Department of Natural Resources awards $4.8 million in assistance to Ro…

District will use funding for Phase III sewer extension

JEFFERSON CITY, MO, DEC. 30, 2024 - The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has awarded $4.8 million in financial assistance to Rocky Mount Sewer District for its Phase III sewer extension project. The funding will cover the project's total estimated cost and the project is expected to be completed by December 2025.

The district's Phase III sewer project involves constructing a sewer extension that will serve approximately 165 homes and 140 condos being connected to the district's wastewater treatment system. Additionally, upgrades will be made at the treatment facility to comply with an existing agreement to limit the discharge of wastewater to the current receiving stream. The project is expected to enhance environmental protection of the district's surrounding area by connecting residents that currently use private septic systems to the district's central wastewater treatment system.

Project funding consists of a $2.3 million low-interest loan and a $2.5 million grant, both through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund. The funding provided by the department is estimated to save the district's ratepayers more than $2.5 million in principal and approximately $790,000 in interest over the loan's 20-year term.

"If Missouri communities are to grow and thrive, they must have reliable, up-to-date infrastructure like the systems that treat drinking water and wastewater," said Missouri Governor Mike Parson. "Maintenance and updates to these systems can be very expensive, but we are committed to being good partners with our local communities to help ensure they succeed."

"We believe very strongly in helping Missouri communities maintain their water treatment systems," said Dru Buntin, director of the Department of Natural Resources. "One of the ways we do that is by offering an array of financial assistance options through programs like the Clean Water State Revolving Fund."

The Clean Water State Revolving Fund finances improvements to wastewater treatment facilities, sewer collection system rehabilitation and extensions, and combined sewer overflow corrections. The fund also finances upgrades in treatment system security, efficiency and conservation. Communities that borrow from the fund benefit from the below-market interest rate and from assistance provided throughout their project by a department project manager.

The department is committed to assisting Missouri communities with water and wastewater infrastructure improvement projects. Through its Financial Assistance Center, the department provides funding opportunities for qualified communities with water quality, wastewater and drinking water infrastructure needs. This project will be funded wholly or in part with monies received from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

For more information on wastewater and drinking water funding opportunities, visit dnr.mo.gov/water/what-were-doing/state-revolving-fund-srf.