Lt. Gov. Coleman announces $2.5 million for infrastructure improvements in Boyle, Mercer, and Washington counties

Published 7:20 am Thursday, February 17, 2022

Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman awarded $2,591,699 in funding to Boyle, Mercer and Washington counties. The funding comes through Gov. Andy Beshear’s Cleaner Water Program and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC).

“Kentucky families deserve clean water – a basic human right – as well as access to safe and well-maintained roads, educational opportunities and support when they need help,” said Gov. Beshear. “Today’s investments show what we can accomplish when we put our values into action.”

“Investments in infrastructure, like high-speed internet, clean water, roads and bridges provide Kentucky a solid foundation for building tomorrow’s economy, today,” said Lt. Gov. Coleman.

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As part of Gov. Beshear’s Better Kentucky Plan, the Cleaner Water Program is funded by the American Rescue Plan Act and administered by the Kentucky Infrastructure Authority (KIA), $250 million was appropriated at the close of the 2021 General Assembly through a bipartisan agreement for clean drinking water and wastewater grants to fund projects across Kentucky. The Bluegrass Area Development District and the Lincoln Trail Area Development District submitted the funding request for this project to the KIA.

Boyle County
• $1,103,985 was awarded to the Mercer County Sanitation District to improve protect the health and water quality of Lake Herrington, which provides water supply to four neighboring counties. The funding will eliminate 117 individual septic systems and six holding tanks near Gwinn Island Road.

“Clean water is a vital necessity and an integral part of all healthy communities,” said Sen. Rick Girdler. “I want to thank Boyle County for their hard work in making this a priority for its residents.”

“Today, Boyle County is receiving necessary funds to improve Kentucky’s critical infrastructure,” said Rep. Daniel Elliott, whose district includes Boyle County. “The improvements that will come from the Cleaner Water Program will help every person in Boyle County and beyond. The funding for the program comes from the ARPA funds given to us from the federal government to help recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, and the legislature voted to include some of that money into SB 36. I along with my colleagues voted to pass this budget along with these funds with the hopes of a program like this one to come out of it. I am proud to be a part of a legislature that works to improve the lives of every Kentuckian.”

“I am greatly appreciative of Lt. Gov. Coleman and Gov. Beshear for investing in Danville and Boyle County,” said Boyle County Judge/Executive Howard Price Hunt III. “Infrastructure investments such as this guarantees clean water for our citizens for many years to come. “That is not only reassuring to them, but to me as well.”

Mercer County
• $172,607 was awarded to Mercer County Sanitation District to rehabilitate existing sewer infrastructure.

• $167,607 was awarded to the City of Burgin to relocate fire hydrants to make them more accessible to firetrucks.

• $147,525 was awarded to Lake Village Water Association to replace water mains to decrease maintenance costs and improve service to customers.

• $215,165 was awarded to the City of Harrodsburg to rehabilitate equipment at three pumping stations, realign sewers, and replace a waterline and hydrants.

• $102,608 was awarded to North Mercer Water District to replace a water main servicing the Brentwood subdivision.

• $238,000 was awarded to Mercer County through KYTC to resurface portions of Old Dixville Road.

“During my 11 years serving on the Harrodsburg City Commission and now as Mercer County judge/executive, I have always known that nothing can impact the health, the economy, the welfare of our children, families and community more positively than access to good quality drinking water and sanitary sewer services,” said Mercer County Judge/Executive Scott Moseley. “We want to thank the Governor and Lt. Governor for this wonderful gift to help very meaningful endeavor.”

“The city of Burgin is very grateful for this funding opportunity,” said Burgin Mayor Jim Caldwell. “It is a prime example of state and local government working together to improve the daily life of Kentuckians and an example of what the City of Burgin can achieve with simple steps to improve record keeping and proper accounting.”

“The North Mercer Water District would like to thank the Governor and those involved in the distribution of these funds,” said Gerald Sheperson, chairman, North Mercer Water District. “These grant monies will be used to replace the water lines in the Brentwood area of Mercer County. This will allow North Mercer to improve water service in this area which is prone to water line breaks due to aging infrastructure. Maintaining our infrastructure is a priority for the district. Sound infrastructure limits water loss and man hours and allows the district to function more efficiently.

This directly benefits our customers and the water rates they are required to pay. On behalf of North Mercer Water District and our customers, again, we say thank you.”

Washington County
• $444,202 was awarded to the Springfield Water and Sewer Commission to replace a water line and repaint water storage tanks. They are the Willisburg Tank, the Etown Road Tank and the Wesley Road Tank.

“Although I have only represented Washington County for a short time because of redistricting, I want to extend my thanks to all of you,” said Sen. Donald Douglas. “I am grateful for the opportunity you have given me and I am excited for the funding that will be coming your way. I will continue to include all in Washington County as I work to strengthen our communities across the commonwealth. I am grateful for the trust you have placed in me in the state senate. Thank you to everyone who has made this possible.”

“Washington County is receiving important funds to improve parts of Kentucky’s infrastructure,” said Rep. Kim King, who represents Jessamine, Mercer and Washington counties. “The county is receiving a little over $444,000 in order to ensure everyone has access to clean drinking water, and I am proud to be part of a legislature that supports improving the lives of those across the commonwealth.”

About the Cleaner Water Program
More than $106 million has been awarded to grantees to fund transformative projects since the call for projects was announced June 1. Eligible government agencies, such as city-owned water or sewer utilities, water commissions, water and sewer districts and counties, collaborated with their local Area Development Districts and Area Water Management Councils to submit projects for Cleaner Water Program funding. There are 713 public drinking water and wastewater utilities in Kentucky.

Cleaner Water program funding is allocated in three ways:
• $150 million based on each county’s proportion of the state’s population, with the exception of Jefferson County’s share, which is discounted by 50% based on its high per capita allocation from the federal act. A list of the allocations by county can be found here.

• $50 million is available for utilities to provide drinking water services to unserved, rural customers or to utilities under a federal consent decree.

The KIA shall consider social, economic and environmental benefits in determining the allocations.
$49.9 million is available to supplement a project grant for a project with a cost in excess of a county’s allocation amount and other available grant sources. The social, economic and environmental benefits shall be considered in determining project allocations. KIA will receive $75,000 to administer the grant program.

The American Society of Civil Engineers in 2019 projected that Kentucky faces nearly $14.5 billion in water/wastewater infrastructure needs over the next 20 years, including over $8.2 billion in drinking water upgrades and $6.2 billion in sewer system improvements.

Information about the Cleaner Water Program, as well as grants for high-speed internet expansion, school facility upgrades, and vocational education center renovations, can be found at governor.ky.gov/BetterKy.