Welcome to the Sanitary Engineering Department
The Allen County Sanitary Engineering Department is split into two divisions, the Wastewater Treatment Division (WWTD) and the Wastewater Collection Maintenance Division (WWCMD), with the main office of the Sanitary Engineer coordinating the day to day operations.
The WWTD is responsible for the maintenance and operations of all wastewater treatment plants and the operations of the sludge management program. The WWTD operates three major treatment plants located in Bath, Shawnee and American Townships and two smaller package treatment plants located in Auglaize and Richland Townships.
The WWCMD is responsible for the maintenance and operation of approximately 172 miles of gravity sewer lines, 48 miles of pressure sewer lines, 3665 manholes and 443 force main structures located within American, Auglaize, Bath, Jackson, Marion, Monroe, Perry, Richland, Shawnee and Sugar Creek Townships.
Eagle Rail Water and Sewer Improvement Area
Eagle Rail is rapidly expanding (65 current jobs, projecting at least 70 new jobs and $2.5M capital investment in the next 3 years) due to federal requalification requirements on petrochemical rail cars, which is their core business – remanufacturing rail cars are a critical component of the petrochemical supply chain. Eagle Rail is prevented from expanding at their current, rural Allen County site due to a private, on site sewer and well-water system. Specifically, their septic leech fields prevent future building construction. A co-located company, Chemtrade Logistics, is also in need of municipal water to support their expanding chemical production operation (projected cap investment of $3.6M in the next 3 years). Both companies would benefit in the public water and sewer infrastructure and are willing to share in part of the project cost. The public water and sewer lines would be run from the nearby Village of Cairo.
Project Updates
November 2014: Parties involved with the waterline and sewer line projects collaborated together to have the County make application to the Ohio Development Services Agency for a CDBG Economic Development grant to assist with the cost of a combined water and sewer project. All waterline easement acquisition efforts by Chemtrade were suspended pending state review of the grant request.
On April 23, 2015 a Release of Funds notice was issued by the Ohio Development Services Agency to fund 50% of the cost of the water and sewer improvements up to a maximum of $600,000.
June 2015: An Informational Meeting was held on June 17, 2015 at the Allen County Sanitary Engineer’s office where a presentation was made to the property owners affected by the construction of the water and sewer improvements.
COPYRIGHT © 2026 Allen County Commissioners