Impacts in Allamakee, Cerro Gordo, Crawford, Dallas, Dubuque, Franklin, Floyd, Hancock, Harrison, Jackson, Jasper, Kossuth, Lucas, Marshall, Mitchell, Monroe, Osceola, Winnebago, Worth, and Wright counties
DES MOINES, Iowa, Dec. 18, 2025 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development’s Iowa State Director Michael Sexton today announced that the agency is investing $3,900,000 in loans and $4,170,342 in grants for seven projects to increase public safety, four projects to promote clean water, and two projects to improve rural housing in Iowa.
“USDA recognizes the unique challenges faced by smaller Iowa communities as the need for clean water and emergency response grows in places that support our nation’s essential food supply chains,” said Sexton. “The Trump Administration believes in rural America and is championing infrastructure projects that put agricultural communities and the people who live and work there on a more solid footing for the future.”
The seven public safety investments totaling $192,400 made through the Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant program are:
-City of Ashton received an $18,000 grant to purchase a warning siren system. This project will install a unit that can be activated remotely to provide warning of approaching severe weather events. The current siren does not reach all residents of the city and must be activated manually at the fire station. Once completed, the project will promote the safety of the residents of this rural Osceola County community and nearby areas.
-City of Clarion received a $27,900 grant to purchase a vehicle and related equipment. This project will provide a new law enforcement patrol unit for the city’s police force. Once in operation, the new vehicle will promote the safety of residents and law enforcement personnel in this rural Wright County community.
-City of Sabula received a $50,000 grant to obtain firefighting equipment. This project will obtain 16 sets of turnout gear to protect the volunteer firefighters in the city’s fire department against heat, flames, and other hazards during emergency calls. Once completed, this project will better provide for the safety of the volunteers and for the protection of residents of this rural Jackson County community.
-City of Albia received a $50,000 grant to purchase a vehicle. This project will purchase a fire rescue truck for the city fire department to support emergency response calls. This project will better provide for the safety of residents, visitors, and fire department staff and volunteers in this rural Monroe County community and surrounding area.
-City of Epworth received a $15,000 grant to purchase 15 pieces of equipment for its volunteer fire department. This project will provide ladders, hoses, nozzles, firefighting gear for the volunteers, and touch-controlled digital computer tablets for use at emergency scenes and to communicate with receiving hospitals. This project is essential for the safety of the fire department volunteers during emergency responses and the protection of residents in this rural Dubuque County community and surrounding areas.
-City of Miles received a $9,700 grant to purchase a siren. This project will provide an outdoor warning siren to notify residents and visitors to the city and surrounding area of approaching severe weather conditions and other eminent emergencies. The equipment is essential for public safety. Once installed, the project will better protect this rural Jackson County community.
-City of Waukon received a $21,800 grant to purchase a vehicle. This project will provide a law enforcement vehicle outfitted to support K9 operations. This project will increase operational capacity for the police department and promote the safety of law enforcement personnel and residents of this rural Allamakee County.
These four water projects received $7,748,000 in funding through the Water and Waste Disposal Loans and Grants program:
-Iowa Regional Utilities received a $200,000 loan and a $450,000 grant to help construct a wastewater system for Green Mountain, an unincorporated community in Marshall County which has never had a centralized sewer system. This project will build a gravity-flow sewer collection system and transmission line to a controlled discharge treatment lagoon. Once completed, the project will alleviate health and sanitary risks for the 110 residents of this rural community and implement state and federal water regulations.
-City of Ricketts received a $200,000 loan and a $900,000 grant to improve its wastewater system. This project will line sewers, seal manholes, and construct a new three-cell controlled discharge lagoon. This project will help bring the city system into compliance with water quality and sanitation standards. Once completed, the project will promote the health and safety of residents and visitors in this rural Crawford County community.
-City of Russell received a $2,105,000 loan and a $1,398,000 grant to renovate its water distribution system. This project will replace aged water pipes with modern pipes that meet fire flow standards and reduce water loss and maintenance costs. Once completed, this project will promote the health and safety of residents of this rural Lucas County community.
-City of Pisgah received a $1,395,000 loan and a $1,100,000 grant to construct new site piping at its well and ground storage tank sites. This project will replace electrical gear, pumps, and controls at both city wells and install emergency standby power at the well house to allow backup power for both wells. The project will also build hydrants, meter pits, and 6" distribution water mains. The project will replace lead goosenecks on water service lines. Once completed, this project will improve the water supply and promote the health and safety of the 249 townspeople and visitors of this rural Harrison County community.
Two projects totaling $129,942 were funded through the Housing Preservation Grants program:
-NIACOG Housing Trust Fund, Inc. received $64,956 to assist with mechanical work in homes that are owned and occupied by very-low income people. This project will assist with the replacement of furnaces, water heaters, and A/C units with new energy efficient units, improving the living conditions of 14 homeowners in rural Franklin, Floyd, Hancock, Kossuth, Mitchell, Worth, Winnebago, and Cerro Gordo counties in Iowa. NIACOG stands for the North Iowa Area Council of Governments.
-Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity, Inc., received $64,986 to rehabilitate housing that is owned and occupied by very-low income households. This project will make necessary repairs to help eliminate health and safety hazards in homes and will improve the living conditions of seven homeowners in rural communities in Jasper and Dallas counties.
Contact USDA Rural Development
USDA Rural Development has 11 offices across the state to serve the 1.3 million Iowans living in rural communities and areas. Office locations include a state office in Des Moines, along with area offices in Albia, Atlantic, Humboldt, Indianola, Iowa Falls, Le Mars, Mount Pleasant, Storm Lake, Tipton and Waverly.
To learn more about investment resources for rural areas in Iowa, call (515) 284-4663 or visit www.rd.usda.gov/ia. If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.
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