Mid-Ohio Water & Sewer District lays out timeline for Deer Creek wastewater plant, force main and wells

Mid-Ohio Water & Sewer District representative Carrie Haymayer told the Plain City Council that the district expects federal and permitting approvals and phased construction that will bring a new Deer Creek Water Reclamation Facility and supporting pipes and wells online over the next three years.

Haymayer, who serves as Plain City’s representative on the district board, said the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency had agreed to approve the district’s facility plan by July 31 and that loan approval was expected around Aug. 1. “Once that’s completed, that’ll the first phase is 5,000,000 gallons per day, but we’re building it in phases as needed,” she said.

Why it matters: the plant and related transmission and force mains are intended to provide wastewater capacity for ongoing and planned development in the district. The district emphasized it is building capacity in phases and coordinating financing and construction to match demand.

Haymayer described several near-term pieces: a 20-inch force main with four lift stations planned between Queen City and the plant, with construction of the forced main beginning in August 2026; a Queen City plant renovation and an additional well; and a transmission line and water tower on property near State Route 161. She said the district expects to complete design and earlier construction milestones so that by 2028 the Deer Creek facility can be operational. “We still do not see any reason that we will not be operational with that, the water reclamation facility,” Haymayer said.

Haymayer also discussed operational problems the district has faced since consolidating billing and service following the district’s expansion. She described an early billing system rollout that “didn’t work out for us” and said the district reverted to a different system used by London because of integration issues. The district is working to improve customer service and communications; Haymayer said staff are rearranging roles and using mailings and other outreach to restore customer trust.

Council members asked about interconnections and rates. Haymayer said some interconnections will tie to neighboring systems but “not everything,” and that historical agreements constrain rate changes in some service areas: when London joined, the district agreed not to raise London’s user rates for three years. “We’re really wanting to get to a district rate,” Haymayer said.

Discussion items the district raised included timing for wells and tower construction, sequencing of force main work, and the planning approach for future water treatment capacity in the northern portion of the district. Haymayer said developers and the district are watching those dates closely and that several projects are on parallel tracks.

The council did not take formal action on the presentation; the district offered to return for further updates and to meet with neighborhood groups about service and billing questions.

Ending: Council members thanked the district representatives and agreed to invite them back to a future meeting or a community caravan to address resident questions.