The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a $281 million Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loan to Johnson County, Kansas to support the Nelson Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvements project.
The Nelson Wastewater Treatment Facility is Johnson County Wastewater's oldest treatment facility, dating back to the 1940s. The treatment technology currently in place is not capable of meeting future water quality standards and a significant portion of the facility is at or near the end of its useful service life.
“In Johnson County and across the country, communities are relying on water infrastructure that is outdated and outmatched. It puts health and environmental protections that people rely on at risk,” said EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Radhika Fox. “I want to congratulate Johnson County for securing this low interest WIFIA loan and investing in a future that improves water quality and climate resilience.”
The improvements project will modernize the wastewater treatment plant by implementing biological nutrient removal upgrades and adding auxiliary treatment facilities to treat peak wet weather flows and biosolids processing.
The project will help Johnson County comply with a consent decree from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus discharges.
Upon completion of the project, the wastewater treatment facility will be able to treat 15 million gallons per day during average daily flows and 52 million gallons per day during peak flows. Additionally, the system will provide an additional 87 million gallons per day of wet weather auxiliary capacity, which will allow Johnson County to meet future demand.
Through EPA’s WIFIA loan, Johnson County will save approximately $80 million. Construction is expected to be completed in 2029 with construction and operation anticipated to create approximately 1,800 jobs.
