ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
A. Project Identification
Name: Avon Lake Additional Storage and Interconnection HAB – New Elevated Tank
Address: Todd Danielson
Chief Utilities Executive
City of Avon Lake
201 Miller Road
Avon Lake, OH 44012
WSRLA #: FS390128-0006
B. Proposed Project
1. Summary
The City of Avon Lake (Avon Lake Regional Water) in Lorain County has requested a
supplemental loan of $9,500,000 from the Ohio Water Supply Revolving Loan Account
(WSRLA) to construct a new 3 million gallon elevated storage tank to increase storage
capacity of potable water in the distribution system. This supplemental loan will be
added to the $25,504,109 WSRLA loan awarded to Avon Lake in August 2015 for
construction of new clearwell capacity at the municipal water treatment plant (described
below). Avon Lake’s engineering agreement with its consultant allowed administration
of the clearwell project and elevated tank project together or separately. Avon Lake had
separated the projects, and later re-incorporated the elevated tank into the original loan.
Construction will be on a parcel of city-owned land previously in industrial use that had
naturally revegetated. Avon Lake cleared the parcel of vegetation during cold weather
to avoid impacts to endangered bat species. The project site otherwise has no
important environmental resources.
2. Project Background
Avon Lake Regional Water (ALRW) provides drinking water to over 200,000 people in
seven counties from its 50 million gallon per day (MGD) capacity water filtration plant
(WFP) in Avon Lake. Average daily demand is approximately 20 MGD. Bulk contracts
to other water suppliers use approximately 85% of the water; Avon Lake’s municipal
demand is 3 MGD. The city’s system has two 500,000 gallon elevated tanks and 2.5
million gallon clearwell capacity at the WFP.
Anticipated expansion of the service area would increase water demand (average daily
production) to 31.2 MGD by 2020 and to 33.75 MGD by 2025, while increasing the
maximum daily production demand to 51.8 MGD by 2020 and to 56.8 MGD by 2025.
Avon Lake is preparing for a 60 MGD approved capacity and, by 2028, further
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expansion to 70 MGD.
The WTP draws water from Lake Erie, which experienced significant harmful algal
blooms (HAB) in 2014 and 2015. Although the HAB did not affect the ALRW WFP or
water quality, microcystin (the toxin released by HAB) has been detected in the raw
water. Water supply was limited twice due to icing of the in-lake water intake pipe,
creating a regional water emergency. ALWR assessed its ability to reliably provide safe
drinking water in the event of a HAB or other emergency and developed plans to modify
the intake structure, establish an emergency connection to the neighboring Elyria water
system, and provide additional clearwell storage capacity at the WTP and storage in the
distribution system. The intake improvement is complete, the clearwells are under
construction, the emergency connection is being designed; this project adds storage in
the distribution system.
3. Discussion of Feasible Alternatives
Evaluation of the supply emergencies in recent years suggested a need for multiple
improvements in the system, including additional storage in the distribution system.
ALRW evaluated several sites for a proposed elevated tank, based on hydraulic
considerations, land availability, and environmental issues. Doing nothing, the “noaction” alternative, is not a feasible alternative because it would increase the risk of
significant supply emergencies.
Results of hydraulic modeling showed the best tank sites are at the WFP and in the
southeast quadrant of Avon Lake. The WFP site lacks space for the tank, and a
potential site in Avon, adjacent to Avon Lake, held significant wetlands and was
available at a price beyond the budgeted range. City property near one of the existing
tanks has the benefits of hydraulic acceptability, location in a commercial / industrial
area less disruptive to residents, absence of significant environmental issues, and is
near major water transmission mains.
4. Selected Alternative
ALRW proposes constructing a 3.0 million gallon, glass-lined steel bowl, pedestal tank,
200 feet tall, on city property near the intersection of Walker Road and Avondale
Avenue (Figure 1). The project includes installing a booster pump at the base of the
tank to pump water from a nearby transmission main into the tank. All associated
piping, electrical and controls, access improvements, and security fencing, will be
constructed or installed.
5. Project Implementation
Avon Lake qualifies for Ohio’s targeted $50 million funding in the WSRLA program for
the planning, design, and construction of infrastructure improvements at surface water
treatment plants to address HAB issues.
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Avon Lake will borrow approximately $9,500,000 from the WSRLA at the HAB
Infrastructure Targeted Funding 0% interest rate to finance the construction cost of this
water system improvement. During the 20-year loan period, Avon Lake will save
approximately $5,890,000 by using the HAB Infrastructure Targeted Funding WSRLA
dollars, compared to the market rate of 3.10%.
Figure 1 – Project Location
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C. Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Project
This project is unlikely to have indirect (development-related) environmental impacts
because it does not extend water service to developing areas. This project adds
storage capacity in the existing system for existing demand and increases neither raw
water pumping nor treatment capacity and therefore is unlikely to have direct impacts on
surface water resources or ground water resources, air quality, or energy use.
The flat construction site is distant from any stream and floodplain and requires little
grading to construct the tank, with no discernible effect on local topography.
The site is abandoned industrial land and an elevated water tank will have no direct
effect on agriculture or land use. A phase 1 environmental site assessment concluded
that the site has no significant environmental contamination.
Wetlands on the project site will be affected by construction. Wetland A is a 2.2 acre
Category 2 wetland connected to “navigable waters” and under the jurisdiction of the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Installation of a storm water drain pipe to a swale
draining to Wetland A is the anticipated construction impact to Wetland A and is below
the 1/10 acre minimum impact level. Wetland B is a 0.047 acre Category 1 wetland
unconnected to other surface water and therefore under the jurisdiction of Ohio EPA.
Proposed construction on Wetland B would require a Section 401 Isolated Wetland
Permit from Ohio EPA and mitigation. Project review and permitting or approval by the
Corps of Engineers and Ohio EPA will be completed before construction may proceed.
Effects on terrestrial habitat have been minimized by Avon Lake’s removal of vegetation
from the site during cold weather (seasonal clearing) as recommended by the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service to avoid adverse effects to the endangered Indiana bat, the
threatened northern long-eared bat, or the endangered Kirtland’s warbler. Likewise,
the project will have no effect on aquatic habitats due to the absence of streams on the
site.
Engine sounds from construction vehicles and large cranes operating on the
construction site that is distant from residences may be audible and similar to the
background noise of traffic transiting area roads. No construction will occur in the
roadway; limited construction traffic entering and exiting the construction site will not be
discernible from the normal road traffic near the site. The construction site’s distance
from residences and from the nearest road, and temporary and permanent security
fencing, will help minimize threats to public safety during and after construction.
Local aesthetics will change little by the addition of the 200’ tall tank to the landscape
and horizon because the project site is near an existing elevated tank, and numerous
communications towers and high-tension line structures are visible in the greater project
area.
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Based on information from the Ohio Historic Preservation Office and evaluation of the
project site as related to historic structures, Ohio EPA concluded that the project would
have no adverse effect on archaeological or historical resources. In the event of
archaeological finds during construction, Ohio Revised Code Section 149.53 requires
contractors and subcontractors to notify the Ohio Historic Preservation Office of any
archaeological discoveries in the project area, and to cooperate with the Office in
archaeological and historic surveys and salvage efforts. Work will not resume until a
survey of the find and a determination of its value and effect has been made, and Ohio
EPA authorizes work to continue.
Avon Lake’s typical annual residential water bill is $166, approximately 0.2% of local
median household income (MHI; $81,177), and the lowest among Ohio cities with
similar populations. This compares very favorably with the $573 statewide average
annual residential water bill. The current average annual Avon Lake water rate increase
is 2.9%, implemented through 2017, which will leave Avon Lake water customers with
one of the lowest municipal water bills in Ohio. By using the WSRLA low-interest
financing, Avon Lake has minimized the project cost and impact on the local economy.
D. Public Participation
ALRW in early 2016 posted a project description with request for public comment on its
web page and received no comments. Ohio EPA is unaware of opposition to or
controversy about the project.
Ohio EPA will make a copy of this document available to the public on its web page
http://epa.ohio.gov/defa/ofa.aspx (scroll down to and click on “WSRLA Documents for
Review and Comment”) and distribute it to interested parties.
The following agencies reviewed this project’s planning information:
Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
State Historic Preservation Office
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Buffalo District
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
E. Reasons for a Preliminary Finding of No Significant Impact
Based on its review of this project’s general plans and other information, Ohio EPA
concludes that no significant short-term or long-term adverse direct environmental
impacts will result from the project as related to the environmental features discussed in
this Environmental Assessment. This is because these features do not exist in the
project area, the features exist but will not be adversely affected, or the impacts of
construction will be temporary and mitigated.
This project equally serves the entire Avon Lake community, so no particular segment
of the community will be faced with additional adverse impacts or be deprived of
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environmental benefits, compared to any other segment.
For these reasons, this project, alone or in combination with other projects, is not
expected to result in any significant indirect or cumulative short-term or long-term
adverse environmental impacts.
Ohio EPA expects the economic impact of the project on the average user to be
insignificant because it entails no additional rate increase beyond the modest annual
increase previously enacted.
The project is expected to help ensure a safe and reliable supply of potable water for
residents of Avon Lake.
For more information, please contact:
Dan Halterman
Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
Division of Environmental and Financial Assistance
P.O. Box 1049
Columbus, OH 43216-1049
(614) 644-3658
[email protected]
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