Tiffin City Engineer outlines $160 million CSO plan, funding progress and West Market safety study

Tiffin City Engineer Matt Watson told the Tiffin City Council on May 6 that the city’s Ohio EPA‑mandated long‑term control plan for combined sewer overflows (CSOs) is estimated to cost $160,000,000 and is “front end loaded,” with four projects currently in design and required to begin construction as early as 2026 and be finished no later than July 2029.

The plan, Watson said, includes a high‑rate treatment facility, a main interceptor project, the Benner interceptor project and inflow‑reduction work on CSO 9 through 13 and 15. Watson said the City Engineer’s Office is responsible for project implementation, flow monitoring, and pursuing grants and loans to fund the work. “This plan is estimated to cost $160,000,000,” Watson said.

Why it matters: The projects are large relative to Tiffin’s staff and budget and will require long‑term coordination with consultants, grant programs and state regulators. Watson told council the city is pursuing multiple funding sources and has already been successful in recent years bringing outside money into local infrastructure projects.

Most immediate details: Watson said the four projects in design will be scheduled so construction can start in 2026, with a design‑to‑construction sequencing intended to complete the initial program by mid‑2029. He described additional planning for CSO 18, 19, 20‑3, 30‑3 and 37 and said consultants are preparing basis‑of‑design reports and condition assessments to prioritize maintenance…