Contact Info

Woodville Township
321 East Main Street
P.O. Box 121
Woodville, OH 43469
Email

Phone: (419) 849-2492
Fax: (419) 849-2399

Meeting Information: 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. in the Fiscal Office located at the Fire Station
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Ditch Maintenance & Road Drainage

 

Landowners and homeowners usually are inquiring who they can turn to for assistance regarding drainage issues.  There is NO national, state, county or township entity that has regulatory authority over drainage disputes between two landowners.  There is no free service available to fix drainage issues that arise during times of excessive rainfall.  In other words, no state, county, or township entity will come to your property to fix your drainage concern.  If the public wants this type of regulatory authority, then they need to talk to their legislators and be ready to pay additional taxes to fund these regulatory agencies.

  • In almost all the cases and procedures, the landowner must initiate the action to resolve the drainage dispute or make the drainage improvement.
  • The landowner may work voluntarily with other landowners involved in the same drainage problem and try to work out an agreement to pay necessary costs and construct the improvements.
  • The landowner may petition for the improvement under the Ohio County Ditch Laws (ORC Chapter 6131).  If the petition is approved, the landowner should expect to pay assessments for his/her portion of the construction cost for the improvement, as well as assessments for perpetual maintenance.
  • The voluntary group may construct the needed improvement and then apply to the Board of County Commissioners to place the improvement in a maintenance program under the provisions of the Ohio Drainage Ditch Laws (ORC Section 6131.63).  Under this alternative, the improvement would be maintained perpetually from funds collected through assessments.
  • The landowner may apply for assistance through the Conservation Works of Improvements procedure through the Soil and Water Conservation District and pay assessments for improvement construction and maintenance (ORC Chapter 1515).
  • A drainage improvement district may be funded through a tax levy approved through a referendum.
  • The landowner may consult a qualified attorney to present a case for getting the drainage problem resolved in a court of law.  Most often the landowner is trying to collect damages resulting from the neglect of others to properly address a drainage problem.
  • Landowner may choose to do nothing and accept the consequences such as continued flooding, flood damage, etc. and possible future litigation by a third party.

 

For more information, contact the Township at 419-849-2492.