Washingtonville residents can look forward to improving water pressure in the area between the village and the city of Columbiana. Earlier this month, the Ohio Water Development Authority agreed to loan Washingtonville $53,729.75 to replace its aging water storage tank along High Street. Though still structurally sound, village Mayor Ronald Stevens said the proposed replacement water storage tank will be able to not only provide more water for Washingtonville but assist with that lackluster water pressure out for customers heading toward Columbiana. The total project price is estimated to exceed $1.5 million. (Photo by Stephanie Ujhelyi)

WASHINGTONVILLE — Village mayor Ronald Stevens predicts Washingtonville residents have a little more reason to be merry this holiday season.

On Dec. 16, village officials received word that they were one of 11 projects statewide splitting $29.5 million in low interest loans for water and wastewater projects in the state of Ohio via the Ohio Water Development Authority (OWDA).

The village of Washingtonville was approved for a $53,729.75 loan at 4.45 percent for five years for replacement of an existing water storage tank along High Street.

The new tank, which is 10 feet taller than the current one, will hold 100,000 gallons of water.

Stevens said although he isn’t sure of the exact amount of water the current tank holds, he does know that it is one day’s worth for the village with more than 700 residents.

Installed more than 70 years ago, the tank stores water provided through a contract with the city of Salem and was originally scheduled to get an interior paint job this year and exterior paint job last year.

Noting that it was structurally sound overall, Stevens said that the tower hadn’t been able to handle the village’s growing footprint.

The annual maintenance agreement for the tower had been running $30,000 per year.

After the village received a letter from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) about its lackluster water pressure for village customers heading toward neighboring Columbiana, they decided to replace the tank, which already had passed its normal lifespan.

Experts advised the village who had pondered installation of a booster station that adding another 10 feet in height might help with their water pressure issues, explained Stevens.

Construction of the booster station would have cost more than $2 million, while replacement of the tower would cost about a half million almost paid solely through various state grant and loan.

This OWDA money will be used for the design and engineering work related to the village’s more than $1.5 million tower project.

The Ohio General Assembly created the OWDA in 1968 to provide funding for the construction of public water and wastewater infrastructure in Ohio. The OWDA provides financial assistance for environmental infrastructure from the sale of municipal revenue bonds through loans to local governments in Ohio and from the issuance of industrial revenue bonds for qualified conduit projects in Ohio.