Article submitted by James Master, The Pilot News Managing Editor
The Argos Town Council held a public hearing to discuss applying for a water grant through the Indiana Office and Community Rural Affairs (OCRA). Shannon McLeod from Priority Project Resources works with the Town of Argos on federal grant applications.
“Currently we are in the process of applying for a $700,000 grant to complete a water utility improvement project,” McLeod said.
She continued by going through the elements of the project. First, there is an underground water reservoir on the west side of town that has been in service since around 2006. Since 2016, it’s been used as a backup supply for firefighting and pressure issues. “There’s some minor issues with that reservoir. Some piping, some concrete, the controls. So, as part of this project, we’re hoping to get all of those addressed.”
The elevated water storage tank that’s next to the Town Building is part of the project as well. The tank will have some interior and exterior painting performed on it to extend the life of the tank about 15 years.
Also included in the project are three water lines on South, Short, and Broadway Streets. “We are going to be removing the existing 4 inch line there mainly for firefighting flows just to add more capacity and we’ll be replacing that with a new 6 inch.” She added that by doing this, it will help maintain water pressure in that area.
A section of water line on Walnut and Dianne Streets doesn’t exist. McLeod informed the council that they couldn’t find existing water lines in that area and that the homes there must be getting serviced by a service line somehow. An 8-inch municipal water line would be installed there in the amount of 650 lineal feet.
On Maple Avenue between Marshall to North Street there is another absence of a water line. Therefore, 1,000 lineal feet will be installed of new 6-inch pipe.
“Miraculously, all of that adds up to over $1 million,” McLeod said. “Our total project cost is estimated at $1,013,000. And we are applying for a $700,000 grant. Thus leaving the town with $313,000 that you will be contributing as your local match.”
It is proposed to take $249,500 from the ARPA fund, and then $63,500 from the Water Utility.
“So, we’re not going to have to borrow, which means, in turn, this will not impact water utility rates,” said McLeod.
She went on to say that if the town did not receive the grant, that $700,000 would have to be borrowed and that would increase rates by over $5 per month.”That’s why it’s very imperative that we try to obtain the grant.”
The application has to be submitted by Friday, Dec. 22. OCRA will review those applications and will tentatively be announced around the end of February. McLeod described the announcement as an “all or none” type of grant. “You either get the grant or you don’t.”
There is another time to apply later on in the year, however.
There is a survey that can be taken online concerning the town’s resident’s water experience. You can find the survey on the town’s Facebook page. McLeod stated that the more people that fill out the survey, the better when OCRA looks at the application. You can fill out the survey until around Dec. 20.
After the public hearing was closed, the town council passed a resolution that authorized the submission of the grant application.
