Tennessee State Representative Dan Howell (R-Cleveland) and State Senator Mike Bell (R-Riceville) announced the City of Benton and Copper Basin Utility District in Polk County will receive Infrastructure Planning Grants totaling $90,000.
“These grant dollars will help our local leaders study important issues related to water loss in our communities and address them so we can improve services for our citizens,” Howell said. “I am pleased to have supported efforts to secure this funding because I know it will improve the health and overall quality of life for the residents of Polk County.”
The City of Benton has been awarded $45,000, while the Copper Basin Utility District is also set to receive a $45,000 grant.
The awards are part of the Rural Economic Opportunity (REO) Fund, which is designed to better address the unique water and sewer needs of our rural Tennessee counties. Both grants will be used to study water loss from the local utilities in Benton and the Copper Basin.
According to Howell, grant funding will help these utility districts better serve their customers, develop capital improvement plans and develop better applications for funding to assist with additional upgrades. Funds can be used for water loss studies and the investigation and/or system mapping for water or wastewater systems.
“These grants are great news for Polk County,” Bell said. “The funds will assist these communities develop plans for future water system improvements which will help better serve residents. I want to thank our local officials who were instrumental in helping to secure these funds.”