Governor Reynolds Announces $6.2 million in Grants to 16 communities for Water Quality Projects
January 3rd, 2022 by Ric Hanson
Des Moines – Governor Reynolds today (Monday) announced that the communities of Adel, Auburn, Boone, Britt, Carlisle, Chariton, Winneshiek County – Festina, Grandview, Hartford, Indianola, Lake Park, McGregor, Mount Ayr, Perry, Treynor and Wheatland have been awarded a total of $6.2 million in grants to advance water quality projects. The funding is made available through the Wastewater and Drinking Water Treatment Financial Assistance Program, which was created as a part of Senate File 512, the first legislation signed into law by Governor Reynolds in January 2018.
“Investing in water quality infrastructure within our state has been a top priority of my administration since day one,” said Gov. Reynolds. “The first bill I signed into law as Governor in 2018 created opportunities for communities to upgrade their water infrastructure and I’ve remained steadfast in my commitment to building upon that.”
The Wastewater and Drinking Water Treatment Financial Assistance Program receives a portion of the tax on metered water and had more than $6 million available for allocation in 2021. Grants will be awarded through the program on an annual basis through 2039.
The 2021 program received 18 applications requesting more than $6.5 million in water quality grants. A committee consisting of designees from the Iowa Finance Authority, Iowa Department of Natural Resources and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship judged the Wastewater and Drinking Water Financial Assistance Program applications based on the program’s priorities.
Priorities for grant awards include: Disadvantaged communities; Projects that will significantly improve water quality in their watershed; Projects that use alternative wastewater treatment technologies; Communities with the highest sewer or water rates; Projects that use technology to address nutrient reduction; and projects to address improvements to drinking water source waters.
The Wastewater and Drinking Water Treatment Financial Assistance Program has assisted a total of 33 communities through a total of nearly $9 million in water quality grants since the first awards were granted in 2019. The program is expected to have approximately $6 million in available funds in 2022 based on the portion of tax that will be allocated to the program.
2021 Wastewater and Drinking Water Financial Assistance Program Grant Awards
| Grant Recipient | Grant Award | Total Estimated Project Cost | Project Description |
| Adel | $300,000 | $17,370,000 | New Wastewater Treatment Facility |
| Auburn | $100,000 | $175,000 | Water Treatment Improvements |
| Boone | $200,000 | $1,948,500 | Wastewater Treatment Improvements – UV Disinfection System, etc. |
| Britt | $500,000 | $9,028,500 | New Water Treatment Facility & Water Storage |
| Carlisle | $500,000 | $3,900,000 | Water Distribution Improvements |
| Chariton | $500,000 | $3,578,000 | Wastewater Treatment Improvements – UV Disinfection System; post aeration system improvements |
| Winneshiek County – Festina | $300,000 | $899,700 | Wastewater Treatment Improvements |
| Grandview | $500,000 | $3,732,500 | Wastewater Treatment Improvements – Submerged Attached Growth Reactor; UV Disinfection System |
| Hartford | $500,000 | $3,300,000 | Wastewater Treatment Improvements – UV Disinfection System; NitrOx Reactor |
| Indianola | $500,000 | $57,000,000 | New Wastewater Treatment Facility |
| Lake Park | $300,000 | $7,100,000 | New Wastewater Treatment Facility |
| McGregor | $500,000 | $9,458,795 | Water & Sewer Transmission Improvements |
| Mount Ayr | $300,000 | $866,400 | Wastewater Transmission Improvements |
| Perry | $500,000 | $30,349,479 | New Wastewater Treatment Facility |
| Treynor | $300,000 | $4,871,522 | Wastewater Treatment Improvements – LemTec Polishing Reactor; UV Disinfection |
| Wheatland | $400,000 | $1,107,200 | Wastewater Treatment Improvements – LemTec Polishing Reactor |
| $6,200,000 | $154,685,596 |
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