CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — Two Central Illinois locations are getting nearly $730,000 total in loans from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to help fund clean water projects.

DeWitt County’s Village of Kenney and Christian County’s Village of Mount Auburn are both two out of four places in Illinois getting support from the USDA’s Water and Waste Disposal Loans, Grants, and Loan Guarantees. The funds aim to help rural communities gain access to safe and clean drinking water, waste disposal and storm water drainage.


Central IL communities getting more than $56M for water infrastructure projects

Kenney will be getting a $520,000 loan to upgrade their water treatment plant, including new covered aerated lagoon system, a polishing reactor for additional ammonia removal, and replacement of influent lift station with a back-up generator. Meanwhile Mt. Auburn is getting a $207,000 loan to replace their 1,500-foot water main and service lines.

“Safe and potable water is essential to any thriving community”, said Molly Hammond, Illinois Acting State Director for the USDA. “Rural Development’s goal is to help rural towns and communities thrive, and we are proud to do that in a variety of ways, including providing funding via loans and grants for water and waste projects. The investments we’re making today help make a better tomorrow and it’s always exciting to see the impact these types of projects have across communities.”

Other places receiving funds are the Village of Campus in Livingston County and the Fosterburg Water District in Madison County. They will get $1.97 million and $4.2 million, respectively. The USDA is loaning $6.9 million collectively for clean water across Illinois.