COLUMBUS, Ohio -- President Barack Obama's economic stimulus package will help upgrade water and sewer systems in 72 of Ohio's 88 counties, state environmental officials said Thursday.
The state Environmental Protection Agency released a list of 294 priority projects totaling $278 million.
A full list of priority water infrastructure improvement projects and guidelines can be viewed on Ohio EPA's Web site. Find drinking-water projects at http://www.epa.state.oh.us/ddagw/dwaf_economic_stimulus.htm and water-pollution control projects at http://www.epa.state.oh.us/defa/stimulus.html
The list was based on projects that can be constructed quickly and improve public health. Those include $5 million for the village of Buckeye Lake in Licking County to help build a drinking-water system.
The village, which has a population of about 3,000, is one of the largest in Ohio that doesn't have a public drinking-water system.
About $1.8 million will go the village of Cumberland in Guernsey County to run a new waterline to nearby Byesville and abandon a failing treatment plant that can't meet safe drinking-water standards.
Environment officials also reserved $5 million for counties to help homeowners replace failing home septic systems.
Ohio's project list still needs to be approved by federal authorities.
State EPA Director Chris Korleski said the stimulus money was a big help but doesn't address all of Ohio's needs.
A 2007 report by the federal Environmental Projection Agency estimated Ohio's drinking-water utilities need $12 billion in infrastructure investments over the next 20 years for pipe, treatment plants and storage tanks.
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