City will make drinking water system improvements
JEFFERSON CITY, MO, FEB. 11, 2025 – The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has awarded $2.5 million in financial assistance to the city of Licking for upgrades to the city’s water distribution systems. The funding will cover the total cost of the project, which is anticipated to be completed by December 2025.
During the project, the city will replace several thousand feet of water mains, along with service lines and hydrants on existing mains at multiple locations. These improvements will enable the city to continue offering its citizens safe drinking water for years to come with a modern and well-functioning drinking water system.
Project funding consists of a $1.27 million grant and a $1.27 million low-interest loan, both provided through the department’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund. This funding is estimated to save the city’s ratepayers $1.27 million in principal and approximately $435,000 in interest over the loan’s 20-year term.
“The department works with communities like Licking to support water and wastewater projects that help them grow and develop while keeping customers’ utility bills affordable,” said Kurt Schaefer, director of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.
The department’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund finances improvements to water treatment plants, distribution systems, water storage and supply facilities, along with interconnection or consolidation projects. Communities that borrow from the fund benefit from the below-market interest rate and from assistance provided throughout their project from a project manager.
The department is committed to assisting Missouri communities with water and wastewater infrastructure improvement projects. Through its Financial Assistance Center, the department provides funding opportunities for qualified communities with water quality, wastewater and drinking water infrastructure needs. This project will be funded wholly or in part with monies received from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
For more information on wastewater and drinking water funding opportunities, visit dnr.mo.gov/water/what-were-doing/state-revolving-fund-srf.