systems are no longer viable. Funding is sourced from the Other Projects Un-Sewered Area Fund and is subject to the availability of these funds. Eligible applicants include a wide range of public entities such as departments and divisions of state government, watershed districts, soil and water conservation districts, municipal corporations, counties, special water districts including regional and county sewer and water districts, conservancy and sanitary districts, sewer districts, and other public agencies with the authority to manage wastewater systems. A key eligibility criterion is that the area must have a Median Household Income (MHI) below the state average, as determined by the most recent data from the American Community Survey (ACS). Additionally, if the project involves connecting to an existing sewer system, the area must be more than 10 miles from the nearest connection point. Eligible project costs covered under the program include planning, engineering, construction, land and easement acquisition, and legal and inspection fees. Grant amounts are determined based on the MHI and the number of customers to be served. For communities with fewer than 100 customers and the lowest MHI, the grant can reach up to $1,000,000. The amounts scale down depending on customer numbers and higher MHI brackets. There is no application fee for this grant, and applicants do not incur any loan administration charges for grant-based funding. The application process requires comprehensive documentation including bid results or a certified engineer’s estimate if bids have not yet been received, maps indicating the un-sewered area and nearby systems, health department letters verifying failing systems, detailed cost estimates, approved plans and permits, and legislative authorization for the project. Applications must be submitted by the deadline posted on OWDA’s website, though the specific deadline is not listed in the document provided. The program is authorized under Ohio Revised Code Section 6121 and has been affirmed through several OWDA Board Actions and Motions dating back to 2013. For additional information or assistance, OWDA can be contacted at 614-466-5822 or via their toll-free number 877-OWDA123.