Owens Awards $258,300 Grant to Gila Co.

Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) Director Steve Owens has awarded a $258,300 grant to Gila County to fund a water quality improvement project. The Gila County Division of Health & Community Services will use the grant to continue to replace, repair, & upgrade outdated wastewater systems, such as illegal cesspools, privies & failing septic tanks in the Tonto Creek headwaters & Christopher Creek areas. Several inadequate wastewater systems will be replaced to protect public health, improve the water quality of Tonto Creek & Christopher Creek and protect groundwater in the area. ADEQ has identified human sewage as a major contributing factor to pollution adversely impacting Tonto Creek & Christopher Creek. "This grant will help Gila County protect the health & safety of County residents by improving surface water quality & preventing contamination of groundwater," Director Owens said. "We are delighted to support the County in this important effort." ADEQ Director Steve Owens awarded Gila County with a ceremonial check for the grant at a meeting of the Gila County Board of Supervisors in Globe. In 2005, ADEQ awarded Gila County $252,764 to begin the much-needed work on the wastewater systems in the area. The current grant will enable the County to continue its work & protect contamination of water supplies in the area. With the 2 grants, ADEQ has provided over $511,000 to Gila County for the project in the last 2 years. The grants are funded with federal dollars provided to ADEQ under the Clean Water Act.