$4.4 million awarded for wastewater project
ALTO PASS — Governor JB Pritzker and Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, director John J. Kim on Wednesday, Dec. 8, announced $16,878,529 in grants have been awarded to five communities across the state through IEPA’s Unsewered Communities Construction Grant Program, UCCGP.
Made possible through the governor’s bipartisan Rebuild Illinois capital plan, the project will allow underserved communities to have a safe and dependable wastewater collection and treatment system.
The announcement was made in the Village of Alto Pass, where a total of $4.4 million in state funding from IEPA and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity was awarded to replace failing infrastructure within the community.
“Alto Pass is the first recipient of the EPA’s Unsewered Communities Construction Grant in Illinois...but many more communities will follow,” the governor said.
“Thanks to Rebuild Illinois, we are making $100 million available to build wastewater collection and treatment facilities for communities without them.
“We also have provided an additional grant program to help communities plan their future design so they can build the solution that works best for them: over 30 communities have already received these planning grants earlier this year.”
In the fall of 2020 Illinois EPA announced $20 million in funding available to assist communities with inadequate or nonexistent wastewater collection and treatment facilities through the Unsewered Communities Construction Grant Program, UCCGP.
Through the governor’s bipartisan Rebuild Illinois Capital Plan, Illinois EPA is making $100 million available over the next five years through construction grants for wastewater collection and/or treatment facilities for such communities.
Additionally, the Unsewered Communities Planning Grant Program, UCPGP, provides $1M annually in smaller scale grants to help communities develop construction plans. 2021’s recipients can be found here.
Illinois EPA estimates there are more than 200 Illinois communities that have inadequate or nonexistent wastewater collection and treatment facilities.
These communities rely on individual septic tank systems or patchwork systems that result in illegal surface discharges that have negative environmental impacts.
Affordability of appropriate systems is the greatest obstacle for unsewered communities.
The UCCGP provides an opportunity to receive grant funds which would help finance the corrective action needed to address issues with wastewater collection and treatment.
“This grant will prevent the potentially unhealthy conditions and likely negative environmental impacts from the current failing system,” IEPA director John J. Kim said.
“This project will allow for the construction of new, reliable wastewater infrastructure that will benefit residents, businesses, and the environment.”
Alto Pass is a small community in Union County with a population of just over 300 residents.
The village currently has failing septic tanks for the collection and treatment of sanitary sewer waste.
The village applied and was approved for an UCCGP that will be used for the construction of a new wastewater treatment system with chlorination, and a septic tank effluent pump wastewater collection system consisting of approximately 160 new septic tanks and pumps at each residence and business in the community.
Necessary force main will also be constructed along with the installation of air release valves, cleanouts and a back-up generator.
The removal and replacement of pavement and other improvements will also be included as part of the project.
In addition to EPA funding, Alto Pass is also receiving $500,000 from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and more than $2.2 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Loan/Grant Funds to help fund the project.
The total project cost is estimated to be $6.622 million.
The village anticipates starting construction in January 2022 and completing construction in December 2022.
“When we invest in real, tangible infrastructure, we are doing the work we are elected to do,” State Rep. Paul Jacobs, R-Pomona, said.
“I am thrilled Southern Illinois is receiving the attention we deserve on this crucial piece of infrastructure for our people.
“This project will also mean good paying jobs for the hard-working men and women of Southern Illinois while ensuring basic needs continue to be met.”
“The Alto Pass community got some great news when they announced $4.4 million in funding to replace the town’s failing infrastructure,” State Sen. Dale Fowler, R-Harrisburg, shared on social media.
“With this funding, the community will be able to update its sewage system which will not only create jobs for the community but is vital to ensuring residents of Alto Pass can remain safely in their homes. I am thrilled to see another great investment in Southern Illinois.
“I was impressed to see a considerable amount of student involvement at this event.
“It is always inspiring to see students invested in improving their communities and I look forward to continuing my work to ensure Southern Illinois remains a place they can be proud to call home.”
In addition to the UCCGP (construction) and UCPGP (planning) programs, the state is investing in additional environmental infrastructure through the Rebuild Illinois capital plan.
Those programs include the Green Infrastructure Grant Opportunities program, which is investing $25 million in capital funds to construct green infrastructure best management practices to prevent, eliminate, or reduce water quality impairments.
Through Rebuild Illinois, IEPA also received an additional $100 million to fund wastewater and drinking water infrastructure projects through the State Revolving Fund loan program as well as a $50 million hazardous waste remediation program to ensure hazardous wastes do not negatively impact the health of Illinois residents or their communities.