Toledo City Council spent tens of millions this week toward the 10-year, $500 million program to modernize the city’s drinking water plant.

Warren Henry, the city’s water-program manager who is in charge of monitoring the program, said plans afoot in the suburbs to build another water treatment plant would not render those projects unnecessary, even if Toledo’s suburban customers choose to get water elsewhere.

Council approved about $61.43 million in projects for the plant Tuesday.

Sylvania Mayor Craig Stough, who has been pushing for a regional system and preparing for his city to break away from Toledo with its own treatment plant, said he believes Toledo would not need the double capacity if Sylvania builds its own plant.

“If there is another plant built, they don’t need to do all that,” he said.

Sylvania City Council approved a one-year, 20-percent water rate increase Monday that councilmen agreed would lay groundwork for a regional water system or an independent Sylvania system once the city’s contract with Toledo expires in 2028.

Mr. Stough said construction on a new plant could begin by June, 2020.

Sylvania councilmen said they favor a regional water system with Toledo and the other municipalities that buy water from the Toledo’s Collins Park Water Treatment Plant. They unanimously approved a nonbinding agreement supporting of such a partnership.

Lucas County commissioners last month approved a nonbinding agreement supporting a regional water system with the city and eight other northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan communities.

The South County Water District approved a similar resolution.

Councilman Lindsay Webb, chairman of council’s committee that oversees infrastructure, favors a regional water system that includes the city and the suburbs.

“The improvement is prudent moving forward regardless of what happens with regional water,” Ms. Webb said.

The the $500 million, 10-year program was mandated by the Ohio EPA.

The projects approved Tuesday by Toledo City Council are:

● $35,000 to MT Business Technologies for water and sewer billing printer.

● $9.8 million for a contract with URS for construction management at the plant.

● $6.6 million for chemical conveyance system improvements.

● $6 million for residuals handling and de-watering improvements.

● $6 million for the planned ozone harmful algal bloom treatment facility.

● $5.7 million for flocculation and sedimentation basins.

● $5.4 million for a maintenance facility and a chemical and filter building.

● $4.3 million for corrosion protection and prevention improvements.

● $3.7 million for filtered water conduits, gate chambers, and yard piping.

● $2.7 million for facility refurbishment project.

● $2.7 million for the lake water intake improvements.

● $2.3 million raw water main improvements project.

● $2.2 million for Heatherdowns pumping station improvements.

● $2 million for basin seven flocculation/​sedimentation and filter addition.

● $2 million for basin eight flocculation/​sedimentation and filter addition.

Council also agreed to spend $21.8 million for the 2016 and 2017 water main programs.

Contact Ignazio Messina at: imessina@theblade.com or 419-724-6171 or on Twitter @IgnazioMessina.

First Published December 8, 2016, 5:00 a.m.