Stow · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Stow public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Summit County Pump Station No. 19 replacement (Wyoga Lake)
A 61-year-old sewer pump station near Wyoga Lake failed in 2023 and has been limping along on salvaged parts while the county's replacement project has dragged since 2015. Residents fear a second failure could send sewage into homes, the lake, and downstream into the Cuyahoga River. The county now says construction could start in mid-2027.
Water meter replacement and OPWC funding
Stow wants to replace its aging water meters citywide with a connected smart-meter system, funded by a $4.1 million, 0% OPWC loan. Old meters that don't send readings mean lost water revenue. Residents raised privacy and radiation concerns, but no opt-out is planned.
Proposed water rate increase
Ordinance 2026-137 would raise certain water fees for Stow water users. It didn't come out of committee Thursday, so it stayed in committee — no vote yet, so bills aren't changing yet.
Stormwater detention study
The city wants to know if two parcels it owns — on Hibbard Drive and Maplewood — can be turned into detention basins to reduce downstream flooding. E.L. Robinson Engineering would study it for up to $56,472 from the storm water fund.
THM removal system contract at City Center water tower
Council approved year five of a contract to keep removing trihalomethanes (disinfection byproducts) from Stow's water.