Franklin Co. receives $750,000 grant to improve infrastructure | News

FRANKLIN COUNTY, IL (KFVS) - Officials with the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity announced Friday a $750,000 grant was awarded to Franklin County to help with infrastructure improvements.

The federal Community Development Assistance Program grant was given on behalf of the Rend Lake Conservancy District. DCEO says it will go towards replacing a water main that lies under the Big Muddy swamp east of Buckner, Ill., which will help alleviate a potential life and safety hazard for citizens in communities throughout Franklin County and surrounding areas.

“The Community Development Assistance Program is helping us make much-needed infrastructure improvements in many of our smaller communities,” Governor Quinn said. “This funding will help ensure businesses and families throughout Franklin County have access to clean, safe water and will help revitalize the local economy and create jobs."

CDAP funds will be used to build a bypass around the swamp area to provide permanent access to the water main for future repairs and to mitigate the risk of the loss of drinking water for an extended period of time. Because of the inaccessibility of the pipe, should this line break under the swamp, over 18,000 people would be without water for an extended period of time.

“By making investments in our infrastructure, we’re helping to make communities throughout the state even more attractive to investment and supporting economic growth throughout the state,” said DCEO Director Warren Ribley.

According to DCEO, the 18-inch water main provides potable water and fire suppression to the Franklin County communities of Buckner, Christopher, Greenwood Creek Nation, Mulkeytown, North City, Valier, Sesser, Zeigler, Royalton, the Williamson County communities of Bush and Hurst, and to the Perry County communities of DuQuoin, St. Johns, and Tamaroa.

They say the water system is owned and operated by the Conservancy District. Rend Lake Conservancy District will construct and maintain the bypass to ensure residents and businesses served by the District will have a secure and dependable source of drinking water.

DCEO administers Illinois’ CDAP program, which is known nationally as the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program and provides federal funding for a variety of community-based projects. Communities with populations of 50,000 or less can apply for CDAP grant funding to support a variety of projects.

For more information about CDAP and the state’s economic development programs, visit DCEO’s website at www.ilbiz.biz.

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