During Monday’s Vermilion City Council Committee meetings, new figures presented by CDM Smith and Mayor Jim Forthofer revealed that joining Lorain County’s 6119 regional sewer district could now cost more than rebuilding the city’s wastewater treatment plant. The update came during the Utilities Committee portion of the October 20 meeting, where Forthofer and CDM Smith engineer Ed St. John outlined the city’s standing with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the next steps under the Administrative Order of Consent issued in 2021. That order originally required Vermilion to complete major wastewater improvements by the end of 2026, later extended to 2029.
Rising Costs and a Changing Narrative
When the city first entered discussions with Lorain County, officials told residents that joining the 6119 system would save money by allowing Vermilion to abandon its existing plant and pump wastewater to a regional facility. That claim is now being questioned after Monday’s presentation showed costs ballooning beyond initial expectations. According to St. John, short-term upgrades to keep Vermilion’s plant running another 20 years would cost between $21 and $35 million, while constructing a new pump station and transmission lines to tie into the county system would cost an additional $65 million. Together, those figures could push the total project cost over $100 million. Much higher than the $76 million price tag of the city’s original plant overhaul estimate. Mayor Forthofer acknowledged the financial shift, saying the city is working with CDM Smith and the EPA to evaluate timelines and feasibility before committing to a long-term direction.
Why the Numbers Changed
Several factors are contributing to the higher costs: construction inflation and supply chain escalation since 2021, EPA requirements mandating two transmission lines for redundancy, design and contingency allowances built into the county connection estimate, and the need to maintain Vermilion’s current facility for several years before any tie-in is possible. Council members questioned whether Vermilion can afford the debt associated with existing design loans and future construction costs. The city has already secured loans through the Ohio EPA’s DEFA program, and a $40 million construction loan application remains pending.
Public Pushback
Resident Russ Owens, who will become Vermilion’s next mayor, told council the numbers don’t add up. “We were told tying into 6119 would be less than $76 million,” Owens said. “Now it’s $120 million… 50 percent more than what we were trying to avoid.” Owens compared the estimate to a recently built $21 million wastewater plant in Huron County, questioning why Vermilion’s projected costs were so much higher. Homer Taft, a longtime resident and former city official, also spoke during public comment, voicing concern that the city continues spending heavily on design work before confirming whether the county tie-in is even feasible. He cautioned that Vermilion may be paying for overlapping studies and engineering plans without clear accountability. Other residents, including Bill McCord, urged council to invoke the stop clause in the CDM Smith contract and pause all work for 90 days while exploring other regional options.
Next Steps
Council members agreed to request another EPA extension so that Vermilion’s incoming administration can fully reassess the project before additional contracts or loans are finalized. Councilman Greg Drew and others stressed that any decision on wastewater improvements must balance compliance with affordability, given the strain already felt by residents from recent water rate hikes.
Bottom Line: Vermilion’s promise of lower sewer costs through the 6119 partnership has been upended. The city now faces a choice between continuing its costly independent upgrades or pursuing a regional connection that may no longer deliver the savings once promised.
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