State Director Lynne Hinrichsen announced that USDA is investing more than $57 million to help rebuild and improve water infrastructure in rural Kansas.
“USDA partners with rural communities across the state to provide critical financing for aging water and wastewater infrastructure,” said Hinrichsen. “The projects announced today will help provide several rural Kansas communities with clean water at affordable rates for many years to come.”
Nationally, USDA is providing financing for 234 water and environmental infrastructure projects through the Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant program. The funding can be used for drinking water, stormwater drainage and waste disposal systems for rural communities with 10,000 or fewer residents.
Below are the 16 Kansas projects USDA is investing in:
- The city of Cambridge is receiving a $284,000 loan and $337,000 grant to replace the city’s aging water distribution system with new water lines, service lines, meter assemblies, and fire hydrants. Approximately 13,000 linear feet of water infrastructure will be replaced, along with 58 new meter settings, 30 valves, and 13 hydrants. This project will improve a system that is in poor condition and requires extensive repairs. More than 80 users will benefit. The project also received a $9,000 USDA Special Evaluation Assistance for Rural Communities and Households grant.
- The city of Caney is receiving a $2.741 million loan and $265,000 grant to rehabilitate approximately 62,900 feet of the sewer collection lines. The funds will also be used for predevelopment costs associated with closed circuit televising and recording of the sewer main lines, which will provide a digital recording of the interior of the existing lines to identify the locations of cracked and broken lines. These improvements will help to extend the usefulness of the city's sewer system, which was originally installed in 1907. The population to be served by this project is 2,203.
- Douglas County Rural Water District #4 is receiving a $2.378 million loan to install new water infrastructure to replace existing under-sized water lines in four areas within the district. More than 18,300 residents will be served.
- The city of Eskridge is receiving a $2.806 million loan and $606,000 grant to revitalize the city's wastewater collection and treatment system. The project will rehabilitate approximately 28,146 feet of wastewater collection system line and will upgrade the three-cell lagoon treatment facility. The wastewater collection system is more than 50 years-old and is diminishing. The population to be served by this project is 534.
- The city of Fort Scott is receiving a $4.925 million loan to improve the city's water infrastructure. The project will consist of designing and constructing improvements to the river water intake facility, which was constructed in 1949 as part of the city's water works improvement project. The raw water intake pumps have had maintenance performed on them over the years. However, two pumps are still in need of rehabilitation. More than 8,000 residents will be served by this project.
- The city of Gridley is receiving $1.982 million loan and $126,000 grant to rehabilitate approximately 24,000 feet of sewer collection lines for the city of Gridley. The lagoon treatment facility will also be repaired during the project. The sewer collection system is in poor condition and experiencing a large amount of inflow and infiltration during rain events. More than 341 residents will be served by this project. This project also received a $21,000 USDA Special Evaluation Assistance for Rural Communities and Households grant.
- The city of Kiowa is receiving a $1.439 million loan and $1.561 million grant to improve the city's water distribution system. The distribution system was built in 1909 and consists of cast iron and galvanized iron distribution main lines. Large amounts of cement asbestos pipe were installed in the 1950s and 1960s. In the past year, the city estimates there have been at least 20 water line breaks. More than 44,000 feet of new water lines will be installed along with 113 valves, 21 fire hydrants, and 386 service assemblies. More than 1,000 residents will be served by this project.
- The city of Marion is receiving a $3.428 million loan to improve the city's water infrastructure. This project will replace 47 blocks of water main lines and antiquated fire hydrants. The waterlines proposed for replacement are the original cast iron pipes that are more than 85 years-old. More than 1,990 residents will benefit from this project.
- The city of Neodesha is receiving a $7.0 million loan to repair the city's water distribution and storage system. Project entails constructing a 200,000-gallon elevated water storage tank, upgrading the existing Little Bear elevated storage tank, and installing approximately 14,700 linear feet of water line to loop the distribution system. The city obtains its water from the Fall River. In 2007, a flood damaged the city's river intake structure. The project will make repairs to the Fall River dam, replace existing motors in the plant with variable frequency drives, upgrade the Supervisory Control and Data acquisition (SCADA system), and replace approximately 1,500 feet of cast iron water line. A new lift station and 5,000 linear feet of sewer lines will be built to serve the hospital. These improvements will replace a failing water system and provide the city with a more reliable water distribution system. The population to be served by this project is 2,486. The project also received a $1.0 million USDA Emergency Community Water Assistance Grant.
