Sustainability at Columbus Water & Power

Greenspot inspires, educates, and recognizes households, businesses, and community groups that adopt green practices.Get $50 for making your yard more earth friendly! GreenSpot Community Backyards has teamed up with Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District to offer eligible residents $50 reimbursements for the purchase of an approved rain barrel, compost bin, or native plants and trees from a licensed retailer within the current year of participation.

Everyday activities, like picking up dog poop, can really help prevent pollution and protect our rivers and streams.

Blueprint Columbus is increasing the effectiveness of our sewer system by implementing green infrastructure and residential infrastructure improvements, making our local waterways cleaner and safer.

Our Watershed Management Program focuses on protecting our drinking water source and supply. This includes honeysuckle and invasive plant removal, using green infrastructure and shoreline management at the reservoirs.

Com-Til is a biosolids compost produced by Department of Public Utilities, Com-Til is sold for public use in central Ohio and beyond.

The Division of Water Reclamation takes treated wastewater solids, yard debris, and wood chips and transforms it into a nutrient‑rich, Class A compost through a natural process. As part of Columbus’s 100% Beneficial Reuse Program, biosolids are either composted, land‑applied, digested, or used to regenerate forests and farms across Ohio, never dumped or burned. That means your unwanted yard waste and biosolids are turned into healthy soil boosters, enhancing gardens, farms, and restoration sites. Com‑Til closes the loop, returning nutrients back into the earth in a truly circular, sustainable system.

The Division of Power has completed two major solar projects—Parsons Avenue and Jackson Pike—that together generate 45 MW of clean electricity for Division of Power customers. Developed by NextEra Energy, the Parsons site produces 27 MW and the Jackson Pike build, on a former landfill, 18 MW. These installations advance the Columbus Climate Action Plan, boosting renewable energy supply and supporting the city’s goal of reaching 100% clean energy by 2030.

The Division of Water protects the region’s drinking water sources through integrated watershed management. The Watershed Management Section maintains buffers, shorelines, and forests to filter runoff and prevent pollution. A voluntary Land Stewardship Program allows nearby landowners managed access to city-owned shorelines while protecting water quality. This coordinated approach safeguards natural resources and ensures a clean, sustainable water supply for the community.

Columbus Water & Power takes sustainability seriously with GreenSpot and PUP, our two resident-facing sustainability programs. GreenSpot is a free, membership-based program for households, businesses, community groups, and neighborhoods in the Columbus region. Launched in 2008, it educates and recognizes green practices—from composting to rain barrels.