Lt. Gov. Crouch announces 12 communities to
receive more than $8 million
INDIANAPOLIS (Dec. 17, 2020) ? Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch and the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs today announced 12 rural Hoosier communities will receive more than $8 million in federal grant funding to improve water infrastructure.
?These grants are vital to Indiana?s economic success as these projects should improve the quality of life in these rural communities,? Crouch said. ?Collaborations between federal, state and local partners as they invest in the state?s water infrastructure is a win for Hoosiers as we work toward a stronger Indiana.?
The State of Indiana distributes Community Development Block Grant funds to rural communities which assist units of local government with various community projects such as: infrastructure improvement, downtown revitalization, public facilities and economic development.
?Ensuring rural communities have the necessary infrastructure in place has never been more crucial as we continue to cope with COVID-19,? said Denny Spinner, Executive Director of OCRA. "Indiana's rural communities must have a foundation to build on to enable them to be on the road to recovery, and water projects such as these are essential as leaders focus on the health and safety needs of their residents. This is another example of state and local leadership coming together to improve the quality of life for Hoosiers across the state.?
For this round?s grantees, OCRA will delay the start of the administration process until after the holidays. The first round of the 2021 CDBG program will open March 29, 2020. Additionally, the suspension of Main Street Revitalization Program and Public Facilities Program will continue. All eligible programs for 2021 were included in the OCRA calendar and additional information will be provided in March.
Funding for OCRA?s CDBG programs originates from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development?s Community Development Block Grant program and is administered for the State of Indiana by OCRA. For more program information, visit in.gov/ocra/cdbg.htm.
The Stormwater Improvement Program strives to reduce flooding, to cut stormwater treatment and energy costs, to protect rivers, lakes and vital landscape and generate jobs to spur economic revitalization. Types of activities that are eligible for this grant funding include stormwater improvements, as well as demolition and/or clearance. The following communities are the beneficiaries of this program:
The City of Lawrenceburg is awarded $600,000 for flood drainage improvements. This project will rehabilitate storm drainage infrastructure in a high-flood prone area adjacent to Doughty Road. By replacing the sluice gate, backflow valve, and pump to the current systems and rehabilitating ditches in the area, it will prevent future flooding to the Doughty Road area.
The City of Sullivan is awarded $600,000 for flood drainage improvements. This project will install new storm sewers along Price Street starting at State Street and extending across Section Street. Inlets will be added to each intersection along this route and as needed along the existing shallow ditches. Once complete, this project will help to reduce flooding during and after rain events.
The Town of Edinburgh is awarded $600,000 for flood drainage improvements. This project will replace dry wells and install a new storm sewer system along High School Drive with an outlet that will be treated and then feeds out to the Big Blue River.
The goals of the Wastewater/Drinking Water Program are?to protect the health and environment, reduce utility rates for low-to-moderate income communities and improve rural infrastructure to enable long-term economic growth. Eligible projects include many aspects of wastewater improvements and drinking water system improvements. The following communities are the beneficiaries of this program:
The City of Beech Grove is awarded $600,000 for wastewater system improvements. This project will reline approximately 15,652 linear feet of wastewater mains that continue to fail. These wastewater lines are collapsing and causing sinkholes and poor sewer service to residents.
The Town of Carbon is awarded $700,000 for water system improvements. This project will rehabilitate the town?s original water infrastructure and components by elevating the water tank, complete a booster station rehabilitation and install water main upgrades.
The Town of Dana is awarded $700,000 for water system improvements. This project is a system-wide comprehensive rehabilitation of system components upgrades/improvements: wellfield, water treatment plant, storage facility and distribution system. This project will allow the Town to provide necessary emergency back-up power at the Town?s wellfield and water treatment plant, improve water supply, transmission and treatment, increase water storage capacity and provide accurate water metering to cut down water loss/unbilled water usage.
The Town of Lapel is awarded $700,000 for water system improvements. Project components include installing 10,550 linear feet of water main, complete well improvements, and water treatment and storage improvements.
The Town of Leavenworth is awarded $700,000 for water system improvements. This project will deliver improvements to the Leavenworth Water Utility, including a new, 60,000-gallon elevated storage tank with a tank mixing system. It will also demolish of the existing tank, install a new security fence around the tank site and build a new control building.
The Town of New Market is awarded $700,000 for water system improvements. This project will install more than 1,100 linear feet of water main replacing 1930s cast iron water mains. Along with these water main improvements, the town will add a media filter to the water treatment plant to a help alleviate residential water issues.
The Town of Spurgeon is awarded $700,000 to construct a wastewater system. This project will construct a new wastewater collection system, since no system currently exists. The town will install 71 grinder pump stations to serve one or more households, and the connect more than 19,000 linear feet of force main lines throughout the town. The collection system will then connect to a main owned by the Town of Lynnville, which will then provide treatment.
The Town of Thorntown is awarded $700,000 for water system improvements. This project will install a new wastewater lagoon adjacent to the current lagoon to increase capacity by 33 percent. Additional project elements include installing 2,400 linear feet of piping to connect the lagoons, six control valves, two blowers and diffusers, as well as a building a new lagoon.
Putnam County is awarded $700,000 for water system improvements to the Van Bibber Lake conservancy district. This project is a full-system rehabilitation and upgrade of all original, 1970s water distribution system components and the construction of a new water treatment plant. This project will also increase water main sizes to improve system-wide pressure, flow and flushing capabilities, and enhance isolation capabilities during future leaks.
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Under the leadership
of Lieutenant Governor Suzanne Crouch, who also serves as the Secretary of Rural
Development, the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs? (OCRA) mission
is to work with local, state and national partners to provide resources and
technical assistance to assist communities in shaping and achieving their
vision for community and economic development. For more information, visit
ocra.in.gov.
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