SHENANDOAH — Today, Rep. Cindy Axne (IA-03) applauded the announcement of $22,549,000 in new federal investments to improve water and sewer infrastructure in three cities within Iowa’s Third Congressional District.

The investments were part of nearly a half a billion dollars in funds for rural water, energy, and biofuel infrastructure announced today by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development.

“Access to safe and sanitary water infrastructure and clean drinking water should be universal in our great nation, but that requires investments that will keep our communities healthy,” said Rep. Axne. “I’m pleased to see more than $22 million in Rural Development funds coming back to southwest Iowa today to help our rural communities implement the upgrades and maintenance needed to provide for their communities.”

The three projects within Iowa’s Third Congressional District are:

• Anita: A $1,880,000 loan and $401,000 in grant funding to improve the municipal sewer system by building a Submerged Attached Growth Reactor treatment system and an ultraviolet disinfection treatment system. These improvements will extend power from Anita Municipal Utilities to the lagoon system and upgrade the lift station.
• Shenandoah: A $17,743,000 loan and $2,000,000 in grant funding to expand and upgrade the city’s wastewater facility and infrastructure. Funds will be used to install a four-million-gallon equalization basin, an ultraviolet disinfection station and a flood-risk-protection berm.
• Sidney: A $525,000 grant to complete infrastructure improvements to the city’s water system, including a new plant and transmission main, a water storage tower and new water meters.

The full list of projects announced today can be found here.