Project Summary
Morrow County has requested financial assistance from the Ohio Water Pollution Control Loan Fund
(WPCLF) for the SoMoCo WWTP Improvement project. Work for this project will primarily include
the construction of a new wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), wastewater lift station, and force
main sewer to correct environmental and public health issues related to runoffs of treated
wastewater to surface water, and to replace a WWTP that is aged and in poor condition. Morrow
County is eligible for approximately $3,070,000 in grants from various entities to help pay for this
project. The remaining estimated WPCLF loan amount is $839,000. Debt for the project will be
repaid from monthly sewer fees. The project is scheduled to begin in spring 2023 and be completed
in 21 months.
History & Existing Conditions
The Southern Morrow County (SoMoCo) Wastewater Treatment Facility, constructed in 1998,
primarily receives wastewater generated from commercial facilities in the area of the State Route 61
and Interstate 71 interchange. The existing system is an aerated lagoon facility rated with an average
daily flow of 0.35 million gallons per day (MGD). Influent wastewater is passed through a
comminutor to break up any solids in the raw wastewater. Wastewater is then transferred to two
aerated lagoon cells for biological treatment and then into a storage lagoon that allows for 120 days
of hydraulic retention time. Effluent from the storage lagoon passes through an ultraviolet
disinfection unit before being spray irrigated on an adjacent farm field.
For several years, the operation of the spray irrigation has had several concerns. Irrigation is only
permitted under favorable weather conditions, which limits spray irrigation to a limited amount of
the year. Even under favorable conditions, the soils present do not allow for a high infiltration rate,
which can lead to ponding and runoff of treated sewage from the site; limiting the frequency that
irrigation can occur. Furthermore, the existing mechanical components of the irrigation system have
historically suffered from a poor operations and maintenance (O&M) program, and are beyond their
useful life expectancy, causing maintenance issues.
Currently the WWTP receives an average daily flow of 70,000 gallons. However, the receiving flows
fluctuate season to season and, often, day to day. Tourism at nearby businesses can generate large
amounts of flow during the spring and summer months. This service area is also the subject of several
proposed developments. The WWTP, which was formerly privately owned, was purchased by Morrow County to allow for improvements and expansion to the plant in order to improve water
quality by reducing the runoff of treated wastewater, and to allow for development in this
commercial corridor of the county.
Population and Flow Projections
This area has been identified as a critical part of Morrow County's strategic development plan due to
its proximity to Columbus and its location along Interstate 71. Residential and, in particular,
commercial growth is expected to occur in the 20-year planning period and has thus far been limited
due to the condition of the existing WWTP. The WWTP is currently underperforming due to age and
maintenance issues and is also impacting surface water due to runoff of spray irrigated, treated
wastewater. The new WWTP has been designed to expand the capacity of the treatment system to
manage existing and project flows in the service area, with a maximum design flow of 0.43 million
gallons per day (MGD) and an average flow of 0.145 MGD.
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