Contact: Ernie Blazar 202.224.7627 Shana Stribling 202.224.0309
Friday, July 11, 2003

WASHINGTON, DC –– U.S. Senator Kit Bond today announced that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has approved $3 million in rural development funds for Missouri water projects.

"These communities have been hit hard by Mother Nature in recent years and are still suffering the effects of drought," said Bond. "For these folks the water projects funded by today's announcement are critical."

The USDA will send Missouri $3,362,750 in rural development Water and Waste Disposal Grants for the following projects:

$500,000 Water and Waste Disposal Grant for Milan. Funds will be sued to build permanent pump and intake structures in Locust Creek to supplement the water supply in the Milan Reservoir. Ongoing drought conditions over the past few years have depleted this reservoir. The project will ensure the City's 846 residents have an adequate water supply;

$500,000 Water and Waste Disposal Grant for the Public Water Supply District #1 of Nodaway County. Funds will be used to build waterline extension to serve an additional 100 farmers and rural household in northwest Nodaway County. Ongoing drought conditions over the past few years have depleted area water wells and cisterns, and this connection will ensure that area residents have an adequate water supply;

$500,000 Water and Waste Disposal Grant for Cameron. Funds will be used to raise the dam height of Grindstone Lake to increase water capacity. Ongoing drought conditions over the past few years have caused a decline in the water level of the latke and now threaten the local water supply. A total of 2,656 users will benefit;

$491,000 Water and Waste Disposal Grant for the Public Water Supply District #2 of Harrison County. Funds will be used to build an additional well that will provide a reliable source of water for the District's 530 users. Ongoing drought conditions over the past few years have depleted existing wells in the area;

$428,000 Water and Waste Disposal Grant for the Public Water Supply District #1 of Worth County. Funds will be used to extend water lines to provide a reliable water source to 33 additional rural households in Central Wroth County and north-central Gentry County. Ongoing drought conditions over the past few years have forced area residents to haul water for livestock and household use;

$273,000 Water and Waste Disposal Grant for the Public Water Supply District #1 of DeKalb County. The funds will be used to build waterline extensions to connect 27 additional users in Gentry County. Ongoing drought conditions over the past few years have depleted several individual wells in the area, and this project will ensure an adequate water supply for residents;

$240,000 Water and Waste Disposal Grant for Public Water Supply District #1 of Ralls County. Funds will be used to construct an additional permanent booster station to pump additional water into the Water District lines. This upgrade will help ensure that all users will have an adequate supply of water. Ongoing drought conditions have caused additional customers to connect to the water district's system because private wells have failed. Many residents now are hauling water for domestic use. This project will benefit more than 800 users throughout Ralls County;

$184,000 Water and Waste Disposal Grant for Princeton. The funds will be sued to construct an additional well for the City's 556 users. The city also furnishes water to Mercer Public Water Supply Distrcit #1 and the city of Mercer. The water level in the city wells has decreased during the past drought years. At the same time, water demand has increased for domestic and livestock use. The new well should insure an adequate supply of safe, potable water;

$32,000 Water and Waste Disposal Grant for Osborn. The funds will be used to build an emergency connection to Public Water Supply District #1 of DeKalb County. This connection will serve as a back-up water source for the 455 residents of Osborn. Ongoing drought conditions over the past few years have made this back-up water source essential to ensure residents have adequate water supplies.

The USDA supports rural development in a number of ways, including Water and Waste Disposal grants and loans that help reduce costs to a reasonable level for rural users.

Kit Bond is Missouri’s senior Senator and is now in his third term after having served the state previously during two terms as Governor.