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| photo: Kiersten Richardson, DLG |
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CADIZ, Ky. (September 26, 2018) – The hard water that has stained coffee pots and strained water pipes in homes across Cadiz will soon be a thing of the past.
Officials from every level of government gathered last week at the future site of the city’s new water treatment plant to break ground and celebrate the years of hard work and collaboration that got them to that point.
In 2013, early discussions took place about possible water contamination from an old landfill north of town, Director of Public Works Kerry Fowler said during his prepared remarks. Moving the existing plant – which was 50 years old at the time – to a new raw water source would have been prohibitively expensive and left little room to accommodate population growth.
So, city and county leaders set off to build a brand new, modern facility in the International Business Park off US-68.
“After a lot of meetings, phone calls, hand-shaking, arm-twisting, baby-kissing, we finally got the go-ahead to start planning a new water treatment plant,” Fowler said. “It’s been a long road.”
Funding of the new plant, projected to cost $8.5 million, was made possible in large part by the efforts of the Department for Local Government (DLG) and U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development. DLG is an arm of the Office of the Governor dedicated to supporting local officials and communities.
Local officials first approached DLG Commissioner Sandra Dunahoo in 2016.
“Local officials knew at the time that building a modern water treatment plant that can support Cadiz residents and future economic development would be a massive undertaking and require resources beyond the city’s coffers,” Commissioner Dunahoo said. “I commend local leaders for contacting the Department for Local Government to explore grant opportunities to help make the dream of a new water treatment plant a reality.”
Noticing the critical public health component of the project, Commissioner Dunahoo early on invested $1 million in U.S. Housing and Urban Development Community Development Block Grant funds. She and her staff then worked closely with the Delta Regional Authority to invest $400,000 in DRA funds.
“These funds will ease the financial burden associated with the installation of much-needed infrastructure,” Commissioner Dunahoo said. “It will also lower the amount of loan dollars needed for the project, which will result in savings to taxpayers.”
In addition to the federal funds invested by DLG, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development awarded roughly $1.8 million in grant funding and issued millions of dollars in loans for the project.
“We at USDA Rural Development believe very strongly that clear and safe and clean palatable water is an absolute necessity for our rural communities to remain strong (and) to remain economically vibrant,” USDA Rural Development State Director of Kentucky Hilda Legg said during the ceremony.
City officials expressed optimism about the new water treatment facility, which is expected to open in 2020. They called it a “huge economic boost” to companies looking to locate in Cadiz.
“We hope with all that together that our community will start to grow fast,” Fowler said.
Is your city or county looking to take on a community-building public project? DLG can help you explore available grant opportunities. Call DLG at 800-346-5606 or visit
dlg.ky.gov.
