CONSTRUCTION FINISHED — Work has been completed on Jefferson County’s newest salt storage facility. -- Contributed

STEUBENVILLE — Jefferson County’s engineering department used grant money to fund construction of a new salt storage building.

The $75,000 grant, awarded in 2024, was funded through Ohio EPA’s H2Ohio Rivers Chloride Reductions Grant Program. The total cost of the new facility, which has a 500-ton capacity, was a little more than $143,204, with the department itself able to cover a big chunk — $68,204 — using funds from within its budget.

County officials said the concrete floor and apron were placed by department employees, pointing out those materials alone cost roughly $30,000. They also spent about $10,000 on two, 2,000-gallon tanks plus a pump for handling the salt brine used in snow control.

The H2Ohio Rivers Chloride Reductions Grant Program builds off Gov. Mike DeWine’s H2Ohio initiative which aims in part to reduce excessive road salt usage and encourage communities and jurisdictions responsible for winter road and surface maintenance to adopt salt best management practices. With the new construction at the county’s eastern garage, employees said they can store salt at all four of their garages.