OCTOBER  30, 2009 (LINCOLN, NE)-The Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED) has awarded $350,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding to Morrill to build a new elevated water tower that provides water equal to the daily demand of 300,000 gallons, and install a distribution system that restores water pressure and fire flow to previous comparable levels.

Morrill's (pop. 935) water system includes an undersized 55,000 gallon tower that provides static pressure of 48-53 pounds per square inch (psi) to 450 residential users and 75 commercial users. The village's total population is made up of 58 percent low- to moderate-income persons who will benefit from the project. The new water tower and distribution system will increase overall water pressure to a normal working level of 60-80 psi.

Morrill has been approved for grants and loans from the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality Clean Water Safe Revolving Fund totaling $775,251 to complete the project.

Federal funds are made available to DED from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's CDBG program to assist with the development of businesses and communities throughout the state. Funding requests for this program are administered by DED and are available to local governments with populations less than 50,000 and counties in Nebraska.

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