What you should know about the Southwest Licking Water and Sewer District
As the Southwest Licking Community Water and Sewer District expands its service area, residents in other parts of Licking County may be wondering what exactly the district does and who it serves.
Here you can find out everything you need to know about the water and wastewater utility in the southwestern part of Licking County.
Which communities are served by the Southwest Licking Community Water and Sewer District?
Since its creation in 1989, the district has served the communities of Etna and Harrison Townships in southwest Licking County, as well as the former Lima Township, now part of Pataskala.
Where is the district expanding?
The district has invited Union and Jersey townships to join its official service area. The Licking County District Court must approve these and other sweeping changes through an amendment to the district’s 1995 petition for organization.
Through an economic agreement with Union Township and the City of Heath, the district is launching a multi-phase project to provide water and sewer service to the US 40 and Ohio 37 corridors and the Ohio 37 and Interstate 70 interchange in Union Township.
In October 2022, the Licking County Commissioners amended a 2010 agreement between the commissioners and the county, expanding the Southwest Licking Utility District’s service area for the Ohio 161 corridor from 8,769 acres to 18,223 acres. The expanded area included 11,702 acres in Jersey Township, 3,439 in St. Albans Township and 3,041 acres in Monroe Township, The Advocate previously reported.
Who runs the Southwest Licking Township Water and Sewer District?
The district is governed by a three-member board of trustees. Etna and Harrison representatives are appointed by the township boards of trustees. The Pataskala City Council appoints the town representative.
Here are the district’s current trustees:
- Larry Kretzmann, representative of Harrison Township, whose term ends this year. He has been on the board since 2012.
- Pataskala Assemblywoman Melissa Carter, whose term ends in 2025. Carter, who previously served on the Pataskala City Council, has been on the board since December 2022.
- Trent Stepp, representative of the Town of Etna, whose term ends in 2026. He was first appointed to the utility district board in December 2020 and reappointed in July 2023.
If Union and Jersey townships officially join the board, they would also appoint a board member, increasing the number of board members from three to five.
The district will also be led by Jim Roberts, who was hired as the district’s first executive director in September 2023.
Why is the district changing its name to Licking Regional Water District?
As the district grows, its name is changing to better reflect its larger reach in Licking County. The utility district will be called the Licking Regional Water District effective January 1.
The name change is one of those that must be approved by the Common Pleas Court.
Where does the district have facilities and where is it building new ones?
The district has a water treatment plant (8675 York Road) that can produce 3 million gallons of water per day and a wastewater treatment plant (8720 Gale Road) that has a allowable capacity of 4.3 million gallons per day and discharges into the South Fork of the Licking River. Throughout its service area, the district also operates and maintains 43 wastewater pumping stations, according to the district’s website.
To keep pace with the development boom in western Licking County, the county is building a new wastewater treatment plant on 23 acres on National Road 13057 in Etna Township, near Mink Street. The plant was originally expected to cost about $70 million, but is now estimated to cost about $85 million.
The district is also planning a new wastewater treatment plant in St. Albans Township to accommodate expected growth.
Previous controversies surrounding the Southwest Licking Community Water and Sewer District
In February, the district reached a settlement in a lawsuit over the firing of former general manager John Carlisle four years ago. Carlisle, who previously served as a district board member and Etna Township trustee, received $125,000 as part of the settlement, ending a nearly four-year legal battle between Carlisle and the district.
Carlisle sought more than $500,000 in back pay, damages and other costs after Licking County District Court Judge Thomas Marcelain ruled in April 2022 that the board meeting held by county board members during their March 26, 2020, meeting was improper. Following that board meeting, the board voted to terminate Carlisle’s employment contract.
That hasn’t been the only problem in recent years. In December 2022, the City of Pataskala decided not to reappoint Rob Platte, its representative for three years, to the utility district board. He was replaced by Carter, who resigned from her seat on the Pataskala City Council after nine years to be appointed to the office.
Carter said at the time that Platte had done an excellent job as a town representative, but the optics of his position as Jersey Township administrator made her “uncomfortable.” Platte was hired as Jersey Township’s first administrator in April 2022. Jersey Township and utility district officials said legal counsel determined there was no conflict of interest.
In January 2023, the County Board approved a one-year consulting contract with Platte’s consulting firm, RMP Development LLC.
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