(COLUMBUS, Ohio)—Ohio Governor Mike DeWine today awarded 28 water infrastructure projects with nearly $44 million in financial support as part of the second round of funding offered through the new Ohio BUILDS water infrastructure grant program. Included in the grants was $5 million for the City of Chillicothe’s Wastewater Treatment Plant update.

Chillicothe (Ross County, House District 92- Rep. Mark Johnson, Senate District 17- Senator Bob Peterson) will receive a $5 million grant to make needed repairs, update wastewater treatment capabilities to prepare for economic growth and address upcoming Ohio EPA regulatory requirements to reduce phosphorus discharges. The majority of the equipment at the Chillicothe Wastewater Treatment Plant is 35 years old and has reached the end of its useful life.

Major renovations will include replacing most of the mechanical and electrical equipment, changing the biosolids digestion process to aerobic digestion process, and adding phosphorus removal. This project will benefit 22,000 people.