MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES: Department awards more than $50,000 to study regional wastewater partnership in eight Missouri counties

Missouri Department of Natural Resources issued the following announcement on Jan. 4.

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has awarded $50,473 in grant funding to the Meramec Regional Council of Governments to conduct a wastewater partnership feasibility study in Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Osage, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties.

The project will calculate time and expenses related to the operation of wastewater systems in the study area and evaluate the potential cost effectiveness of a multi-community partnership that shares a regional operator of multiple facilities.

“Investing in these communities provides them with the proper infrastructure and necessary facilities to maintain a strong quality of life,” said Carol Comer, director of the Department of Natural Resources. “It also provides environmental benefits and positive economic impacts.”

The study’s objective is to determine whether cost savings and improved stability can be achieved by sharing operational responsibilities among several communities rather than each community hiring and training its own part-time staff. A shared regional operator may benefit small, rural communities by reducing expenses and eliminating staff turnover.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Region 7 has provided funding for this project under Section 604b of the Clean Water Act. The Department of Natural Resources will administer the grant funds. The department is committed to supporting formation of water and wastewater system partnerships and to working closely with Missouri communities to improve water quality.

This grant is in addition to $80,776 awarded to the Mid-Missouri Regional Planning Commission to further develop plans for the Callaway County Sewer District and $78,911 awarded to the Northwest Missouri Regional Council of Governments to examine the feasibility of a regional wastewater partnership.

For more information, contact the department's Water Protection Program at fac@dnr.mo.gov or

573-751-1300.

Original source can be found here.