Rep. Kevin Ritter Announces Settlement Funding for Local Drinking Water Infrastructure Projects

State Representative Kevin Ritter (R-Marietta) applauded the recent announcement that funding has been approved through the Ohio Controlling Board to support local drinking water infrastructure projects in Meigs and Washington Counties.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Director John Logue recently announced the distribution of $65 million in funding from the 2023 environmental restoration settlement with DuPont. Funding will be distributed to Belmont, Gallia, Lawrence, Meigs, Morgan, and Washington counties.

"These projects are vital to strengthening water infrastructure in our communities and providing greater access to safe, clean drinking water for residents of Meigs and Washington counties," said Rep. Ritter. "I'm pleased to see this funding directed where it will make a meaningful difference for Ohio families."

Funding will be distributed to Meigs and Washington Counties as follows:

MEIGS COUNTY

• Middleport (~$3 million): The funding will help mitigate PFAS contamination in the village wells. This project will benefit 2,446 people.
• Tupper Plains (~$4 million): The funding will install waterline extensions to provide water to homeowners with PFAS-contaminated private wells. This project will eliminate 81 contaminated wells.

WASHINGTON COUNTY

• Beverly (~$3 million): The funding will support the construction of a new water treatment plant with PFAS removal equipment. This project will benefit 1,900 people.
• Tri-County (~$2 million): The funding will add PFAS treatment to their existing water treatment plant. This project will benefit 3,000 people.
  Marietta ($6 million): The funding will add PFAS treatment to their new water treatment plant. The project will benefit 18,707 people.
• Warren Community Water ($8 million): The funding will add PFAS treatment to their existing water treatment plant and add an additional well. The project will benefit 10,237 people.
• Belpre (~$6 million): The funding will install waterline extensions to provide water to homeowners with PFAS-contaminated private wells. This project will eliminate 50 contaminated wells.
• Little Hocking (~$8.5 million): The funding will install waterline extensions to provide water to homeowners with PFAS-contaminated private wells. This project will eliminate 110 contaminated wells.

According to the press release, the settlement agreement stems from a lawsuit Governor DeWine filed against DuPont while serving as Ohio's attorney general in 2018. The lawsuit accused DuPont of releasing perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) into the air and the Ohio River from its Washington Works facility in Parkersburg, W.Va., despite knowing the risks the chemical posed to public health and the environment.