JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has awarded $95.5 million in financial assistance to the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District to upgrade the district’s sewer collection infrastructure.
"This funding provides the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District with the resources to upgrade their infrastructure while potentially saving the community more than $30 million over the life of the loans," said Harry Bozoian, director of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. "These improvements will ensure the sewer infrastructure is operating in a safe and healthy manner for both the 1.3 million citizens it serves and the surrounding environment."
The work to be completed consists of continuing rehabilitation of the district’s collection system, including approximately 265 miles sanitary sewers and 5,500 manholes, to reduce inflow and infiltration.
The funding consists of two low-interest loans through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund in the amounts of $20 million and $75.5 million. These below-market-rate loans will provide an estimated $30 million in interest savings over the 20-year terms of the loans. The State Revolving Funds provide financial assistance to communities with infrastructure needs for water quality, wastewater and drinking water.
The district will use the loan funds to continue system rehabilitation work that reduces the flow of groundwater and stormwater into the collection system, lessening the impacts of wet weather on MSD’s collection system and wastewater treatment facilities. These improvements will result in improved water quality in the Bissell, Coldwater, Lemay, Meramec, and Missouri watersheds and for the citizens of Missouri.
The department’s Water Protection Program will administer the funds and is committed to working closely with public entities to assist with funding efforts that support water and wastewater infrastructure improvement projects. These loans will be funded wholly or in part with monies received from the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency.
For more information, visit http://dnr.mo.gov/env/wpp/srf/index.html.