Water, sewer grants
By The Emporia Gazette (Contact)
Originally published 01:19 p.m., January 17, 2008
Updated 01:20 p.m., January 17, 2008
Two local towns are sharing in more than $5 million in water and sewer funds through the Kansas Department of Commerce.
Hartford and Neosho Rapids are among 13 Kansas cities that are sharing in the funds to be used to improve water and sewer infrastructure. The funds come from the federally funded Community Development Block Grant program. Statewide, the grants will assist approximately 13,658 Kansans, 7,490 of whom have moderate or low incomes. The grant program provides funding to Kansas communities to help with development and infrastructure needs. Since 1998, more than $223 million in funding has been handed out.
“We’re glad to provide water and sewer grants to these 13 deserving communities,” said Kansas Department of Commerce Secretary David D. Kerr. “The CDBG program is one of the department’s most effective tools to help rural Kansas communities with quality-of-life projects.”
The city of Hartford was awarded $400,000, the maximum allowed under the grant. The city plans on using the money to replace about 27,000 linear feet of cast iron water lines and rehabilitation of the existing water tower. The USDA-Rural Development will provide $1,365,000 in financing for the project.
Neosho Rapids also was awarded $400,000 for improvements to the city’s sewer. The money will be used to construct a fourth sewer cell and the replacement of the south lift station. The USDA-Rural Development will provide $780,100 in financing for the project.