News Release

INDIANAPOLIS — Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch and the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs today announced 22 rural Indiana communities will receive more than $12.5 million in federal grant funding to create and expand community facilities, remove blight and improve water infrastructure.

The City of Ligonier was awarded $700,000 to complete a wastewater treatment plant improvement project. This project involves extensive rehabilitation work at the existing plant site, located at 305 Bridge Street. The project centers around several malfunctioning mechanical components within the wastewater treatment plant that diminishes the city’s ability to adequately treat the raw wastewater before being discharged into the Elkhart River. The project will look to make long-term sustainable improvements to the current system.

“I am so proud of the leaders across Indiana that are committed to improving the quality of life of their communities,” said Crouch, Indiana’s secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. “I look forward to seeing the completed projects and the benefits they will have for years to come.”

The State of Indiana distributes Community Development Block Grant funds to rural communities, which assist units of local government with various community projects such as infrastructure improvement, downtown revitalization, public facilities and economic development.

“Congratulations to each of these 22 communities on being awarded this grant funding,” said OCRA Executive Director Denny Spinner. “Community Development Block Grants can have a transformational impact on a community, and I applaud all those taking advantage of this opportunity.”