Federal dollars will help improve water quality, flood reduction, public safety
Grant funding sponsored by Senator Sherrod Brown and Representative Shontel Brown will advance two key sewer, stormwater projects
The Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District will receive nearly $5 million in federal grants for two projects designed to protect roadways and reduce pollution and flooding.
Senator Sherrod Brown and Representative Shontel Brown played integral roles by serving as the legislative sponsors for Federal Community Project Funding/Congressionally Directed Spending grants for our Smith Road Stormwater Project (a $2.7 million award) and the Garfield Heights Combined Sewer Overflow project (a $2 million award).
Nationally, 715 water, wastewater, and stormwater CPF/CDS projects were funded.
“The Sewer District is very appreciative of Senator Brown and Representative Brown for championing funding of our important infrastructure work,” said NEORSD Chief Executive Officer Kyle Dreyfuss-Wells. “The Sewer District’s ability to capitalize on this funding is a reflection of our strategic analysis of our region’s sewer and stormwater needs, including regional stormwater master plans and local sewer system evaluations. With this detailed understanding of our region, we understand necessary sewer and stormwater infrastructure projects throughout our community, and can prioritize requests.”
“This investment in our stormwater system will help the Sewer District better serve communities throughout Northeast Ohio with improved flood control.” — Senator Sharrod Brown
The Smith Road Stormwater Project was the result of analysis in the Rocky River Stormwater Master Plan, which identified intercommunity flooding issues near the border of Middleburg Heights and Brook Park. The master plan noted several roads — including Smith Road, Montvale Drive, Michael Drive and Sheldon Road — become impassable during severe storms due to an undersized culvert conveying water from a tributary of Abram Creek. Identifying this issue through stormwater master planning resulted in the Smith Road Stormwater Project.
This project includes the construction of a detention basin which will capture stormwater in the Abram Creek watershed and help reduce how quickly stormwater flows into the culvert. The project upon completion will protect the roadways and buildings, reducing the chance of flooding during much more intense storms. Design is expected to begin at the end of 2023.
“We know that flood control projects like the Smith Road Stormwater Project will help spur economic growth and protect local communities from disasters,” said Senator Brown. “This investment in our stormwater system will help the Sewer District better serve communities throughout Northeast Ohio with improved flood control.”
“These funds will address long overdue sewer repairs in the Garfield Heights neighborhood and provide those low- and moderate-income residents with the clean water improvements they deserve.” — Representative Shontel Brown
As part of the Garfield Heights Combined Sewer Overflow Project, the Sewer District will reduce the amount of combined sewage discharging into Wolf Creek just upstream of a section of Garfield Park, which is currently being revitalized by the Cleveland Metroparks. The project will include sewer separation, resulting in sewage being redirected to the Mill Creek Tunnel for treatment rather than being released into the environment, and the existing outfall will discharge only stormwater into the environment. This work will also reduce basement flooding in the neighborhood bordered by E.105th Street, McCracken Road, Granger Road, and E.119th Street. This work is in addition to the almost $2 billion investment by the Sewer District made over the last 12 years to reduce combined sewer overflows in our region through Project Clean Lake. Design is expected to begin this month.
“The $2 million Community Project Funding awarded for the Combined Sewer Overflow Elimination Project will be well spent,” said Representative Brown. “These funds will address long overdue sewer repairs in the Garfield Heights neighborhood and provide those low- and moderate-income residents with the clean water improvements they deserve.”
