Macomb waited two years for a state grant to come through, and yet the timing worked out quite well.
City leaders were seeking the grant to help pay for improvements at the wastewater treatment plant at Grant and Ward streets.
Mayor Mike Inman said city leaders were about to put the project out to bid this spring when they heard from the state.
“Had we already let the bids or had any of the project started, we would not have been eligible for this grant under the DCEO guidelines that were discussed with us. The timing was just absolutely perfect,” he said.
The city will be receiving a $2 million dollar grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. https://www2.illinois.gov/dceo/Pages/default.aspx
“The $2 million is welcomed and it’s timely in that we’re set to go out for bid in the next 30 to 45 days,” the mayor said.
The estimated cost of the improvements is $4.5 million. Inman said they’re also hoping for a forgivable loan from either the Illinois or federal EPA to further defray the city’s cost.
Inman said the upgrade will allow the plant to use a fairly new ultraviolet disinfection process to treat wastewater before it’s released into a tributary of Kiljordan Creek.
He said the plant complies with current regulations. The upgrades should ensure the city is prepared for new regulations that might come down the road.
Inman said it might be fall before construction work begins and it could take nine to twelve months to complete.
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