SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency has announced the investment of more than $66 million through water infrastructure loans to local governments and water districts for the first half of Fiscal Year 2024 and two communities in our listening area will benefit.

The Illinois EPA State Revolving Fund (SRF) Program provides low-interest loans that fund wastewater, stormwater, and drinking water projects.

Of that investment, more than $4.6 million in loan forgiveness was provided to those recipients meeting the loan rules for either the Small Community Rate or Hardship Rate.
In Mt. Vernon, the City will construct a 500,000-gallon elevated water storage tank.

The project will also include the construction of water main, the demolition of the existing L & N Tank and all related equipment to make the project complete and operational.

For that project, the City will receive a more than $3.1 million loan, of which more than $47,000 will be forgiven.

In a separate project, the City of Mt. Vernon will receive a more than $3.2 million loan to install over 23,000 linear feet of water main ranging from 4-in diameter to 12-in diameter. Of that loan, more than $1.6 million will be forgiven.

In Irvington, the Village will receive a nearly $4 million loan to sandblast and repaint the interior and exterior of its 100,000-gallon water storage tank.

The Village will also integrate safety improvements: installing a safety grate over the top of the riser, installing a ladder safety device, and replacing the existing riser manway hatch.

Nearly $200,000 of that loan will be forgiven.