Business View Magazine - January 2024

Source- www.americancityandcounty.com, Andy Castillo, First Published 02, Jan, 2024 Eighty-four municipalities in Wisconsin are slated to receive allotments from state funding to improve their wastewater and stormwater systems. Gov. Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources announced last month that $414.4 million has been allocated for financial assistance through the state’s Clean Water Fund Program. “Helping communities replace and modernize aging systems to ensure they meet federal and state regulations is a critical part of our work to ensure every Wisconsinite has healthy, safe, and clean drinking water from their tap,” said Evers in a statement. “These dollars will help communities ensure they have the infrastructure their residents can trust to address wastewater and stormwater and be even better prepared to handle any future challenges that may arise.” The $414.4 million is a record amount for the program. The Department of Natural Resources is allocating $358.3 million in subsidized, reduced- interest-rate loan funding and $56.1 million in principal forgiveness. The program is funded in part by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Examples of projects receiving funding include: The village of Soldiers Grove, which is receiving $386,000 in funding that includes $215,774 of general principal forgiveness and $54,040 of phosphorus reduction priority principal forgiveness, with the remainder through a loan with a reduced interest rate. The money will be used to reduce concentrations of phosphorus in the effluent from the village’s wastewater treatment plant, as well as to replace and upgrade aging equipment. The village of Denmark is receiving $5 million These dollars will help communities ensure they have the infrastructure their residents can trust to address wastewater and stormwater and be even better prepared to handle any future challenges that may arise. 84 WISCONSIN COMMUNITIES TO RECEIVE $414M IN STATE FUNDING FOR WASTEWATER AND STORMWATER PROJECTS 13 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 11, ISSUE 01 OPENING LINES