JEFFERSON CITY, MO, JUNE 12, 2023 – The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has awarded nearly $2 million from the state’s Multipurpose Water Resources Fund to the city of Harrisonville for critical repairs to the primary spillway of its drinking water reservoir.
“The Multipurpose Water Resources Fund facilitates projects that otherwise wouldn’t be feasible,” said Dru Buntin, director of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. “Projects like this help protect public health and the environment while benefiting local economies.”
In the course of regular safety inspections, engineers from the department’s Dam and Reservoir Safety Program determined a corrugated metal pipe in the dam’s primary spillway was in an advanced state of deterioration due to corrosion.
“Cheaper options to replace the pipe would require draining the reservoir,” said Ryan Stack, chief engineer of the Dam and Reservoir Safety Program. “Because this is Harrisonville’s sole source of drinking water, that wasn’t really an option. More expensive options were beyond the city’s capability. This was a great fit for the Multipurpose Water Resources Fund.”
Harrisonville will use the award of $1.98 million to cover the costs of engineering services and repairs to the spillway, while protecting its drinking water supply. A portion of the funds will be returned over time to help support projects in other communities.
The Multipurpose Water Resources Fund was established to provide financial assistance to communities for the planning, design, construction and renovation of public water supplies or treatment and transmission facilities for public water supplies. The fund is administered by the department’s Water Resources Center and is open year-round to qualifying projects.
Visit dnr.mo.gov/water/what-were-doing/financial-assistance-opportunities/multipurpose-water-resource-program-fund for more information on the Multipurpose Water Resources Fund.