During June, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) awarded millions of dollars in grants to cities throughout the state.
Braymer and Branson West
On June 7, DNR gave two cities a combined $67,500 from the Drinking Water Engineering Report Grant. Braymer, in northwest Missouri, received $37,500, and Branson West, in southwest Missouri, received $30,000.
This money will be used by the cities to evaluate their drinking water systems for improvements that may need to be made in order to ensure reliable service to residents and quality drinking water. The grant also covers the engineering costs these improvements may require.
“One of our priorities is helping Missouri communities maintain and improve their water and wastewater treatment systems,” Dru Buntin, director of the Department of Natural Resources, said. “One way we do that is by offering a variety of financial assistance programs through which qualified communities can improve key infrastructure and experience real economic benefits.”
Clark
On June 8, DNR gave the city of Clark, in mid-Missouri’s Randolph County, $50,000 from the Clean Water Engineering Report Grant.
This money will be used by the city to evaluate its wastewater system and to cover engineering costs to evaluate water and wastewater system improvements. The improvements must meet permit requirements, as well as continue reliable service to residents and reduce the stormwater drainage into sewer collection pipes.
This plan should be done in November 2024.
“Infrastructure such as wastewater systems are crucial to every community,” Buntin said. “Through this grant, we can help cities like Clark identify the changes needed to maintain and improve their wastewater systems, which in turn will help protect public and environmental health and support the local economy.”
Harrisonville
On June 12, western Missouri city, Harrisonville, received almost $2 million from DNR as part of the Multipurpose Water Resources Fund, which supports projects that aren’t feasible for communities to afford by themselves.
The $1.98 million donation will allow for critical repairs to be made to the main spillway of the city’s drinking water reservoir, which will in turn protect public health and the environment while helping local economies, DNR said.
Over the course of routine safety inspections, DNR Dam and Reservoir Safety Program engineers discovered there was a deteriorating metal pipe in the dam’s main spillway.
“Cheaper options to replace the pipe would require draining the reservoir,” Ryan Stack, chief engineer of the Dam and Reservoir Safety Program, said. “Because this is Harrisonville’s sole source of drinking water, that wasn’t really an option. More expensive options were beyond the city’s capability. This was a great fit for the Multipurpose Water Resources Fund.”
A portion of the funds will be given back to DNR over time to ensure support for projects in other communities.
Hale
On June 13, northern Missouri city, Hale, received $50,000 from DNR as part of the Clean Water Engineering Report Grant, which will go toward evaluating the city’s wastewater system.
Similar to Clark, this money will be used by the city to evaluate its wastewater system and to cover engineering costs to evaluate water and wastewater system improvements. The improvements must meet permit requirements, as well as continue reliable service to residents and reduce the stormwater drainage into sewer collection pipes.
This plan should also be done in November 2024.
“This grant helps Missouri communities of all sizes pay for thorough wastewater treatment system evaluations that they might not have been able to undertake otherwise,” Buntin said. “We are here to help Missouri communities identify, plan and fund infrastructure improvements that ultimately will help protect public and environmental health and provide local economic benefits as well.”
DNR is using these donations to help Missouri communities with water and wastewater infrastructure improvement projects, DNR said. Using its Financial Assistance Center, the department gives chances for funding to communities that qualify for water quality, wastewater and drinking water infrastructure needs.
This project funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.