Water & Wastewater

Welcome to the City of Newark, Division of Water and Wastewater.

The Mission of the Division of Water and Wastewater is to provide essential services that protect public health, preserve the environment, and support sustainable growth of the community.

The Division of Water serves more than 47,000 customers with over 18,300 connections. We are committed to delivering the safest and finest quality drinking water to your tap every day. We are also responsible for the maintenance of the City’s water distribution system, including roughly 190 miles of water main, hundreds of valves and fire hydrants as well as thousands of water meters.

The Division of Wastewater is responsible for treating and returning environmentally clean, safe water back to the Licking River. Additionally, the Division is responsible for maintaining the collection system, which consists of approximately 238 miles of sanitary and combined sewers, 24 lift stations and over 5000 manhole structures. The Division is also responsible for monitoring discharges into the system from industrial and commercial users for compliance with federal regulations as well as local ordinances.

24 Hour Emergency Contact
Customer Service

Monday – Friday
8AM to 4:30PM
740-670-7940

34 S. Fifth St., P.O. Box 4100, Newark, OH 43055

Water Plant

Monday – Friday after 4:30PM and weekends
740-349-6765
Email: wateradm@newarkohiowater.net

For sewer permit requests, please call Customer Service.

Pay Water Bill

Online Payment is available for water, sewer, and stormwater bills. The City of Newark offers our customers the ability to pay their bills online free of fees. We accept checking/ACH, credit, and debit card payments online in a secure environment. For your convenience, we accept VISA, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express. You can also take advantage of paperless statements, viewing your usage, looking at your transaction history, and setting up automatic payments from either checking or credit card.

 

Water, Sewer, Interior Plumbing Protection Plan

The City of Newark has partnered with SLWA to offer customers affordable water, sewer, and interior plumbing protection plans. Get peace of mind. For protection plan information, call 1-844-257-8795  

Public Notices

  1. The Newark Water Department Sewer Rate will increase as of January 1, 2024 in accordance with Ordinance 23-02. The rate will increase the Administrative charge to $8.55/Account, the Commodity charge to $2.16/Consumption (100Ft3), and the Debt Service charge to $1.02/Consumption (100Ft3) for 3 or less cons/month or $1.79/Consumption (100Ft3) for over 4 or more cons/month. The Water Rate will increase effective January 1, 2024 by authority of Section 743.04 of the Ohio Revised Code. The first 350 consumption will increase from $3.48 to $3.69 per 100Ft3. The minimum bill will increase from $25.65 to $27.12 per month for water and sewer.
  2. In accordance with Resolution 15-104 the stormwater rates will change as indicated below:
Rate/ERU/MonthEffective Date
$6.653/1/2016
$6.801/1/2017
$6.951/1/2018
$7.101/1/2019
$7.251/1/2020
$7.401/1/2021
$7.551/1/2022
$7.701/1/2023

3. On August 15, 2016, the Newark City Council passed Ordinance Number 16-31 providing for water quality protection and cross-connection control, which was previously administered by the Licking County Health Department. As a result, the City of Newark Water Department now maintains a backflow prevention and cross-connection control program for each individual commercial and industrial water connection. For more information concerning our backflow program click here.

Boil Advisories

The goal of the Newark Water Department is to provide aesthetically pleasing, clean and safe drinking water for the City of Newark. When a depressurization occurs in the water main lines there is a possibility that contaminants could get into the water supply. During such an event the water may be safe to drink but because the possibility of contaminants in the water system exists, the Newark Water Department in conjunction with the Ohio EPA recommends that the water used for consumption be boiled vigorously for 1 minute and allow water to cool prior to use.

Current Boil Advisories

There are currently no boil advisories.

Hydrant Flushing

The process of flushing hydrants performs a couple beneficial preventive maintenance tasks simultaneously. The flushing tests the operation of the hydrant itself and prevents the buildup of deposits in water mains. When flushing hydrants, homes downstream of the hydrant may see redness for a short time in the water. The opening of the hydrant causes a water scouring effect that cleans the lines and ensures proper operation and longer-lasting water system. The Newark Water Department normally flushes the hydrants between April and November every year. The Newark Water Department flushes hydrants every month at a few points in the City of Newark. Should customers have an issue with cloudy or discolored water, it is recommended that they run the cold water only. Running the cold water will generally clear up any water quality problems. Also, you should refrain from doing laundry if your water has a rusty tint to it. If the problem continues contact the Newark Water Treatment Plant at (740) 349-6765.

