Nearly $20 million will be
buried in Wood County this year in the form of water and sewer projects.The investment is the greatest
ever for the Northwestern Water and Sewer District, according to Bill Barber, district engineer.When
Barber took over as district engineer nine years ago, the district spent between $3 million and $5
million a year on projects. That amount has more than quadrupled."It’s mind boggling," Barber
said. "This year has just boomed."Barber’s stack of papers include 25 active construction
projects and 83 in the planning and design stage.The district has had great success at getting grants,
stimulus funding, and securing low interest loans for projects, he said.The projects range from new
waterlines, and repair of aging lines, to installing sewers to meet EPA orders."It really benefits
the county," he said. "We’re setting it up for growth to take care of future needs."Much
of the demand is due to growth in villages, such as Weston, Custar, Milton Center and Hoytville. Some
towns, such as Cygnet and Bloomdale, had to replace failing wells, he said. Some areas suffer from
sulfur water, quality issues and pressure problems that hampered fire protection."Villages are
driving most of the growth," Barber said.If there was no district to extend water and sewer
services, "these villages would have to fend for themselves," he said.The district is also
getting inquiries about services from the uptick in commercial growth."We’re getting requests from
all over the county," he said. "It’s offset the downside of residential."Barber, who has
worked at several other water and sewer districts in Ohio, said the infrastructure here is better than
most."Actually, Wood County is ahead of most counties," he said.Water projects already or soon
to be underway are:• Bloomdale Road waterline extension.• Custar and Milton Center waterline extension.•
River Road waterline replacement between Perrysburg and Rossford.• Rossford waterline replacements and
pump station.• East Broadway booster station.• Wales Road waterline extension.• Perrysburg Township
master meter.• U.S. 23 waterline extension near Risingsun.• Solether Road waterline extension for
Cygnet.Sanitary sewer work being ordered:• Rudolph Road in Liberty Township.• Sugar Ridge/Mercer Road
area.• Five Point Road area in Middleton Township.• Kramer/Huffman Road area south of Bowling Green.•
Bay/Bradner Road area near Risingsun.• West Millgrove.Other sanitary sewer work underway:• Tree streets
line in Rossford.• Jennings Road pump station replacement in Rossford.• Master metering of trunk
sanitary sewer for Northwood, Rossford and Perrysburg Township.Though most people welcome public water
service, many oppose forced sewer hook-ups and bulk at the expense of both water and sewer, Barber
said."You’re not out there to win a popularity contest," he said. "I’m sympathetic to
them. But unfortunately, I’m doing their work."The district has to follow EPA orders for sewers, in
spite of landowners’ objections, he said."I would be doing them an injustice," if he didn’t
follow orders. But Barber said he tries to make the projects as affordable as possible."I always
have to look at the most cost-effective way of doing it," he said.