Howard County Water District Gets $2.28M for Upgrades

Howard County Public Water Supply District No. 2 has been awarded $2.28 million in state financial assistance for improvements to its drinking water supply, storage and distribution systems, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources announced Friday, Oct. 30.

How is the Howard County project paid for?

The package combines a $390,060 grant with a $1.89 million low-interest loan, both through the department’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund. The loan carries $1.16 million in principal forgiveness, meaning that portion does not have to be repaid.

The department estimates the funding will save ratepayers $1.5 million in principal and about $315,000 in interest over the loan’s 20-year term. The district expects the award to cover the total cost of the project and anticipates finishing by May 2027.

“Funding from the department’s State Revolving Fund positively affects our communities, helping them grow and develop for years to come,” said Jake Buxton, director of the Department of Natural Resources, in the release.

What does the state fund pay for?

The revolving fund finances improvements to water treatment plants, distribution systems and water storage and supply facilities, as well as system interconnection and consolidation projects. The department says communities that borrow from it get a below-market interest rate and help from a project manager. The project is funded wholly or in part with money from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The release does not say which towns or roads the district serves or what specific work will be done, so those details are not yet known. Rocheport Times has asked for no further comment from the district.

Other recent water stories include the state’s new $20,000 well plugging grants and a report on PFAS found at Missouri waterway test sites.

For more on water and wastewater funding, visit the Department of Natural Resources State Revolving Fund page or call the department’s Communications Office at 573-751-1010.