The city of Ottawa will receive financial assistance from the state to separate its storm sewer flow from the sanitary/combined sewer system.
The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity announced the recipients of the 2019 Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) for public infrastructure and Ottawa received $500,000 towards a $630,091 project to separate the sewer flows, reported the Ottawa Times. The city worked with North Central Illinois Council of Governments to obtain the grant.
The issue first came up at a July City Council meeting, where it was discussed that the city's current wastewater treatment plan is not built with the capacity to treat both storm water runoff as well as sanitary flow. The additional $130,000 will come from the city's combined sewer service fees, not including the around $146,000 to pay for engineering and grant application fees, according to the Ottawa Times.
"It is important the state supports public infrastructure improvements as they become the backbone of future growth and economic development," said Gov. JB Pritzker in a press release. "This year, DCEO had a 40% increase in applications for this grant indicating the great need in our communities."
26 communities across the state will receive federal funds totaling $12.5 million, including $500,000 to the city of La Salle for storm sewer construction and $425,000 to the city of Toluca for wastewater treatment plant improvements, reported the Ottawa Times.