KUSTRA ANNOUNCES FUNDING FOR
WASTEWATER TREATMENT NEEDS

Lieutenant Governor Bob Kustra announced the award of $10,000 to support the Illinois Community Action Association's education and training program on alternative wastewater treatment systems in rural Illinois communities.

"Many small towns are dealing with failing septic systems and deteriorating wastewater treatment facilities, but many cannot afford the cost of replacing them through conventional methods," said Kustra, who chairs the Rural Affairs Council. "This program is designed to use technical outreach training and assistance to help towns of less than 2,500 population to develop and implement low-cost alternative wastewater treatment systems."

Demonstration projects took place last year in four Illinois communities — Browns, Creston, Eddyville and New Minden — and will serve as the basis for the training program. These towns are representative of the state's topography and the wastewater problems many smaller communities face.

Local officials, consulting engineers, regulatory officials, technical assistance providers and local citizens will receive the outreach training. Engineering workshops taught by nationally recognized experts, a series of community-based meetings, and an informational pamphlet will explain alternative treatment methods as applied in the four demonstration communities.

"By providing rural community leaders, state regulatory officials and engineering professionals with information on alternative technologies," said Kustra, "rural communities can determine which solutions might best serve their wastewater treatment needs."

The Illinois Community Action Association's education and training program is the result of a collaborative effort among the Association and the Rural Affairs Council, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, the Illinois Department of Public Health, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs, Farmers Home Administration and the Illinois Rural Water Association.

The program has gained national attention with the General Accounting Office in Washington, DC, for its innovative approach to reducing costs while still serving the needs of the community. The GAO plans to feature the Illinois Program in a report that will be distributed to other states. •

July 1994 / Illinois Municipal Review / Page 29