South West Illinois News

State Rep. Paul Jacobs (R-Paloma) has highlighted a $4.4 million state-funded grant to establish new wastewater infrastructure for the Village of Alto Pass in a press release on his official website.

The project is one of five that has received a total of $16,878,529 in funding from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency's Unsewered Communities Construction Grant Program, according to a KFVS 12 report.

"This investment will provide good-paying jobs throughout Southern Illinois for a nice boost to our economy, and create a safe, efficient sewage system for the good people of Alto Pass," Jacobs stated in the release.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who was at Alto Pass to announce the grant, stated that although Alto Pass is the first community to receive the EPA's Unsewered Communities Construction Grant, "many more will follow," according to a WSILTV report.

"Thanks to Rebuild Illinois, we are making $100 million available to build wastewater collection and treatment facilities for communities without them,” Pritzker stated at a press conference.

As a grantee, the city is responsible for getting the work done, paying for it, and invoicing the UCCGP before the Illinois EPA may reimburse the municipality, according to a press release from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.

“We also have provided an additional grant program to help communities plan their future design so they can build the solution that works best for them," Pritzker continued, "Over 30 communities have already received these planning grants earlier this year.”      

Along with the EPA funds, Alto Pass will receive $500,000 from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and over $2.2 million from the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development Loan/Grant Funds.

The project's overall cost is estimated to be $6.622 million.

Additionally, the Village of Alto Pass expects construction to begin in January 2022 and conclude in December 2022.