Jennings County’s historic county seat is one of 14 rural Indiana communities that will be sharing in over $8 million in federal grants.
The town of Vernon will receive a $515,200 grant for a wastewater improvement project. The funding comes through the federal Community Development Block Grant program and is administered by the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA).
A large part of the project for the community of 2,883 residents involves four lift stations, which are required to move wastewater from lower to higher elevations.
Two existing lift stations in Vernon will be replaced, while the other two will be rehabilitated to address sanitary sewer overflow issues, state officials said. In addition to the lift stations, a pollution control barrel will be installed at a fifth lift station to address odor control in the area, the release stated.
While all sanitary sewer systems collect a certain amount of stormwater and ground water, the Indiana Dept. of Environmental Management (IDEM) warns that some collect excessive amounts. When wet weather occurs in these sewers, capacity is often exceeded and they may overflow, the agency states.
Overflows are in violation of state and federal law. In addition to the direct health risk associated with microorganisms, issues with sanitary sewer overflows can also impact water quality and public health.
“When quality of life in rural Indiana is high, it improves the quality of life of our entire state,” said Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, Indiana’s Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. “I celebrate the work of these rural towns and cities who took the extra step to improve their communities by earning these grants.”
Community Development Block Grant funds are intended to assist with various community projects such as infrastructure improvement, downtown revitalization, public facilities and economic development. These grants originate from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
