Leonard Park neighborhood moves closer to clean water

City services Other news Helpful Links By Lori Kurtzman The Columbus Dispatch Saturday March 29, 2014 6:32 AM

The dream of crystal-clear drinking water is as close as its ever been for most residents of Leonard Park.

After decades of undrinkable tap water and unrealized plans to fix it, designs to hook the Mifflin Township neighborhood to Columbus water are nearly finished. The project will go out for construction bids in April, and work should begin in June, said Stephen Renner, director of Franklin Countys Department of Sanitary Engineering.

Residents should be able to connect to the system beginning in February, a few months later than initially expected.

Its been an interesting process, Renner said.

The well-water supply for Leonard Parks 120 homes all but dried up in the 1970s during the construction of I-270 and I-670. Residents have grown accustomed to frequent trips to the townships maintenance building, which has an outdoor spigot.

Columbus initially refused to extend waterlines to unincorporated areas such as Leonard Park unless they were annexed into the city. That changed in 2010, after the county forced an end to an annexation dispute between Columbus and the developer of the Hollywood Casino by rescinding sewer service to the casino site.

The city then agreed to grant exceptions to 23 neighborhoods, starting with Leonard Park.

But funding the project wasnt easy. Ultimately, in 2012, Mifflins trustees said the township would cover the design costs, which came to about $270,000; the county agreed to cover construction costs, estimated at more than $3 million, with grants and loans.

Because it was the first of its kind and because they wanted to get it right designs for the Leonard Park water project took longer than expected, Renner said. But that careful planning may make it easier for the neighborhoods that follow.

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Leonard Park neighborhood moves closer to clean water