What Happened:
On May 5, 2025, the Ohio EPA released a new draft permit for the Commercial Point Wastewater Treatment Plant — and it quietly confirms what many of us feared:
"The Scioto River in the vicinity of Commercial Point WWTP is listed as impaired for recreation and human health uses."
— Ohio EPA Draft Permit Fact Sheet, May 2025
The Scioto River is a major waterway that runs through every community in the Teays Valley School District and flows south through towns like Circleville, Waverly, and Portsmouth, carrying pollution impacts far beyond Commercial Point. It's a river that supports families, sportsmen, kayakers, hunters, and wildlife throughout central and southern Ohio.
Yet the Ohio EPA's own report states that the Scioto River is already too polluted to safely swim, fish, or kayak in.
The source of this pollution?
The Commercial Point Wastewater Treatment Plant.
This plant has already racked up 128 permit violations, including raw sewage spills. And now, the village is seeking approval from the EPA to expand its capacity from 400,000 gallons per day to 1.43 million gallons per day — a massive increase that would add even more discharge into a river that is already failing.
Meanwhile, multiple new subdivisions are in the works — including a single development of over 1,250 homes (apartments, condos, and single-family homes), plus several other neighborhoods, totaling over 2,000 homes seeking annexation into Commercial Point.
We requested public records. We asked for a tour of the facility (as publicly offered by their engineer).
We were delayed. Then denied.
This isn't just a Commercial Point issue.
This is a Scioto River issue.
And it's a Teays Valley issue.
If the river is already impaired now, how can it safely handle the sewage from thousands more homes?
The discharge pipe sits directly across from a public boat ramp and hunting ground — places where families fish, kayak, and hunt every season.
Why We're Concerned:
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The Scioto River is already impaired, according to the Ohio EPA's own report.
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The plant is not yet expanded — this permit would allow them to increase their discharge capacity by over 1 million gallons per day.
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Commercial Point has not demonstrated the ability to manage current sewage demands, let alone future growth.
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If the EPA grants this permit, it will open the door to unchecked development — thousands of new homes without a plan to protect our river, our health, or our communities.
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This issue affects everyone downstream — from Ashville and South Bloomfield to Circleville, Waverly, and beyond.
What We Want:
We, the undersigned, demand that the Ohio EPA:
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Hold a formal public hearing on the draft permit for the Commercial Point Wastewater Treatment Plant (Permit #4PB00107).
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Give residents a chance to ask questions, share concerns, and get answers before any further approvals are granted.
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Fully assess the cumulative impact of the proposed plant expansion and the thousands of homes seeking approval in Commercial Point — before it's too late.
This is about transparency. It's about responsible planning.
And it's about protecting the Scioto River — a resource that belongs to all of us.
