TOPEKA, Oct. 14, 2021 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Acting State Director for Kansas Dan Fischer today announced that the USDA is investing $1,341,000 to modernize the critical drinking water and wastewater infrastructure in Fall River and Overbrook.
“Upgrading the infrastructure that delivers safe drinking water will improve public health and drive economic development in our small towns and cities,” Fischer said. “USDA is dedicated to rural communities and their long-term commitments to economic prosperity; because when rural America prospers, all of America prospers.”
Background:
The Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program provides funding for clean and reliable drinking water systems, sanitary sewage disposal, sanitary solid waste disposal, and storm water drainage. The program serves people and businesses in eligible rural areas with populations of 10,000 or less.
These USDA investments in Kansas are part of a larger national announcement that includes $272 million to modernize rural drinking water and wastewater infrastructure for 270,000 people living in rural communities across 37 states and Puerto Rico.
The details of the Kansas investments are:
- Fall River will receive a $670,000 loan to repair and/or replacement of 1,307 linear feet of pipe, and the installation of approximately 4,760 linear feet of pipe and lift station pumps. Previous investments made on this project were a $11,500 Rural Development grant and $25,000 from the city that were used to complete the Preliminary Engineering Report on the project. After the improvements are completed, the city will have a safe and reliable wastewater collection system for many years to come.
- Overbrook will receive a $491,000 grant and a $180,000 loan to clean and repair water supply wells, repair and rehabilitate the chlorine treatment facility, build a water supply transmission line from the well field to the city, build a booster pump station and interconnect to Osage County Rural Water District Number Five, repair and rehabilitate two elevated water storage tanks, install a telemetry system, and upgrade the city's aging distribution system infrastructure. This project has already received $600,000 from a Community Development Block Grant; in May 2017 they received $30,000 -- Special Evaluation Assistance for Rural Communities and Households Grant, in April 2020 they received $4,152,000 and $1,409,000 from Water and Environmental Loan and Grant funds. Once this project is complete, the city will have reliable and safe drinking water for many years to come.
To learn more about investment resources for rural areas, contact a USDA Rural Development state office.
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USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.
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