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 and smaller repairs in gap years.

Funding and past successes: Watson said the engineering office pursued six grant applications and seven loan requests in the prior year, winning all but two. That work, he said, produced more than $2,000,000 in grant awards and over $10,000,000 in below‑market loans during the year; he added that since 2018 the office has secured about $14,400,000 in local, state and federal grant funds. On completed projects Watson reported the city’s 2024 street paving project cost about $1,280,000; the CSO 24/30 inflow reduction project cost just over $3,500,000 and received $4,000,000 in principal forgiveness from the Water Pollution Control Loan Fund (WPCLF); and a household sewage treatment system elimination project cost about $1,800,000 and received $390,000 from the Ohio Water and Wastewater Grant Program.

West Market Street safety study: Watson reviewed a corridor safety study by American StructurePoint recommending access management, improved channelization, and construction of rear access streets behind frontage lots near the Tiffin Mall and Kroger to reduce driveway conflicts on West Market Street. He said the study identified 152 crashes in the corridor from 2021–2023 (one fatal, 19% injury collisions and 33% rear‑end collisions) and estimated the proposed improvements at about $8,800,000. Watson said the city has discussed the plan with the Ohio Department of Transportation and that ODOT recommended prioritizing the segment near Teakwood Drive and the Wentz Street intersection for the first grant application because of the fatal crash history and lacking protected left‑turn movements at nearby signals.

Permits, inspections and system management: The City Engineer’s Office reported routine program activity: 164 zoning permits last year (tracking about $27,600,000 in private investment), 48 sewer tap permits and about 500 street‑cut permits (the latter up sharply due in part to a citywide fiber project). The office manages the Ohio EPA stormwater program minimum control measures, reporting roughly 318 construction‑site inspection reports last year for sites disturbing more than 1 acre; it also inspects annual stormwater facilities and identified 44 existing facilities (11 public, 33 private) that require annual inspection.

System condition and other projects: Watson said the office inspected 25 culverts and flagged two as priorities: a South River Road culvert that will be replaced as part of the Benner Interceptor project and a culvert on South Slendusky Street near Cottage Avenue planned for replacement alongside road improvements. He reported bridge ratings are all 5 or above (on a 1–9 scale) with the Main Street Bridge over Rock Creek declining from a 6 to a 5. Upcoming city projects noted include a 2025 street paving contract for 26 streets ($1,037,878.38), a US‑224 urban paving project ($527,205.90 with ODOT covering up to 80% and max $355,000), a RecoMite asphalt rejuvenator pilot (~$57,000), and a planned CSO 9–13 and 15 point‑repair effort (estimate roughly $3.3 million).

Council questions and implementation risks: Councilors asked about day‑to‑day interruptions during construction and about financing decisions on past bridge work. Watson said the work will require frequent on‑site inspections and flexibility by staff and contractors and noted that the Ella Street bridge project (about $4.5 million) was completed without long‑term local debt because the city used grants (about $2.5 million), ODOT municipal bridge funds ($2.0 million), and $500,000 from the Ohio Public Works Commission; local spending was about $2,000,000, covered by the road and bridge levy.

Next steps and city actions: Watson urged continued coordination with consultants and departments, said the engineering office will continue to pursue grants and loans, and noted the administration has introduced ordinances and a resolution related to CSO funding and project procurement. Several items tied to the long‑term control plan appeared on the council docket that evening, including a resolution to apply for WPCLF funding for CSO 9–13 and 15 (second reading) and related ordinances to prepare plans and receive bids (second readings) and to appropriate funds into the main interceptor/CSO funds (first reading).

The engineer closed by noting project pages for active city work are available at TiffinOhio.gov on the Engineer’s Office webpage for public transparency.