6-12-13 —   Officials from the city and county joined those from across the state on Thursday, June 6 at Memorial Park for a groundbreaking ceremony for the Monticello Water Treatment Plant Project.

    The project, which totals just over $13 million, is already under construction.

    It's a project that was a great need for this community, noted USDA Rural Development State Direc-tor Tom Fern, as he spoke to the group gathered last week. The existing water treatment plant is at 73 percent of its rated capacity and during peak demands exceeds 100 percent capacity.

    "Without an expansion of the treatment facility, you would be at capacity in a few years," said Fern.

    The new expansion project will increase the water treatment plant's current capacity of three million gallons  per day to six million gallons per day and will incorporate membrane filtration. The up- grade will enable the plant to continue to meet the demand of its more than 8,000 existing customers and provide for future growth.

    Fern praised the efforts of city and county leaders who have come together to make this project a reality.

    While much of the funding for the project was acquired through the city, the county also received a $1 million CDBG grant to go toward the water treatment plant project.

    "This is a project for all of Wayne County," noted Wayne County Judge-Executive Greg Rankin, as he spoke during last week's ceremony.  

"City water serves all of Wayne County and this is one of those projects that is very vital to our community."

    Funding sources for the water treatment plant project include an

$8.4 million Rural Develop-ment loan, a $3.4 million Rural Development grant, a $1 million CDBG grant and a $500,000 ARC grant.

    "This water treatment plant expansion more than meets the needs of the residents and businesses in our growing community," stated Monticello Mayor Jeffrey Edwards. "Thanks to all the federal, state and local partners who have worked together to make this important infrastructure project a reality."