News Release No. 389

DEPARTMENT PROVIDES MONEY FOR DRINKING WATER SYSTEMS

Volume 33-389

Contact: Susan Bloomer

(For immediate release)

573-526-1825

JEFFERSON CITY, MO, SEPT 23, 2005 -- The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has selected 16 public water systems to receive contract money for engineering report services. This money will be used to evaluate the water system's needs and possible solutions for achieving, improving or maintaining the technical, managerial and financial capability to continue providing safe drinking water. The selected systems are:

CITIES: Alba and Purcel (joint grant), Annapolis, Caledonia, Carterville, Clarksburg, Crane, Diggins, Hermann, Lanagan, Novinger, St. Mary, Skidmore, Stotts City, Unionville.

PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY DISTRICTS: Atchison County Public Water Supply District #1, Bates County Public Water Supply District #1, Cole County Public Water Supply District #4.

Each selected system will receive 90 percent of the costs for engineering report services, not to exceed $7,500 per system. The funding comes from a set-aside of the Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund to provide technical assistance to small water systems. Eligible water systems included any municipality or public water district serving 3,300 people or less, or serving 10,000 people or less and benefiting an existing public water system serving 3,300 people or less. Each water system is responsible to choose an engineer and meet engineering pre-selection process criteria. Upon notification of the selected engineer, the department will enter into a payment contract with the water system and engineer. The selected water systems must submit their engineering reports to the department no later than Feb. 13.

For more information, contact the Department of Natural Resources' Water Protection Program at 800-361-4827 or 573-751-5331.

For news releases on the Web, visit www.dnr.mo.gov/newsrel. For a complete listing of the department's upcoming meetings, hearings and events, visit the department's online calendar at www.dnr.mo.gov/calendar/search.do.

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