The project is currently in the infrastructure design process, according to Clark County officials. The $750,000 in H2Ohio grant funding that was previously given to the village has been transferred to the county for this purpose.
Clark County already handles the billing and maintenance of the village’s sewer system, and a study conducted by engineering consultant Craig Mescher found the county government was best equipped to handle a new system.
“As we did our study, what Donnelsville said right away was they don’t have the capacity to operate, maintain, bill (a new system), they don’t want anything to do with that,” Mescher said previously.
The Environmental Protection Agency recommends most communities be on regional water systems. Mescher said this makes sense for a community as small as Donnelsville, with a population of 256 people as of the 2021 U.S. Census. Donnelsville is about 7 miles west of downtown Springfield on U.S. 40.
Tetrachloroethylene, commonly used in dry cleaning and to degrease metal, was first found in the water supply in 1990, according to the EPA. The agency closed nearby schools once it was detected, and in 2010, the Ohio EPA asked the U.S. EPA to assess the groundwater and presence of nearby wells that draw from the same aquifer, after trichloroethylene, cis-1 and 2-dichloroethene were also detected.
“The highest levels of PCE detected were from houses north of U.S. Route 40 ... along the western edge of the village,” an EPA document outlining the investigation states.
In 2011, the EPA installed drinking water treatment systems at homes in which the contaminant was found, as well as at the community park in that area.
The aquifer is located nearby off North Hampton Road and U.S. 40.
According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, long-term exposure to tetrachloroethylene can lead to an increased risk of developing certain cancers. People exposed to low levels of the substance for long periods of time can experience changes in mood, reaction, memory, attention or vision.
According to the EPA, there is insufficient data to conclude whether human exposures and groundwater migration are under control.
The contamination source is still unknown, however, one EPA document identifies a manufacturer of truck, airplane, car seats and high-chair parts that was on North Hampton Road as a “possible source.” The EPA is still working to confirm the source.
The site was added to the EPA Superfund list in 2018, which made it eligible to receive federal funds to drive long-term cleanup efforts.
Clark County Utilities Director Chuck Bauer said the county looks forward to extending the water line.
“We’re thankful for the governor’s and Ohio EPA’s support in bringing a public water system to residents in need,” Bauer said.
Clark County allocated $800,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds to extend Park Layne’s waterline along Ohio 235 to the intersection of U.S. 40 to allow more access to nearby residents. This extension will take it further to Donnelsville.
The project will also receive $5 million from H2Ohio, according to the EPA.
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