Columbus City Council Considers Power System Upgrades at Jackson Pike Plant
City Council considers contracts with Claypool Electric and Ascension Construction Solutions for power system upgrades at Jackson Pike.
Columbus City Hall at 90 W. Broad St. in downtown Columbus, viewed from the corner lawn with its engraved stone entrance marker in the foreground.
Credit: General Ization / Wikimedia Commons Image source
Columbus City Council is scheduled to convene Regular Meeting No. 47 on Monday, Oct. 26, 2026 in council chambers.
On the docket, Ordinance 2575-2026 authorizes a $20,594,000 construction contract with Claypool Electric, Inc. for the Jackson Pike Water Reclamation Plant Power System Upgrades and Safety Improvements project. The legislation authorizes an amendment to the 2025 Capital Improvement Budget and expenditures from the Sanitary Revolving Loan Fund and the Sanitary Bond Fund, contingent upon loan approval from the Ohio Water Development Authority.
Companion Ordinance 2775-2026 authorizes Columbus Water & Power to approve a contract increase for Ascension Construction Solutions, LLC for the Jackson Pike Water Reclamation Plant Power System Upgrades and Safety Improvements project. The companion measure authorizes up to $1,394,071.18 in funding from the Water Pollution Control Loan Fund, also contingent upon the Ohio Water Development Authority approving a loan.
Together, the two ordinances advance nearly $22 million in electrical modernization contracts for the facility.
Previously, Pique Media reported on Oct. 19 that Columbus City Council dockets featured emergency spending, water projects, and zoning hearings.
The municipal facility is located just south of Columbus at SR-104 and I-71 and operates with a full biological capacity of 150 million gallons per day, with a design average daily flow of about 68 million gallons. The city operates Jackson Pike as a Class IV treatment facility. The plant utilizes an activated sludge process to treat incoming wastewater and an anaerobic digestion process for biosolids treatment.
Following influent pumping and grit removal, flow is divided between two parallel treatment trains identified as A Plant and B Plant, servicing the combined sewer portion of the collection system.
Plant operations require ensuring electrical power service via switchgear, power monitoring, and emergency power generation. Reliable electrical switchgear is critical to sustain continuous pumping and aeration, preventing treatment disruptions and stopping untreated sewage overflows into regional waterways during severe storms.
City records show the construction measure was introduced on first reading on Monday, Oct. 19, ahead of the scheduled second reading and vote on Monday, Oct. 26. Residents and stakeholders can use the ordinance numbers on the council docket to submit comments or register to speak before council takes action.
On Friday, Oct. 23, Pique Media requested an interview with Columbus Water & Power Director Kristen Atha regarding the electrical modernization scope and facility contingency plans.
How we know this
The sources and records behind this story, with the facts they support.
Columbus City Council · 2026-10-26
Supporting evidence (5)
Columbus City Council is scheduled to convene Regular Meeting No. 47 on Monday, Oct. 26, 2026 in council chambers.
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REGULAR MEETING NO. 47 OF COLUMBUS CITY COUNCIL, MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2026 at 5:00 P.M. IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
On the docket, Ordinance 2575-2026 authorizes a $20,594,000 construction contract with Claypool Electric, Inc. for the Jackson Pike Water Reclamation Plant Power System Upgrades and Safety Improvements project.
Read supporting passage
2575-2026 · To authorize the Director of Columbus Water and Power to enter into a construction contract with Claypool Electric, Inc, for the Jackson Pike Water Reclamation Plant Power System Upgrades and Safety Improvements project; to authorize an amendment to the 2025 Capital Improvement Budget; to appropriate funds within the Sanitary Revolving Loan Fund; to make this ordinance contingent upon the Ohio Water Development Authority approving a loan for this project; and to authorize the expenditure of up to $20,594,000.00 from the Sanitary Revolving Loan Fund and the Sanitary Bond Fund to pay for the project. ($20,594,000.00)
The legislation authorizes an amendment to the 2025 Capital Improvement Budget and expenditures from the Sanitary Revolving Loan Fund and the Sanitary Bond Fund, contingent upon loan approval from the Ohio Water Development Authority.
Read supporting passage
to authorize an amendment to the 2025 Capital Improvement Budget; to appropriate funds within the Sanitary Revolving Loan Fund; to make this ordinance contingent upon the Ohio Water Development Authority approving a loan for this project; and to authorize the expenditure of up to $20,594,000.00 from the Sanitary Revolving Loan Fund and the Sanitary Bond Fund to pay for the project. ($20,594,000.00)
Companion Ordinance 2775-2026 authorizes Columbus Water & Power to approve a contract increase for Ascension Construction Solutions, LLC for the Jackson Pike Water Reclamation Plant Power System Upgrades and Safety Improvements project.
Read supporting passage
2775-2026 · To authorize the Director of Columbus Water & Power to modify and increase the contract with Ascension Construction Solutions, LLC for the Jackson Pike Water Reclamation Plant Power System Upgrades and Safety Improvements project; to make this ordinance contingent upon the Ohio Water Development Authority approving a loan for this project; to appropriate funds within the Water Pollution Control Loan Fund; and to authorize an expenditure of up to $1,394,071.18 from the Water Pollution Control Loan Fund to pay for the project. ($1,394,071.18)
The companion measure authorizes up to $1,394,071.18 in funding from the Water Pollution Control Loan Fund, also contingent upon the Ohio Water Development Authority approving a loan.
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to make this ordinance contingent upon the Ohio Water Development Authority approving a loan for this project; to appropriate funds within the Water Pollution Control Loan Fund; and to authorize an expenditure of up to $1,394,071.18 from the Water Pollution Control Loan Fund to pay for the project. ($1,394,071.18)
Columbus City Council Dockets Feature Emergency Spending, Water Projects, and Zoning Hearings
Supporting evidence (1)
Previously, Pique Media reported on Oct. 19 that Columbus City Council dockets featured emergency spending, water projects, and zoning hearings.
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Columbus City Council Dockets Feature Emergency Spending, Water Projects, and Zoning Hearings
https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/columbusoh/jobs/newprint/5064400
Supporting evidence (5)
The municipal facility is located just south of Columbus at SR-104 and I-71 and operates with a full biological capacity of 150 million gallons per day, with a design average daily flow of about 68 million gallons.
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The JPWRP is located just south of Columbus at SR-104 and I-71 and has a full biological capacity of 150 MGD with a design average daily flow of about 68 MGD.
The city operates Jackson Pike as a Class IV treatment facility.
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This position will be in charge of the Jackson Pike Water Reclamation Plant operation, which is an award-winning Class IV treatment facility, as well as several collection system facilities, including stormwater and sanitary pump stations, biofilters, and other operational and control structures.
The plant utilizes an activated sludge process to treat incoming wastewater and an anaerobic digestion process for biosolids treatment.
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It utilizes an activated sludge process to treat incoming wastewater and an anaerobic digestion process for biosolids treatment.
Following influent pumping and grit removal, flow is divided between two parallel treatment trains identified as A Plant and B Plant, servicing the combined sewer portion of the collection system.
Read supporting passage
The flow is divided between two parallel treatment trains identified as A Plant and B Plant following influent pumping and grit removal. It services the combined sewer portion of our collection system and is interconnected with our other wastewater treatment facility further south of Columbus. It is part of a 100% beneficial biosolids reuse program as well.
Plant operations require ensuring electrical power service via switchgear, power monitoring, and emergency power generation.
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Supervises personnel involved in plant activities such as enhancing and ensuring electrical powerservice via switch gear, power monitoring, emergency power generation, pumping, settling, collecting, drying, and chemical analyses; supervises personnel involved in special projects;