State officials have announced a $3 million investment into Riley County’s water infrastructure.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment says will come from the State Water Plan, signed into law last year by Gov. Laura Kelly, and will improve wastewater systems at University Park and the Keats community. Riley County Public Information Officer Vivienne Leyva says it’s a big deal for these projects.
Keats will receive funding for a new wastewater lagoon facility and collection system. The Kansas Water Office recently awarded Keats a Technical Assistance Grant to evaluate potential sites for the new facility. Riley County Commissioner Kathryn Focke says that project is receiving $2.5 million in KDHE funding.
Focke says the original estimate for the Keats project was around $4.4 million but says additional funding should come available in 2025.
University Park is receiving $462,000 from the State Water Plan on top of $1.5 million already received this year by KDHE through a Small Town Water and Sewer Infrastructure Assistance Grant. The project there will see construction of a new non-discharging lagoon facility to replace the existing mechanical wastewater treatment facility.
