Explanation
1. BACKGROUND
This ordinance authorizes the Director of Columbus Water & Power to apply for loans through the Water Pollution Control Loan Fund (WPCLF) in calendar year 2027, to execute paperwork required to enter into WPCLF loans that are offered and accepted, and to designate a dedicated source of repayment for the loans.
The Ohio EPA requires this ordinance which authorizes the Director of Columbus Water & Power to apply for and execute WPCLF loan agreements in 2027 for Sanitary, Stormwater, and Treatment Engineering Capital Improvement Projects as identified in Section 1 of this ordinance, under the direction of the Division of Water Reclamation (DWR). This loan program is jointly administered by the Ohio EPA's Division of Environmental and Financial Assistance and the Ohio Water Development Authority (OWDA). The WPCLF Loan Fund program provides below-market interest rate loans for municipal wastewater and stormwater system improvements.
In September of 2026 the Division of Water Reclamation submitted nominations to the Ohio EPA for construction projects anticipated to be contracted in 2027 that are eligible for WPCLF funding. Applications for loans for these construction projects will be submitted after bids are received. Design, right-of-way, equipment, construction inspection/administration, and other types of contracts eligible for WPCLF loans are typically submitted for nomination as they are being bid or prepared for procurement, with the loan application submitted after pricing is determined.
Columbus Water & Power anticipates applying for loan funding for the projects listed in Section 1 of this ordinance. However, it may become necessary to add or subtract from this list of projects depending upon project schedule adjustments, departmental need, or the loan agency deciding whether a project is not eligible for funding. The dollar amount of each loan will be based upon bids received, or after professional service contract pri...
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