Southwest Licking utility district to extend water lines to Union Township
UNION TOWNSHIP — Southwest Licking Community Water and Sewer District announced it would extend its water lines to Union Township, about 3.5 miles from just east of Kirkersville to just west of Hebron along U.S. 40.
The water extension will also include the Ohio 37 corridor from Refugee Road to just south of the Interstate 70 interchange.
The potential Southwest Licking customers include National Trail Raceway, homes in unincorporated Luray around Ohio 37 and U.S. 40, and MPW Industrial Services, an industrial cleaning and water purification company located just south of U.S. 40.
Union Township Trustee John Slater said, “We do have some construction in the township that would like to have municipal water and we have developments already in the township that would like to have municipal water.
“MPW, they have interest in this. And National Trail Raceway. We do have some older subdivisions in Luray area that would benefit from it.”
Slater said the Intel Corporation computer chip manufacturing operation in Jersey Township also prompted the township to consider the agreement with Southwest Licking.
“We’ve always tried to retain that rural character, but we anticipate that (development) happening here," Slater said. "The development is coming. The possibility has always been there to some degree and it's getting greater. The more we prepare for it, the more we can control it.”
Christopher Gilcher, interim general manager for the water and sewer district, said the water line extension has been a planned future project for years, but there had not been funding sources available to make the project possible. That has changed recently, he said.
"We have fielded a number of calls in recent years from landowners and commercial/retail developers asking for service in that area," Gilcher said. "With the recent announcements of additional development in western Licking County, those inquiries have only increased."
Licking County Commissioner Tim Bubb said, "There are customers out there in Luray and that greater region that have been asking for sewer and water for a long time. We’ve been able to provide sewer to part of that region, but we acknowledge people need fire protection and water."
Kevin Eby, director of Licking County water and wastewater, said he has had inquiries about potential developments in the I-70 and Ohio 37 area that would use tilt-up concrete walls that can be erected quickly.
“Every township along the I-70 corridor sees a growth opportunity, from Union to Harrison to probably Licking and clearly Etna," Bubb said. "We’ve got several townships that are well -positioned along that corridor with available sites. Those are potential future customers.”
The district and the Union Township entered into a memorandum of understanding that provides funding mechanisms to capture some of the increased tax revenues generated by new development, and use those funds to pay for the new water service extension, according to a district press release.
Rob Platte, district vice president, said, "Basically, the new development will pay the costs of the new service extensions. This keeps the costs off of existing customers of the district, which is something that the current district board of trustees has been adamant about.
“The district has been working to form partnerships with the entities that it serves, and this project is a great example of what can be done through collaboration.”
Slater said tax increment financing or a Joint Economic Development District are also being considered.
Andrew King, attorney for the Southwest Licking, said the district is also reaching out to secure federal funds. Construction should begin next year and be completed by the end of 2023, he said.
"We have plenty of pressure and plenty of capacity to serve the area," King said. "It's basically downhill."
If the extensions travel uphill, booster stations or water towers are needed, but King said, "We don't anticipate we'll need that there."
kmallett@newarkadvocate.com
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Twitter: @kmallett1958
This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Southwest Licking utility district to provide water to Union Township
