Could Vermilion tie into historic project?

Editor's note: Joseph Jones is a Register correspondent representing vermiliondaily.com. VERMILION — Vermilion officials recently devoted part of a public meeting to a presentation on Lorain County's newly awarded $67 million state grant for wastewater infrastructure. It's a development Vermilion officials said could reshape the city's long-term sewer plans. The project Mayor Jim Forthofer introduced Lorain County administrator Jeff Armbruster and attorney Lou McMahon, who outlined how the funding supports a proposed megasite near Lorain County Regional Airport. The site is being positioned for large-scale industrial employers that require extensive water and sewer capacity. "This could be big for Vermilion," said Forthofer, recalling a call from Lorain County commissioner Dave Moore on the morning the grant was announced. Armbruster described the $67 million award as "historic," calling it the "largest of its kind" that the county has received. The money will go toward creating a new west side water recovery resource facility with an initial wastewater treatment capacity of 20 million gallons per day. It's expandable up to 60 million gallons a day. Construction is targeted to begin in 2026 and could be completed by 2030. Lorain County leaders have taken the first step toward forming a new regional sewer utility called the Central Lake Erie Regional Water Reclamation District, branded with a concise and stylized name: "CLERWTR," pronounced "clear water." McMahon emphasized that the megasite project and the creation of the Clearwater District, a proposed countywide sewer entity are parallel efforts and not dependent on each other. The Clearwater District must still go through a court process and show financial feasibility, while the state grant is already moving forward to fund infrastructure on the county's west side. How could Vermilion benefit? For Vermilion, the update carried particular weight. The city has faced numerous U.S. EPA mandates regarding its wastewater plant and has considered a costly $75 million facility of its own. Forthofer noted the Baumhart Road transmission line, which is tied to the county project, could allow Vermilion to connect instead, shifting from an independent treatment plant to a regional system. The potential change in plans would reduce the expense Vermilion has to pay to be compliant with the EPA by a large margin, Forthofer said. "This is gradually starting to come together now," Forthofer told council, suggesting the Lorain County project could offer a more affordable alternative for residents. Armbruster emphasized that rates would be uniform across communities, similar to the model used at French Creek. McMahon added that the new facility is designed with modern standards, including water reuse options and even a potential educational center to train future wastewater professionals. News and notes Here are some other tidbits about the project to understand as explained by Vermilion and Lorin County officials: • The cost: The $67 million grant would not cover the entire project's expense. It's specifically for infrastructure enhancements to make the mega site shovel-ready. This award would cover costs for items like extending water and wastewater services and other utility improvements. The full project will cost well beyond $67 million, but this funding is designed to kickstart development and make the site attractive to potential industries. • The necessity: Vermilion doesn't currently have the wastewater infrastructure needed to support significant new development in the area. The upgrades tied to the mega site will open access to expanded services that its current system can't provide today, making future growth possible in ways it wasn't before. • The location: Even though the megasite would be located in Lorain County, Vermilion — if it ties into this system — would have access to the upgraded infrastructure upon being completed. Right now, Vermilion relies on its existing local wastewater systems, which don't extend to the areas around the mega site and limit future expansion.