JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (NewsFirst) — The Missouri Department of Natural Resources is offering grants to help public water systems plug abandoned wells that could contaminate groundwater.
The department said Wednesday that it is accepting applications for the Abandoned Well Plugging Grant program until April 30, 2024. The grant provides up to $20,000 per project to properly seal wells that are near or within the service areas of certain public water systems.
According to the department, more than 80% of Missouri’s public water systems rely on groundwater as their primary source of drinking water. Abandoned wells pose a physical hazard to people and wildlife and a potential route for pollutants to enter the groundwater.
The grant is open to community and not-for-profit non-community public water systems that have at least one active or emergency well. The department will give priority to applications received before Dec. 31, 2023, and may award grants on a first-come, first-served basis after that date if funds are available.
Applicants can apply online through the department’s Funding Opportunities Portal. They must also sign a financial assistance agreement with the department before starting the project.
The department said it is committed to helping Missouri communities protect their drinking water sources and human health. The grant program is funded wholly or in part by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
For more information, visit the department’s Abandoned Well Plugging Grant webpage.
