Sustainability at Columbus Water & Power

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.

Blueprint Columbus is Columbus Water & Power’s innovative way of eliminating sanitary sewer overflows and water quality while also investing in our neighborhoods and our local economy.  Blueprint solves the problem of sanitary sewer overflows at the source by fixing damaged and deteriorating pipes and redirecting stormwater to the street where pollutants can be filtered out by green infrastructure before flowing to our rivers and streams.  A longstanding commitment to the community, Blueprint will progress through its project areas until 2045, leaving a lasting legacy of pollinator-friendly rain gardens and restored streams for generations to come. 

The Division of Water Reclamation has launched a groundbreaking bioenergy upgrade at its Southerly Water Reclamation Facility. Infrastructure improvements like fixed digester covers, upgraded digestion systems, and combustion units are expected to slash fugitive methane by 91% and total greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050. A new 6 MW cogeneration facility will use captured methane to produce half of the plant’s energy needs, turning emissions into clean power.

As the Columbus region prepares to add 700,000 new residents by 2050, Columbus Water & Power is planning for a resilient and sustainable water future. The new Home Road Water Plant is being designed with environmental stewardship as a foundational principle. This includes stream restoration and wetland preservation as well as solar energy and electric vehicle charging stations. The Division will pursue LEED certification for the administration building and Envision certification for the entire water plant site.