USDA Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program
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Antonia Varner, Public Affairs Specialist USDA Rural Development Up to date water and wastewater systems are crucial for the health, safety, and economic vitality of Missouri’s rural communities and residents…but did you know that USDA Rural Development partners with rural communities, water districts, and sewer districts to invest in this much needed infrastructure? For more than 50 years, the USDA Rural Development Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program has supported rural communities by providing affordable financing options USDA Rural Development Missouri for clean and reliable drinking water systems State Director Kyle Wilkens speaks at the MRWA Annual Conference in and sanitary sewage St. Charles. disposal systems. The program assists qualified applicants, who are not otherwise able to obtain commercial credit on reasonable terms, acquire, construct, or improve water and wastewater systems. Eligible applicants include most local governmental entities, private nonprofits, and federally recognized tribes in rural areas. MRWA has been an excellent partner with Rural Development for over 45 years. Funds from this program can be used in a myriad of ways, like financing the acquisition, construction, or modernization for drinking water systems, sewer collection systems, solid waste collection, and storm water collection systems. This program helped more than 50,000 rural Missourians have access to safe and clean water in fiscal year 2021 alone. A large part of the success of this program is due to MRWA.
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The affordable loans and grants can be used for a variety of purposes. For example:
The city of Van Buren, located in Carter County, will use their Rural Development investment to make improvements to the city’s water system. A Rural Development loan and grant, in conjunction with funding from Community Developmenth^ ZƵƌĂů ĞǀĞůŽƉŵĞ Block Grant (CDBG) will assist the city with replacing ĚŝƐĐƵƐƐ ŚŽǁ h^ ZƵƌĂ approximately four miles of water distributionĐĂŶ ĂƐƐŝƐƚ ƌƵƌĂů ĐŽŵŵƵ DZt ŶŶƵĂů ŽŶĨĞƌĞ lines, replacing valves, installing new flush hydrants, installing two new water wells, and installingconjunction a new with f 250,000-gallon elevated storage tank as well city as a with replacing installing new flus 60,000-gallon standpipe. The existing distribution gallon elevated sto lines are prone to low pressures and the current ground are prone source wells are subject to contamination during high to low p during water events. By relocating the new water sources to high water improve higher elevations, the city can improve its ability to its ability better serve customers with a more reliable and safe The city of Holts S drinking water system. partner in the crea conjunction The city of Holts Summit, located in Callaway County, with f at its worked with Rural Development to partner in the existing wast City for treatment. creation of a regional wastewater treatment system. within the city lim Rural Development loans, in conjunction with funding from CDBG and the city helped them construct
