Bellbrook Shifts Focus to Water System Upgrades After Downtown Revamp

City received $2.7 million settlement to address PFAS contamination in water supply.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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After completing the bulk of its downtown streetscape improvements focused on pedestrian safety and walkability, the city of Bellbrook, Ohio is now shifting its focus to upgrading its water infrastructure. The city plans to use $2.7 million in settlement funds from chemical manufacturers to determine the best method for removing PFAS "forever chemicals" from its water supply, which has occasionally detected the contaminant. The remaining streetscape work will focus on aesthetic improvements like signage, branding, and tying the downtown's look and feel together.

Why it matters

Bellbrook's water infrastructure upgrades are crucial for ensuring the city's water supply is safe and meets evolving compliance standards for PFAS and other contaminants. Addressing these water quality issues will also provide the added benefit of softening the city's water. The downtown revitalization efforts aim to enhance Bellbrook's small-town identity and encourage new businesses and foot traffic to the area.

The details

Bellbrook's downtown streetscape plan, originally developed in 2021, focused on improving pedestrian safety, accessibility, and walkability along Main and Franklin streets. This included new crosswalks, bump-outs, and road resurfacing. With the bulk of that infrastructure work now complete, the city is shifting its focus to water system upgrades, particularly addressing PFAS contamination. Bellbrook sued chemical manufacturers like 3M and DuPont and received a $2.7 million settlement, which it will use to hire engineers to determine the best water treatment method, whether that's reverse osmosis, filtration, or another approach. The remaining streetscape work will focus on aesthetic improvements like signage, branding, and tying the downtown's look and feel together.

  • Bellbrook's original streetscape plan was developed in 2021.
  • The bulk of the downtown infrastructure work is now largely complete.
  • Bellbrook sued chemical manufacturers over PFAS contamination in 2022 and received a $2.7 million settlement.
  • The city plans to hire engineers this year to determine the best water treatment method.

The players

Bellbrook

The city of Bellbrook, Ohio, which is undertaking downtown revitalization efforts and water infrastructure upgrades.

The Kleingers Group

The civil engineering firm hired by Bellbrook to design the downtown streetscape project in 2021.

Rob Schommer

The Bellbrook City Manager overseeing the city's downtown and water infrastructure initiatives.

3M

One of the chemical manufacturers that Bellbrook sued and received a settlement from related to PFAS contamination.

DuPont

Another chemical manufacturer that Bellbrook sued and received a settlement from related to PFAS contamination.

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What they’re saying

“The community supporting the public safety levy, that allows us to ... pay attention to all the other things that we were on track for, and that's centralizing and beautifying our downtown ... really focusing on the identity of Bellbrook and investing in the safety of our water infrastructure and our roadways.”

— Rob Schommer, Bellbrook City Manager (daytondailynews.com)

“Compliance standards (for PFAS) are newly and continuously developed. So as they engage those, that's where they're putting in methods to say, 'Okay, you need to make sure that levels are under X,'”

— Rob Schommer, Bellbrook City Manager (daytondailynews.com)

What’s next

Bellbrook plans to hire engineering firms this year to determine the best water treatment method for removing PFAS from the city's water supply.

The takeaway

Bellbrook's focus on upgrading its water infrastructure after completing downtown revitalization efforts demonstrates the city's commitment to providing safe, high-quality water for residents while also enhancing the community's small-town identity and economic development potential.