Department of Natural Resources awards $2.97 million to La Monte…

City will make wastewater treatment system improvements

JEFFERSON CITY, MO, OCT. 24, 2025 - The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has awarded $2.9 million to the city of La Monte for upgrades to its two wastewater treatment facilities. The funding will cover the entire cost of the project, which the city expects to complete by November 2026.

The city will use the funding to make improvements to its wastewater system's southeast and northwest wastewater treatment facilities. The project is expected to allow the city to meet permit limits and will extend the wastewater system's life and efficiency so that it can continue serving the city well into the future.

Project funding consists of a $1.19 million low-interest loan and a $1.78 million grant through the department's Clean Water State Revolving Fund. The department estimates its funding will save the city's ratepayers nearly $1.8 million in principal and approximately $530,000 in interest over the loan's 20-year term.

"Investing in local water infrastructure is not just about improving wastewater systems; it's part of our mission to serve as stewards of natural resources to benefit Missourians," said Kurt Schaefer, director of the Department of Natural Resources.

The department's Clean Water State Revolving Fund finances improvements to wastewater treatment facilities, sewer collection system rehabilitation and extensions, and combined sewer overflow corrections. The fund also finances security, efficiency and conservation measures. Communities that borrow from the fund benefit from the below-market interest rate and from a department project manager's assistance throughout the project.

The department is committed to assisting Missouri communities with water and wastewater infrastructure improvement projects. Through its Financial Assistance Center, the department provides funding opportunities for qualified communities with water quality, wastewater and drinking water infrastructure needs. This project will be funded wholly or in part with monies received from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

For more information on wastewater and drinking water funding opportunities, visit dnr.mo.gov/water/what-were-doing/state-revolving-fund-srf.

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