- Public Wholesale Water Supply District No. 23 is receiving a $2.96 million loan and $2.34 million grant to install approximately 135,000 linear feet of water lines, build a booster pump station, and construct a 200,000-gallon elevated water storage tower. This project will connect two new members to the wholesale water district. This project will serve 835 residents.
- Strong City will receive a $2.24 million loan and $2.156 million grant to rehabilitate the city's sewer infrastructure. The project will rehabilitate approximately 37,050 linear feet of sewer pipes. Improvements will also be made to the city's pump station. The city's lagoons will receive new rock, piping, and structure work. The city has an aging sewer system that suffers from extensive inflow and infiltration. During rain events the daily flow can spike to more than 20 times the normal dry weather flow, which causes increased pump operation and can lead to treatment plant permit violations. The population to be served by the project is 485.
- The city of Toronto is receiving a $1.090 million loan and $1.251 million grant to rehabilitate the city's water distribution system. Approximately 46,000 linear feet of waterline pipes will be installed, as well as 74 gate valves, 28 fire hydrants, and 170 meter assemblies. The project also includes recoating the interior and exterior of the city's water tower. The city's original water distribution system was installed in 1925. Corrosion and sediment accumulation in the current cast and galvanized iron pipes has reduced water flow. The city's water loss is approximately 17 percent. The population to be served by the project is 281. In June 2018, the city received a $15,000 USDA Special Evaluation Assistance for Rural Communities and Households grant.
- The city of Turon is receiving a $312,000 loan and $436,000 grant to improve the city's water distribution system. A 100,000-gallon elevated water storage tower will be constructed, and approximately 1,860 feet of water lines will be installed. A new well house and chlorination building will be built for the new supply well. The city's current water storage tank was built in 1913 and has reached the end of its useful life. The population to be served by the project is 387. In 2017, the city received a $12,000 USDA Special Evaluation Assistance for Rural Communities and Households (SEARCH) Grant.
- The city of Valley Center is receiving a $3.1 million loan to replace a portion of the city's aging water distribution system with new water lines, service lines, valves, and hydrants. Approximately 17,500 feet of water distribution infrastructure will be replaced, along with 80 valves, and 22 hydrants. This project will improve the system by replacing the cast iron pipes that are corroded and deteriorated that were installed in the 1960s. Replacement of this line will improve water quality throughout the system. The population to be served by the project is 6,822.
- The city of Victoria is receiving a $2.966 million loan and $1.441 million grant to improve the city's water infrastructure and create additional water storage. A multi-year drought has diminished the city's aquifer. The supply of groundwater in the city's shallow aquifer is to a point where the city no longer has a dependable and sustainable supply of water. A new 150,000-gallon elevated water storage tank will be built, 13,900 feet of water distribution lines replaced, upgrades to the telemetry system, and improvements to the city's existing wells. Water connection lines will be built to Trego Co. Rural Water District #2 to alleviate water supply issues for the city. The population to be served by the project is 1,214.
- The city of Washington is receiving a $6.151 million loan and $1.32 million grant to update the city's aging water distribution system, which contains cast iron main lines and lead and steel service lines. The old system is causing sediment build-up that reduces water flow. Since 2013, the city has documented 58 leaks or failures in the water lines. Approximately 55,000 linear feet of water lines will be installed, as well as 106 gate valves, 60 fire hydrants and an updated Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system. All 678 existing meters will be replaced with automatic read meters. The population served by this project is 1,131.
USDA is making investments in rural communities in: Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and West Virginia.
In April 2017, President Donald J. Trump established the Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity to identify legislative, regulatory and policy changes that could promote agriculture and prosperity in rural communities. In January 2018, Secretary Perdue presented the Task Force’s findings to President Trump. These findings included 31 recommendations to align the federal government with state, local and tribal governments to take advantage of opportunities that exist in rural America. Increasing investments in rural infrastructure is a key recommendation of the task force.
To view the report in its entirety, please view the Report to the President of the United States from the Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity (PDF, 5.4 MB). In addition, to view the categories of the recommendations, please view the Rural Prosperity infographic (PDF, 190 KB).
USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities and create jobs in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community services such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural areas. For more information, contact the Topeka office at (785) 271-2700 or visit www.rd.usda.gov/ks.