State awards $50M in financing to Republic

The city of Republic is getting a financial shot in the arm from the state for a multiyear project that's bringing upgrades to its wastewater treatment system.

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources announced in a news release that it's awarding a $50 million low-interest loan through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund to the city of Republic. The financing is expected to save city rate payers over $27 million in interest during the length of the loan's 27-year term.

“Infrastructure such as wastewater systems are crucial to every community,” said Dru Buntin, director of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, in the release. “Through this fund, we can help qualified cities like Republic identify and make the changes needed to improve their wastewater systems, which ultimately will improve the quality of life for Missourians.”

The release indicates the loan will go toward an estimated $102.7 million project slated for completion by December 2026.

Republic City Administrator David Cameron told Springfield Business Journal earlier this year that the municipality is undergoing $150 million in wastewater system upgrades. The plan, he said, has funding that includes $50 million from the American Rescue Plan Act and a $45 million bond issue.

“That will take care of the sewer capacity for the city and environmental compliance for the city for quite some time,” Cameron told SBJ in January, noting the wastewater plant capacity will nearly double at the end of the project to roughly 5.7 million gallons per day.