Balderson helps provide funding for wastewater project in Berlin
The Berlin wastewater treatment plant project recently received a boost, thanks in large part to Congressman Troy Balderson.
Balderson (OH-12) announced he has secured $1 million for an expansion to the wastewater treatment plant near Berlin. Balderson worked closely with Holmes County engineer Chris Young to identify this project as a top priority for county residents and secured funds in Washington to assist with the expansion.
“Berlin, like much of Holmes County, continues to see residential and commercial growth, and an expansion to their water treatment capabilities is essential,” Balderson said. “I’d like to give special thanks to Chris for his help over the past year during the application process. These funds will help the county bring this project to life and ensure the Berlin wastewater treatment plant will effectively serve residents well into the future.”
Young acknowledged the funds and said the support coming from Balderson remains vital in the ongoing process to land funds for the wastewater project.
“We are thankful to Troy for the community project funding for the Berlin wastewater treatment plant upgrade project,” Young said. “The project is located in Holmes County, Berlin Township, and currently serves over 300 residential customers and over 200 commercial customers. The number of tourists served in this area is estimated at over 1 million per year, according to the Chamber of Commerce. So the impact of this critical infrastructure project is not just Holmes County, but regionally and nationally.”
Young said the county engineer’s office has been working diligently with the Holmes County commissioners to secure funding for this project.
With a price tag of more than $5 million, this grant secured with the aid of Balderson will cover approximately 20% of that cost, a nice number according to Young.
“That will go a long way toward the many in-kind contributions that we have secured,” Young said.
Young said with the addition of some copper treatment work, the project is inching up toward the $6 million mark, so these types of funding become critical for the project’s success.
Young said working with Balderson and his staff to secure the $1 million grant was encouraging because the two parties understand the importance of the project.
“Both Troy and his staff were so easy to work with,” Young said. “Troy is a hard-working guy who understands these types of needs, and his staff reflects his hard-working attitude.”
Young said currently the county has $1.25 million in grants; however, a very large grant through the Ohio Department of Development is pending, and that grant would secure an additional $5 million, which would basically cover the entirety of the project.
With the growth in the Berlin community, the current aging wastewater treatment system has become obsolete, which is why the new system is being created.
Each year members of Congress may submit community project funding requests during the annual appropriations process. Balderson works with local officials and county engineers to identify projects in need of financial assistance across the 12th Congressional District. The funds for the Berlin wastewater treatment plant were made available with the passage and enactment of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024.