Ryan Announces Funding for Swansea Waste Treatment Plant

SPRINGFIELD -- Governor George H. Ryan today announced that funding has been approved for a $1.6 million project to improve sewage treatment at Swansea in St. Clair County.

"This money will improve the quality of life for the people of St. Clair County," said Governor Ryan. "Improvements like these are essential for maintaining the present needs of the system and to ensure that the community will continue to be served effectively in the future."

The village plans to construct a new interceptor sewer, force main and pump station.

The money is being made available from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency's Wastewater Revolving Fund, which uses a mix of federal and state dollars to make loans at half the current bond market interest rate to communities to improve wastewater treatment capabilities.

Money repaid on the 20-year low interest loans is returned to the fund to support new loan applications. More than $1 billion in such loans have been made under the program since the first loan in 1989.