Salem and East Palestine are among several communities in Northeast Ohio to receive funding from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to improve wastewater and drinking water infrastructure and make other water quality improvements.

The City of Salem will receive $1.1 million to improve the wastewater treatment plant including rehabilitating the trickling filter and converting the sludge handling process to full conventional anaerobic digestion. 

The upgrades will provide more efficient treatment and increase reliability.

The Village of East Palestine will receive $618,528 to replace approximately 20,000 linear feet of waterline including valves, hydrants, water services and improvement to a booster pump station.

In total, Northeast Ohio communities are receiving approximately $18.8 million in low-interest and principal forgiveness funding from Ohio EPA. The loans were approved between October and December of 2021.