JEFFERSON CITY, MO, MAY 11, 2020 – The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has awarded a total of $1 million in financial assistance to the city of Holts Summit to connect the wastewater flow from Callaway Hills Elementary School to Holts Summit’s wastewater treatment system. Provided through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund Regionalization Incentive Grant program, this grant will fund 100% of the eligible construction costs for the sewer connection project and is expected to be completed by April 2022.
The department’s Regionalization Incentive Grant is a competitive grant program that offers funding to municipalities as an incentive to construct connections for small, struggling facilities. The entities responsible for these small facilities often lack the financial and technical resources to upgrade their wastewater treatment facilities to meet more stringent limits and operate appropriately. These facilities typically serve such a small number of connections that the cost to comply with permit conditions is a significant financial challenge for the users.
"Water and wastewater systems are essential infrastructure that support community health and economic vitality," said Governor Mike Parson. "We are committed to doing all we can to help Missouri communities maintain and improve their water treatment systems so they can continue to grow and thrive."
"This grant helps facilitate regional partnerships that otherwise would not be possible," said Carol Comer, director of the Department of Natural Resources. "Projects funded through this grant will reduce the number of point sources releasing pollutants to Missouri’s waterways and develop infrastructure that benefits the local economy."
"This grant allows us to serve a school in our community while eliminating tens of thousands of dollars in upgrades to an aged treatment works," said Holts Summit City Administrator Hanna Lechner. "With this grant we will be able to assist other areas of need in our area and the school will be able to save precious funds to be used to benefit the student as well as free up land for future growth of the school."
The department’s Financial Assistance Center is committed to working with communities to assist with water and wastewater infrastructure improvement projects. This project will be funded wholly with monies received from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
For more information on wastewater and drinking water funding opportunities, visit https://dnr.mo.gov/water/business-industry-other-entities/financial-opportunities/financial-assistance-center.