Statewide — Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch and the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs announced 24 rural Hoosier communities will receive more than $15.3 million in federal grant funding to improve water infrastructure. The State of Indiana distributes Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to rural communities, which assist units of local government with various community projects such as infrastructure improvement, downtown revitalization, public facilities, and economic development.
The second round of the 2020 CDBG program begins on August 24, 2020, with proposals due on September 24 and final applications due November 20. Additionally, the suspension of the Blight Clearance Program, Main Street Revitalization Program, and Public Facilities Program will continue. Therefore, only Wastewater/Drinking Water and Stormwater Improvement Program applications will be accepted for round two.
Two communities in the Southeastern Indiana region that were awarded grants include:
- Ripley County is awarded $550,000 for water and sewer improvements. This project will install a chlorine disinfection system at the wastewater treatment plant, install an updated contact tank, and construct a chemical building to house the feed pumps and storage tanks. Additionally, plant electrical improvements will be installed to include lagoon alarms and upgrading the plant’s electrical system to accommodate chlorine disinfection.
- The Town of Vevay is awarded $700,000 for water and sewer improvements. This project will rehabilitate the lift stations at the high school, the library, and Ohio Street, as well as upgrade the wastewater treatment plant.
The goals of the Wastewater/Drinking Water Program are to protect the health and environment, reduce utility rates for low-to-moderate income communities, and improve rural infrastructure to enable long-term economic growth. Eligible Wastewater/Drinking Water Program projects include many aspects of wastewater improvements and drinking water system improvements.
