WINNFIELD, La., (KNOE 8 News) - The La. Dept. of Health and Hospitals has awarded $2.5 million to the city of Winnfield for it's water system. The award is part of the state's Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund Program.
The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals' Office of Public Health recently awarded $2.5 million to the City of Winnfield water system through the state's Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund Program. (The money is actually a 20-year, low-interest loan.) But through special provisions in the Fiscal Year 2010 Capitalization Grant from the Environmental Protection Agency, the Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund will provide $750,000 in principal forgiveness, which means this amount won't have to be repaid.
"It is imperative that all Louisiana residents have access to safe drinking water, and this program helps ensure that communities have a source of dependable and affordable financing so their water system facilities benefit from the latest and most modern technology," said DHH Office of Public Health Assistant Secretary J.T. Lane.
The City of Winnfield will use its Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund loan to install automated water meters, construct a new 1,000 gallon-per-minute drinking water well and make other necessary improvements to the city's drinking water system.
Winnfield city officials say the upgrades will improve service and bring the city's drinking water system up-to-date. "It's important that we have good, plentiful and safe drinking water," said Winnfield Mayor B.R. Audirsch. "With the installation of new electronic meters it will ensure that the city will not have the loss of water and water revenues due to outdated water meters, thus saving the taxpayers money."
Congress established State Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund Programs in 1996 as part of the amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act. The program provides loans to public and privately-owned community and nonprofit, non-community water systems to make needed improvements. As the systems pay back the loans, the principal and interest are used to make more money available for other communities that have drinking water improvement needs. Loans made through this program are low interest and have a maximum 20-year repayment period.
The program is jointly funded by an annual grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (80 percent) and the individual participating states (20 percent). In Louisiana it is administered by DHH's Office of Public Health. The FY 2010 Drinking Water Capitalization Grant allowed for additional subsidy in the form of principal forgiveness of up to 30% of the loan principal, with a cap of $1,125,000 of principal forgiveness per project.
Interested water systems should contact Jennifer Meyer at DHH's Office of Public Health, 225-342-8355.
A Virginia man who was once one of the nation's most prominent swimming coaches has been sentenced to seven years in prison for sexually abusing one of the girls he instructed.
A once-prominent swimming coach who trained thousands of children was sentenced to seven years in prison Thursday for sexually abusing one of the girls he instructed.
Thursday, May 23 2013 8:57 PM EDT2013-05-24 00:57:22 GMT
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - After last week's severe weather in Northwest Louisiana, Gov. Bobby Jindal has declared a state of emergency for the area. The National Weather Service says a May 16 thunderstorm
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - After last week's severe weather in Northwest Louisiana, Gov. Bobby Jindal has declared a state of emergency for the area.
Thursday, May 23 2013 8:20 AM EDT2013-05-23 12:20:47 GMT
DENHAM SPRINGS, La. (KNOE 8 News) - Authorities say a 40-year-old corrections officer assigned to the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola has been arrested in a Livingston Parish home invasion case.
DENHAM SPRINGS, La. (KNOE 8 News) - Authorities say a 40-year-old corrections officer assigned to the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola has been arrested in a Livingston Parish home invasion case.
Thursday, May 23 2013 8:40 PM EDT2013-05-24 00:40:55 GMT
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - A new 2-cents monthly tax on cell phones to help provide services for people with hearing impairment has been approved by the Senate Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Committee.
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - A new 2-cents monthly tax on cell phones to help provide services for people with hearing impairment has been approved by the Senate Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Committee.
Thursday, May 23 2013 8:00 PM EDT2013-05-24 00:00:21 GMT
WEST MONROE, La. (KNOE 8 News) – For more than a decade Ray of Hope Ministries has been helping people in need. They are just one organization who has volunteers spending the weekend in Oklahoma.
WEST MONROE, La. (KNOE 8 News) – For more than a decade Ray of Hope Ministries has been helping people in need. They are just one organization who has volunteers spending the weekend in Oklahoma.
Thursday, May 23 2013 10:43 PM EDT2013-05-24 02:43:01 GMT
MONROE, La. (KNOE 8 News) - After a debate that lasted more than an hour at the Ouachita Parish School Board meeting, the board has voted to name Richwood High's stadium after a former coach.
MONROE, La. (KNOE 8 News) - After a debate that lasted more than an hour at the Ouachita Parish School Board meeting, the board has voted to name Richwood High's stadium after a former coach.
