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Warren County updates commissioners on water projects, warns North system nearing capacity
Summary
County utilities staff told the Warren County Board of Commissioners that major construction—new mains, a $5 million wellfield and PFAS-treatment upgrades—are wrapping up, but the North water system is at roughly 90% capacity and a $15 million treatment-plant expansion may be needed.
Utilities staff updated the Warren County Board of Commissioners on a slate of water-system projects and warned that the county’s North water system is approaching capacity.
The update said the county has completed or is finishing several large construction projects, including 2–4 miles of 24-inch main to move treated water from the county’s treatment plant toward a nearby service area, a $5,000,000 Middletown Junction wellfield improvement and ion-exchange work at the Renaker treatment plant to address PFAS that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is regulating. "We're finishing up, at the end of this year, we'll have finished up 2 or 4 miles worth of 24 inch water main... That's a big achievement," utilities staff said during the meeting.
The presentation said work done since a multi-year program began includes in-plant softening upgrades and new well fields, and that construction faced higher costs, supply-chain delays and staffing challenges. Utilities staff said the county is transitioning its customer billing to a Tyler Technologies system to improve customer service and provide data to analyze rate options; staff told commissioners they will present rate-structure options next year as the county approaches the next rate cycle ending in 2026.
On capacity, utilities staff said the North treatment plant is operating at roughly 90% of its capacity based on production reports provided to commissioners. Staff said the county rents North well-field property from the Miami Conservancy District and intends to add three wells on the opposite side of Twin Creek, along with an expanded treatment plant. The presentation estimated the plant expansion at roughly $15,000,000 and said the county may consider debt financing to cover the work.
Staff also described ongoing talks with Franklin Regional about a potential operating arrangement for treatment plants in that jurisdiction. Regarding lead in household service lines, utilities staff told commissioners the county has documentation from its early rules that required copper service lines and that the county’s inventory and testing indicate the system has not used lead service lines. "No, we don't have lead service lines," staff said.
Commissioners and staff discussed the county’s aging distribution mains, noting an increase in main breaks and that many lines are ductile-iron or cast-iron installations that are reaching or exceeding their expected service lives. Staff said the county tries to replace a few miles of aging mains each year but emphasized the cost.
Next steps outlined at the meeting include planning work this year on a North-system expansion, continuing ion-exchange PFAS work at Renaker, completing the Middletown Junction project, and returning to the board with rate-structure recommendations in advance of the 2026 rate cycle.
