Theodosia completes improvements to its public drinking water system
The town of Theodosia can continue providing safe, reliable drinking water to its more than 200 residents after recently completing improvements to the water system. USDA Rural Development representatives recognized the Public Water Supply District No. 1 of Ozark County June 20 for completing the project, which was funded by loan funds made available by the American Recovery and Reinvenest Act of 2009. The district received a $545,000 low-interest loan and $1,299,000 grant to construct a new standpipe chlorination system, upgrade pipelines and add a new deep well. Additional funding from the Community Development Block Program (CDBG) in the amount of $500,000 brought the project's total cost to $2,344,000. The new water storage will alleviate excessive water losses and improve water pressure for customers.
"Before the project, we were losing water at a rate of 55 percent," said Ben Cook, president of the board of directors of PWSD No. 1. "Now we're at about six percent - well below the industry standard of 10 percent."
Cook expressed appreciation on behalf of the water district. "The water district would like to extend thanks to the hard work of the board of directors, USDA Rural Development, CDBG, Simmons Engineering, Ridge Hill Construction, Harper Drilling Company, Circle P WElding, Sue Bacorn, Larry VanGilder, Lynda Martin, Ozark Applicators and Jessica Blackburn at Pointer Law Office. Gratitude is also extended to the citizens of the Village of Theodosia for their patience while construction was underway."
"This effort to improve the drinking water for Theodosia is the result of greatpartnerships with everyone working together to meet the needs for an environmentally safe water distribution system, stated Anita (Janie) Dunning, Missouri State Director for USDA Rural Development. "I commend all the partners for their hard work in making this project a reality. Special thanks are extended to our federal elected officials including U.S. Senators Claire McCaskill and Roy Blunt, and U.S. Representative Jo Ann Emerson for being strong supporters of funding for our essential services for rural Missourians.
For more information about this or any other USDA Rural Development program, visit www.rurdev.usda.gov/mo/ or contact Mark Dethrow, area specialist, at 6726 S. Highway 63, Suite B, Houston, MO 65483 or call 417/967-2028, ext. 4 or email mark.dethrow@mo.usda.gov.
<p>Several residents and government officials attended a ceremony June 20 marking completion of a new water system for the Village of Theodosia. Pictured, from left, are U.S Department of Agriculture Missouri state director Anita "Janie" Dunning; project engineer Pat O'Bryant of Simmons Engineering; Megan Lucy, staff assistant to U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill; Theodosia employee Ben Cantwell; water district board president Ben Cook; USDA Area 5 director Mark Hultgren; board members Deborah Cunningham and Dale Cutbirth; USDA area specialist Mark Dethrow; board member Miles Cronce; USDA area specialist Danny Campbell; Heather Peugh, district director for Eighth District Congresswoman Jo Ann Emerson; Stacy Burks, field representative for U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt; district clerk Fawnelle Patterson; retired district clerk Lynda Martin and Theodosia water system training operator Norman Jarrett.</p>
