Washington, Missouri, city officials are applying for DNR money for water, sewer, and lead pipe upgrades.
The Washington Missourian reported that officials want to use American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding for the following: to build a water storage tank; extend and upgrade sewer lines; and increase its inventory of lead service lines.
Officials plan to fund the projects with the $1.175 million it directly received through ARPA. Officials also want to apply for $2.8 million in ARPA funds that the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) received separately for municipalities for drinking water, stormwater, wastewater and lead pipe infrastructure projects.
The Washington Missourian reported that the Washington City Council voted unanimously to send four applications to the Missouri DNR, which are as follows:
- To purchase and install a $2 million water storage tank on North Goodes Mill Road. The city is applying for $1 million in ARPA funding from DNR for the project and plans to use $500,000 of its own ARPA funding and $500,000 from its regular budget.
- To extend a South Point Road sewer tank east to St. Johns Road, which is projected will cost $1.65 million. The city is applying for $900,000 in DNR’s ARPA funding and plans to use $500,000 of its own ARPA funding and $250,000 from its regular budget.
- To replace a $1.25 million force main on Front Street that uses pressure to push wastewater from the west end of town to the Walnut Street Lift Station. The city is applying for $850,000 in DNR’s ARPA funding while planning to use $150,000 in its own ARPA funding and $150,000 from its regular budget.
The city also is planning to build up an additional $100,000 inventory of lead piping it can use to connect water users to the city’s system. The city is applying for $50,000 in DNR’s ARPA funding while using $25,000 of its own ARPA funding and $25,000 from its regular budget.
Nilges put together the applications for the council and has seen a copy of the rubric DNR will use to determine which applications to approve.
“A vast majority of the rubric was centered around social-economic things,” said Public Works Director John Nilges, reported The Washington Missourian. “So what is your poverty level? What is your median income?”