Starting March 19, 2024, and continuing until it is completed, we will be flushing zone 1-1. Zone 1-1 consists of the area North of Deo Dr. between Mt Vernon Rd and N 21st St.

Distribution & Collections Department

The history of the Newark Water Distribution began in 1886 when the privately owned Newark Water Company began operation of a pumping and distribution system. In 1905, the City of Newark began construction of it’s own pumping station and distribution system. In 1910, the City of Newark purchased the Newark Water Company and merged that system with the municipal system. 

Currently, there is roughly 190 miles of water lines serving Newark and the surrounding area. As shown below, our personnel work hard around the clock and in all weather conditions to keep the water flowing for our customer’s convenience.

The history of the Newark Sewer Collection began in the 1920’s when it was mandated that pipes be laid to direct sewage away from homes and to the river. In the 1940’s a federal mandate required the sewer pipes be connected together to direct the sewage to a plant for treatment prior to discharge to the river. Currently there is over 172 miles of sewer lines and 56 miles of combined sewer and storm drains. Some of these lines date back to the 1920’s and 1930’s. Today’s challenges include replacing and repairing these lines so that the sewage reaches the Wastewater Treatment Plant. Older Cities like Newark face many of these same challenges.  The City of Newark Annual Sanitary Sewer Overflow Report can be found on the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency website.  

Combined Sewer Overflow

Combined Sewer Overflows (CSO’s) are common in cities the age of Newark. Sewers in Newark originally were just ditches or large pipes that took household sewage to the river. In the 1940’s, Newarks first sewer plant was built and in the following years sewer pipes were tied into a system that ended at the wastewater treatment plant. Some pipes were left as a pressure outlet to the river in times when heavy rainfall resulted in higher than normal pressures developing in the sewer pipes that would result in backups into homes. To prevent backups these pipes were left as a pressure release to prevent all but the most extreme rainfalls causing backups into homes. The Ohio EPA under direction from US EPA have mandated that all CSO’s be removed. This page contains information on the locations and plans to remove these CSO’s from the system. Current laws require the removal of these CSO’s to the river by using construction to increase the capacity of the sewer system to accept rainfall events. Current and future construction will be listed on this page until all CSO’s in the City of Newark are removed. Information concerning health concerns and rainfall events will also be listed on this page.

Predicting Wet Weather Sewer Overflows

At this time, Newark does not have a fail-safe method for predicting or monitoring combined sewer overflows on a real-time basis. There are many factors that can trigger overflows, including the length and intensity of rainfall, prior ground moisture conditions, sewer blockages, etc. The methods for predicting CSO overflows are expected to improve as Newark implements it’s Long-Term Control Plan Update. In the meantime, Newark will issue a CSO warning whenever its weather forecasting service predicts or records a rainfall of .25 inches or more in Licking County or whenever the water levels in area rivers and streams are elevated such that a CSO overflow is likely to occur. The warning will remain in place for 72 hours after a rainfall occurs and 72 hours after water levels in area rivers and streams have returned to normal elevation and CSO discharges related to elevated river and stream levels are known or believed to have ceased in Licking County.

City of Newark Long Term Control Plan

The City of Newark Long Term Control Plan was established in September of 1998. To view a copy of the Long Term Control Plan click on the links below.

The Process of Eliminating Combined Sewer Overflows

As part of the City of Newark Long Term Control Plan, three construction projects have been completed which allow the City to eliminate or decreases flow from its CSO’s. The first project separated the combined sewer lines and eliminated CSO 1007 at the Everett Ave Bridge. CSO 1007 was eliminated in 2009. The second project installed a 48-inch line from CSO 1006 to junction chamber #1. CSO 1006 was eliminated near Monroe Street in 2011. The third and largest project and most recent, is the completion of the high rate treatment facility located at the Newark Wastewater Treatment Plant. The City is now able to treat millions of gallons per day more storm water flow before it enters the Licking River.

Construction Projects

To view current construction projects, please click link below

Informational Videos

Please use the link below to access our Video Library

Community Outreach

We invite you to learn more and take a free tour of our Water & Wastewater Plants

Lead Service Replacement Lines

Lead Service Line Replacement Frequently Asked Questions

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