The Missouri Department of Natural Resources is putting its money where its mouth is when it comes to improving the state's water infrastructure, awarding a hefty $95.8 million to the Little Blue Valley Sewer District for its Middle Big Creek Wastewater Treatment Facility expansion, with full coverage of the estimated project cost, which should wrap by June 2028, according to the Department of Natural Resources announcement.
What's the money going to? The district's laying plans to beef up wet weather resiliency and tackle growth within their service area—the hefty project sum, a combo of a $93 million loan and a $2.7 million grant, coming from the department's Clean Water State Revolving Fund, is supposed to save ratepayers about $2.7 million in principal and around a staggering $87.3 million in interest over the next three decades, the loan's term. The expansion's aim, besides chasing after inefficiencies, is to boost the system's effluent quality and stretch its service life out longer, focusing on sustainability
"Investing in the wellbeing of Missouri’s infrastructure is a catalyst to economic growth and prosperity," asserted Kurt Schaefer, the director of the Department of Natural Resources; he pledged that the department is eyeballing further upgrades to water infrastructure to keep Missouri's residents healthy, preserve water resources, and to keep customer bills reasonable.
Missouri communities with water projects may see added support through the Department’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund. The program, backed by funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, provides below-market interest rate loans to improve wastewater treatment and related infrastructure. Along with financing, the fund supports projects that address security, efficiency, and conservation measures. Department project managers also assist applicants throughout the process, underscoring the agency’s commitment to strengthening water and wastewater systems across the state.
