Area communities to receive grants for water system upgrades

Two area communities will be receiving federal grant money to repair and upgrade their water systems.

The office of Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith and the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs are announcing that Shelby County and Westport will be receiving Community Development Block Grants through the wastewater/drinking water program. They are among 15 rural communities to receive shares of $10.2 million in funds through the most recent round of grants.

Shelby County has been awarded $750,000 to make necessary improvements in the Waldron Conservancy District. Those improvements will include rehabilitating tanks, wells and the water treatment plants, as well as replacing water meters and hydrants.

Westport will receive almost $442 thousand dollars to rehabilitate its only elevated water storage tank.

The Wastewater/Drinking Water Program funds are meant to protect resident and environmental health, reduce utility rates for low-to-moderate income communities, and improve rural infrastructure to enable long-term economic growth.

The Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs distributes U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant funds to rural communities, to assist local governments with various community projects .