Licking Regional Water District, St. Albans Township Enter Partnership for Water, Sewer Growth
- 5 hours ago
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Licking County, Ohio — The Licking Regional Water District Board of Trustees and St. Albans Township Board of Trustees today voted to approve an intergovernmental agreement between the two entities. The deal supports orderly economic development, and sets a clear path for future water and sewer extensions in the township’s unincorporated areas.
“By partnering with St. Albans Township, we continue advancing our objective of delivering reliable water and sewer service without shifting costs to our existing customers,” said Licking Regional Water District Executive Director Jim Roberts. “This partnership reinforces established service areas and demonstrates how regional collaboration and coordinated infrastructure planning can strengthen local decision making, promote fiscal efficiency, and ensure that growth occurs in a deliberate and sustainable manner. St. Albans has articulated a thoughtful vision for managing growth while preserving its rural and agricultural character, and we are proud to support that vision through a strong intergovernmental partnership.”
The agreement aligns with prior agreements with Licking County commissioners and the State of Ohio’s 208 Water Quality Management Plan, and provides a dependable path for responsible growth.
“Centralized water and sewer service is critical to the thoughtful growth outlined in our comprehensive plan,” said St. Albans Township Trustee Tad Van Ness. “This agreement gives us the tools to move that vision forward while protecting our rural character and ensuring that new development pays its own way.”
The agreement also directs near-term infrastructure investments. Work will focus on the State Route 161/Worthington Road and State Route 310 corridors. LRWD currently operates waterlines along State Route 310 north to Jersey Mill Road.
New service extensions will rely on dedicated economic development tools, including joint economic development districts, new community authorities and tax increment financing. Those tools will reimburse the district for planning, design and construction costs, and support the township’s goals for sustainable growth.
The full agreement is available here.