District will make collection system improvements
JEFFERSON CITY, MO, OCT. 21, 2026 -The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has awarded $9.1 million in financial assistance to the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District for upgrades to its wastewater collection system. The district expects to complete the project in July 2029.
As part of its Public Inflow and Infiltration Reduction Program, the district will use the funding to rehabilitate the existing collection system throughout its entire service area. This program is part of the district’s ongoing effort to reduce combined sewer overflow and sanitary sewer overflow occurrences and volumes by reducing the amount of inflow and infiltration into its sanitary and combined systems.
Project funding consists of a $7.6 million loan and a $1.5 million grant, both through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund. The department estimates its funding will save the district’s ratepayers $1.5 million in principal and approximately $3.4 million in interest over the loan’s 20-year term.
“Investing in local water infrastructure is not just about improving wastewater systems; it’s about fulfilling our mission of stewarding our invaluable natural resources to benefit Missourians now and into the future,” said Jake Buxton, director of the Department of Natural Resources.
The department’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund finances improvements to wastewater treatment facilities, sewer collection system rehabilitation and extensions, and combined sewer overflow corrections. The fund also finances security, efficiency and conservation measures. Communities that borrow from the fund benefit from the below-market interest rate and from a department project manager’s assistance throughout the project.
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 Missouri Department of Natural Resources State Revolving Fund
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