Region 7 Awards $2 M for Stormwater, Wastewater Projects
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 7 has awarded $194,000 to East Prairie, Mo., for improvements to the existing storm sewer system, $1,164,000 to Plattsmouth, Neb., for a multi-phased sewer separation project, and $970,000 to Gravois Mills, Mo., for improvements to its existing wastewater system.
East Prairie previously was awarded $194,000 in September 2009.
EPA Region 7 Administrator Karl Brooks said, “Awarding these water infrastructure funds will help prolong the useful life of the existing system. Water infrastructure is a basic necessity to protect community health and prosperity.” The agricultural drainage ditch East Prairie developed was enclosed in a large corrugated metal pipe 80 years ago, and that pipe has begun to fail. Since 2006, four sewer collapses have caused flooding within the city. These grant funds will help construct improvements that will apply a lining to 2,000 feet of the existing storm sewer.
In Plattsmouth, water quality will be improved by removing the sanitary sewage flow from the stormwater currently being discharged to the Missouri River during storm events. The purpose of this project is to separate the sanitary flow from the existing combined sewer. A new sanitary sewer will be constructed to carry sanitary sewage flow to the existing wastewater treatment facility.
Brooks explained that the grant to Gravois Mills will help to protect the water quality of the Lake of the Ozarks by helping to build new sewers and provide sewer service to 360 households.
The project will eliminate individual on-site systems that pollute surface and groundwater with disease-causing organisms, inadequately treated organic matter, and excessive levels of phosphorus and nitrogen.
The Gravois Arm Sewer District in Gravois Mills was formed in 2002 to provide sewer service in an area near the Gravois Arm of the Lake of the Ozarks in Morgan County. The district has about 3,300 homes and 100 businesses and a population of about 3,800.