Lt. Gov. Coleman Announces More Than $2.1 Million in Infrastructure Funding to Hancock and Ohio CountiesHARTFORD / LEWISPORT, Ky. (Apr. 5, 2022) – Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman awarded $2,183,340 in infrastructure funding to Hancock and Ohio counties today. The funding comes through Gov. Andy Beshear’s Cleaner Water Program and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC).
“Kentucky families deserve clean water – a basic human right – as well as access to safe and well-maintained roads, educational opportunities and support when they need help,” Gov. Beshear said. “Today’s investments show what we can accomplish when we put our values into action.”
“Investments in infrastructure, like high-speed internet, clean water, roads and bridges, provide Kentucky a solid foundation for building tomorrow’s economy, today,” Lt. Gov. Coleman said.
As part of Gov. Beshear’s
Better Kentucky Plan, the Cleaner Water Program is funded by the American Rescue Plan Act and administered by the Kentucky Infrastructure Authority (KIA), $250 million was appropriated at the close of the 2021 General Assembly through a bipartisan agreement for clean drinking water and wastewater grants to fund projects across Kentucky. The Green River Area Development District submitted the funding request for this project to the KIA.
Hancock CountyLt. Gov. Coleman awarded $390,325 in Hancock County, including:
$320,325 to the City of Lewisport for booster station improvements and to add 2,900 feet of waterlines; and
$70,000 to Hancock County, through KYTC, to resurface portions of Thomas Lane.
“On behalf of Hancock County, I would like to thank Gov. Beshear, Lt. Gov. Coleman and their staff for the allocation of funds that were announced today,” Hancock County Judge/Executive Johnny W. Roberts Jr. said. “These infrastructure projects are vital to the growth and sustainability of our community.”
“On behalf of the Lewisport City Council and its employees, we were pleased to welcome Lt. Gov. Coleman. We are excited to receive the presentation of checks for two needed projects for the betterment of Lewisport and Hancock County,” Lewisport Mayor Chad Gregory said.
Ohio CountyLt. Gov. Coleman awarded $1,793,015 in Ohio County, including:
$175,763 to the City of Beaver Dam to provide sewer service to 13 households and install a lift station;
$178,152 to the City of Fordsville to rehabilitate a water storage tank;
$175,764 to the Ohio County Water District to replace water meters;
$175,763 to the City of Hartford to rehabilitate a water tank;
$175,763 to the City of Centertown to replace 3,100 feet of waterlines and 500 water meters;
$167,810 to Ohio County from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet to resurface portions of Pond Run Church Road; and
$744,000 to the City of Hartford through KYTC’s Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) to improve pedestrian and bike safety in Hartford.
“We are so proud and excited to have Lt. Gov. Coleman in Ohio County. We were thrilled to hear the grant announcements,” Ohio County Judge/Executive David Johnston said.
“This project will be very beneficial for the immediate needs of residents in our community while at the same time providing for future long-term benefits for the entire community,” Beaver Dam Mayor Paul Sandefur said. “We are extremely appreciative of the Beshear/Coleman administration’s help in obtaining these funds.”
“These funds will enable us to remodel the current water tank in order to cut water production costs, reduce byproducts formation and also provide a better quality product for our citizens,” Hartford Mayor George Chinn said. “This TAP grant will allow us to complete a walking trail from Wayland Alexander School to the Ohio County Park. In doing so, we will be better qualified to be designated as a Kentucky Trail Town and will be a boost for tourism for Ohio County as well.”
“The City of Fordsville would like to thank Gov. Beshear, Lt. Gov. Coleman and the General Assembly for the funds received for the repair and renovations of the water tank,” Fordsville Mayor Beatrice J. Edge said. “Without their help, this would have been an impossible project. Thank you for your dedication in helping the small cities of Kentucky.”
“The funds will be used to change out approximately 30% of our system’s water meters,” Eric Hickman, general manager of the Ohio County Water District, said. “The purpose of a water meter is to measure and track the amount of water delivered through the water distribution system. As water meters age, they tend to lose their precision of how much water is being used in a negative way. Water that is not registered through inefficient meters is considered lost water or unaccounted for water. Lost water has a fiscal impact on the OCWD because it does not generate revenue but still costs the OCWD to pump, treat and distribute the water thus the ratepayers ultimately have to pay for it. We appreciate the statewide approach by the legislature and Gov. Beshear that has made these awards possible. These system upgrades help rural communities like Ohio County out by not having to put an extra cost burden on our customers and the community we serve.”
About the Cleaner Water ProgramMore than $153 million has been awarded to grantees to fund transformative projects since the call for projects was announced June 1. Eligible government agencies, such as city-owned water or sewer utilities, water commissions, water and sewer districts and counties, collaborated with their local Area Development Districts and Area Water Management Councils to submit projects for Cleaner Water Program funding. There are 713 public drinking water and wastewater utilities in Kentucky.
Cleaner Water Program funding is allocated in three ways:
$150 million based on each county’s proportion of the state’s population, with the exception of Jefferson County’s share, which is discounted by 50% based on its high per capita allocation from the federal act. A list of the allocations by county can be found
here.
$50 million is available for utilities to provide drinking water services to unserved, rural customers or to utilities under a federal consent decree. The KIA shall consider social, economic and environmental benefits in determining the allocations.
$49.9 million is available to supplement a project grant for a project with a cost in excess of a county’s allocation amount and other available grant sources. The social, economic and environmental benefits shall be considered in determining project allocations. KIA will receive $75,000 to administer the grant program.
The American Society of Civil Engineers in 2019 projected that Kentucky faces nearly $14.5 billion in water/wastewater infrastructure needs over the next 20 years, including over $8.2 billion in drinking water upgrades and $6.2 billion in sewer system improvements.
Information about the Cleaner Water Program, as well as grants for high-speed internet expansion, school facility upgrades and vocational education center renovations, can be found at
governor.ky.gov/BetterKy.
About the Transportation Alternatives ProgramTAP is a federally funded reimbursement program administered through the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s Office of Local Programs. Funding supports non-motorized forms of transportation to improve connectivity, accessibility, safety and equity in communities. Transportation projects commonly include bicycle and pedestrian pathways, ADA compliance, Safe Routes to School and wildlife mitigation. The program covers 80% of the project cost.
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