Eight counties | 36 cities | one region

ST. JAMES—Necessary upgrades to the Chamois waste water treatment facility and sanitary sewer system are taking place with the help from a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) through the Missouri Department of Economic Development. The project, which began construction in October 2017, includes the installation of a UV disinfection system to bring the discharge from the waste water treatment facility up to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources requirements. The project will also remove accumulated sludge from the existing lagoons and stabilize interior berm slopes of the lagoon and move the outfall to the edge of the Missouri River. Some of the sewer lines will also have their interior lined with plastic to increase their useful life.

“This project was long overdue for completion,” Debbie Huff, mayor of Chamois, said. “Our waste water system was antiquated and in need of an overhaul. This will provide better service for our community and provide a treatment facility with newer technology. The most important person in the community is the city water supervisor, who ensures all our water systems work properly. This will make his job much easier.”

The total cost of the project is approximately $1.9 million dollars. CDBG funds will pay for $460,258 in construction and administration of the project. A Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) grant will provide $1,064,066, and a DNR loan will cover the rest of the project costs, including construction, engineering design and other professional services. Engineering services are being provided by Archer-Elgin Engineering of Rolla, and the main contractor for the project is Mid-State Pipeline Maintenance of Belle. Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC) prepared the grant application for the city and now provides the grant administration for the program.

MRPC provides professional CDBG grant writing and administration services to its member governments. The project is expected to be completed in June 2018.

The CDBG program is a flexible program that provides communities with resources to address a wide range of unique community development needs. Beginning in 1974, the CDBG program is one of the longest continuously run programs at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The Missouri Department of Economic Development handles Missouri’s allocation of CDBG funds and offers them in a competitive basis to cities, counties and other qualifying entities outside entitlement areas, that receive direct CDBG funds.

Formed in 1969, MRPC is a voluntary council of governments serving Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Osage, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties and their respective cities. A professional staff of 23, directed by the MRPC board, offers technical assistance and services, such as grant preparation and administration, housing assistance, transportation planning, environmental planning, ordinance codification, business loans and other services to member communities.

To keep up with the latest MRPC news and events, visit the MRPC website at www.meramecregion.org or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/meramecregion/.

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