CIRCLEVILLE, Ohio — Two Pickaway County communities are getting state money to keep road salt out of local waterways, with Circleville receiving $75,000 and Commercial Point receiving $49,713 in the latest round of Ohio EPA H2Ohio chloride reduction grants.
Circleville’s grant will go toward building a covered salt storage facility, while Commercial Point’s funding will pay for a brine maker and application equipment, according to Ohio EPA. The two communities are among 16 statewide splitting $1,078,831 in grants, the agency announced Aug. 21.
The H2Ohio chloride reduction program helps cities, villages and townships buy equipment or improve storage so less road salt washes into streams and rivers during winter maintenance, while still keeping roads safe to drive on, according to Ohio EPA. Grants in this round topped out at $75,000 per project.
“Safe roads and safe water are equally important, and through this program, we can protect both,” Gov. Mike DeWine said in a statement. “By investing in better salt storage and more efficient equipment, we are reducing unnecessary salt use, protecting water quality, and helping taxpayer dollars go further.”
Ohio EPA Director John Logue said the grants benefit both drivers and the state’s waterways. “Across Ohio, communities continue to invest in the longevity of neighborhoods, and by using this H2Ohio funding and seeing the importance and the difference of using less salt, we collectively are working together to keep our roads and our waterways healthier,” Logue said in a statement.
H2Ohio is DeWine’s statewide water quality initiative, and Pickaway County has drawn other H2Ohio investment, including a $1.4 million grant awarded in January to build wetlands in the county. Ohio EPA said the chloride reduction program has now awarded about $7 million to 128 communities since 2023.
The information contained in this story was obtained from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.
