CHARDON, Ohio — Geauga County commissioners on Tuesday approved more than $900,000 in construction and engineering payments tied to the county’s $34 million overhaul of its main wastewater treatment facility, as officials said the long-awaited project is entering a critical new phase.
Most of the money goes to Shook Construction for improvements at the McFarland Wastewater Treatment Plant, which will be completely replaced by the time the work is complete. Water Resources Director Nick Gorris said construction is “moving along very well.”
The McFarland project, funded in part by federal American Rescue Plan Act funds, is replacing aging infrastructure and modernizing operations at the county’s primary treatment facility.
Gorris highlighted recent progress on the plant’s headworks building — a key component of the project — telling commissioners that “the concrete’s coming out of the ground” after earlier delays. He said milder winter temperatures have helped crews by reducing the amount of heat required to cure concrete.
Officials discussed the timeline for testing and transitioning to the new facility. Gorris said testing could begin as early as October, when crews would “turn the switches on to start testing the equipment,” though the project’s official completion date remains July 2027.
Before the existing plant can be decommissioned, the new facility will need to operate alongside it so crews can identify and resolve operational issues, Gorris said.
County officials said the upgrades are expected to improve efficiency, ensure compliance with environmental regulations and help accommodate future demand.
