KANSAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & ENVIRONMENT BILL GRAVES, GOVERNOR Gary R. Mitchell, Secretary

November 4, 1997

Contact: Deb Baker, KDHE Bureau of Water

785-296-1683

$1.85 Million Awarded to Counties for Local Water Protection

Kansas Water Plan funds totaling $1.85 million were awarded to 98 Kansas counties in 1997 through the state Local Environmental Protection Program administered by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE). Twenty counties received target grant funds totaling $238,391.

"The Local Environmental Protection Program continues to emphasize the importance of waste water and private well water codes, to be developed and administered by county health departments and other local authorities," explained KDHE Bureau of Water Director Karl Mueldener. "We would like to see all 105 Kansas counties develop local water codes to help ensure water quality throughout Kansas."

To date, 85 Kansas counties have adopted water codes, an increase of five over the previous year.

LEPP funding enables local authorities to develop water protection plans which are customized for their areas and compliment other water quality efforts being waged by state and federal agencies. Plans developed with LEPP funds describe actions that communities will take to manage private septic system waste water treatment, solid waste, hazardous waste, nonpoint source pollution, and private water wells.

"Development of a sanitary code is an important first step in addressing the overall water quality needs of a community," said Mueldener.

Program goals for 1998 include an emphasis on wellhead protection planning, as well as providing water quality information to counties that have not adopted sanitary codes.

In addition to the $1.85 million in base grants, the 20 target grants awarded in 1997 were: