DaytonDailyNews.com

WASHINGTON — In many places in Ohio, old and crumbling water and sewer systems are — forgive the pun — in the toilet.

The needs are great — $4 billion, according to the ever-growing list of requests for economic stimulus money — but the money isn't. The state has $275.6 million to spend on sewer water projects.

"There's no question that there is a huge need in the state of Ohio as well as many other states for repair and modernization of old, dilapidated, broken down or otherwise just not very well-functioning wastewater pollution control equipment," said Chris Korleski, Ohio EPA director.

It's a problem throughout the state.

In Fremont, Mayor Terry Overmyer said the city will soon have to start raising rates 13 percent a year for the next nine years, hiking the increase after that.

He said the city, population 17,000, has struggled to meet requirements of the Clean Water Act. That city, like Springfield and others in Ohio, has a combined sewer system that pipes rainwater and sewage through the same pipe. When it rains too hard, the system — a soup of stormwater and treated or untreated sewage — overflows into rivers or streams.

Overmyer knows demand for the pot of water and sewer money is great. In 21 localities in northwest Ohio alone, there's a combined need of $550 million in projects. But he's worried the increased water and sewer rates will "chase away businesses looking to come to Fremont."

Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, was disappointed at the low level of funding for water and sewer projects in the stimulus bill. He is considering pushing a moratorium on water and sewer projects to give the EPA time to consider whether towns can afford to do what the agency asks. He said in some cases, the EPA based its requirements on businesses located in cities. The businesses have gone away, but the requirements haven't.

"We're closing our eyes to the fact that these communities cannot afford these rates," he said.

In the Dayton region, the average water and sewer costs for a three-year period were $190.92, according to a 2008 survey done by the city of Oakwood. The lowest rates for the cost of both water and sewer were in Miamisburg, which charged $113.70. The highest rates were in Wilmington, with $2,166.54 for a three-month period, based on 22,500 gallons of water.

Localities hiked their rates for water and sewer by 3.12 percent over 2007, according to the Oakwood survey.

In West Carrollton, city officials want more than anything to get a chunk of stimulus money to finish the city's Interstate 75 exit.

But they're also putting in a request for more than $2 million for a water system rehabilitation project the EPA wants them to get.

"We wish we didn't have to spend $2 million on a clearwell project," said Brad Townsend, city manager, who worries that they'll have to pass the cost onto consumers. "But the EPA says we have to, so we have to."