The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency is knocking three-million-dollars off the City of Jacksonville’s new water plant loan.
Mayor Andy Ezard announced during Monday’s City Council meeting that Jacksonville had received recognition for putting forth a positive project for the community.
“We were very fortunate to be competing against other communities, but they saw what we have done and our vision to complete this water plant. They forgave us by three-million-dollars, which is a huge feather in the City of Jacksonville’s cap. We’ve hit two home runs, with a million dollar grant with the DCEO and three-million-dollars with IEPA. It is a culmination of a lot of hard work and a good relationship with IEPA.”
Ezard says the new water plant isn’t the most attractive project, but is something the City really needs. In June, the City of Jacksonville suffered a water emergency for multiple days due to a major water main leak.
The thirty-million-dollar water plant, which is being paid on a 20-year-loan and is located near the intersection of Hardin and Superior, is expected to be completed in the Spring of 2018.