News

Washington, D.C.- U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood (IL-18) announced today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will provide the City of La Harpe with a grant award of $2,502,000 and a loan of $4,008,000 for a water and waste disposal project in the city. Completion of this project will provide higher-quality drinking water to approximately 1,235 La Harpe residents.

“Strategic investment in our rural communities is essential to supporting existing infrastructure and ensures residents in these communities have the up to date resources. The money awarded today will provide critical assistance to a project that will allow La Harpe to build a new water treatment plant, enabling them to provide higher quality drinking water to over 1,200 residents,” stated Rep. LaHood. “I am grateful to Secretary Perdue, State Director for USDA Rural Development Doug Wilson, and the USDA for their commitment to supporting rural development projects in central and west-central Illinois. I have no doubt this investment will leave a meaningful impact on the La Harpe community.”

Background:
The USDA’s investment will go towards the construction of a new reserve osmosis water treatment plant, the digging of two new wells, the replacement of 4.5 miles of water mains and pipelines, and upgrade the current water storage tank. This project will address numerous issues with the water system in La Harpe, including, alleviating the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency’s health hazard created from high acetic acid levels, reducing the risk of well flooding, and bringing chlorine residuals below the minimum acceptable levels.