Home » Monticello water plant gets $1.5 million for expansion

Monticello water plant gets $1.5 million for expansion

FRANKFORT Ky. (June 6, 2013) – Gov. Steve Beshear today announced $1.5 million to help expand the Monticello Municipal Water Treatment Plant in Wayne County.  The project will increase the plant’s capacity and allow for residential and industrial growth throughout the area.

“Communities need safe, well-maintained, quality infrastructure in order to grow and thrive,” said Governor Beshear. “This water infrastructure project in Monticello will help the area not only reach required water safety standards, but will support potential economic growth in the region.”

The Monticello Municipal Water Treatment Plant is outdated and can no longer meet its required capacity. It was built more than 25 years ago and was last upgraded in 2000. The plant’s demand is reaching maximum production rates, operating an average of 21 hours per day. Additionally, the plant’s existing sludge holding basins are inadequate and the settling basins are beginning to deteriorate.

The new expansion project will increase the water treatment plant’s current capacity of 3 million gallons per day to 6 million gallons per day and will incorporate membrane filtration. The upgrade will enable the plant to continue to meet the demand of its more than 8,000 existing customers and provide for future growth.

The plant provides treated water for all of Wayne County and a portion of Pulaski County.

“This project will provide vital infrastructure to ensure Wayne County citizens continue to have a reliable water treatment system and hopefully to pave the way for future expansion of the system,” said state Sen. Sara Beth Gregory. “It is very good to see local, state, and federal officials working together to make this project happen, and I appreciate the efforts of all those who have been involved.”

“Effective, modern infrastructure is an imperative foundation for economic development, housing growth and quality of life in rural Kentucky,” said Department for Local Government Commissioner Tony Wilder. “This water plant expansion project will provide Wayne County and the region with reliable access  to an upgraded, modern water treatment system with increased capacity.”

“I would like to thank Governor Beshear and Commissioner Tony Wilder for the support on this important project,” said Wayne County Judge Executive Greg Rankin. “This project will help us serve the needs of citizens and will help promote economic development for many years to come.”

“This water treatment plant expansion more than meets the needs of the residents and businesses in our growing community,” said Monticello Mayor Jeffrey Edwards. “Thanks to Governor Beshear and all of the federal, state and local partners who have worked together to make this important infrastructure project a reality.”

The $1.5 million in funding includes a $1 million Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) to the Wayne County Fiscal Court and a $500,000 Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) grant to the city of Monticello.  Both grants are administered by the Department for Local Government.  A grant and loan from USDA Rural Development will fund the remainder of the more than $13 million project.

The state’s CDBG program is funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).  The program works to ensure decent affordable housing, to provide services to the most vulnerable in communities and to create jobs through the expansion and retention of businesses.  HUD determines the amount of each grant by using a formula comprised of several measures of community need, including the extent of poverty, population, housing overcrowding, age of housing, and population growth lag in relationship to other metropolitan areas.

ARC partners with federal, state and local governments in an effort to support sustainable community and economic growth throughout Appalachia by funding projects that range from education and job training to housing and business expansion to transportation and infrastructure development.