Grant will help city improve security at water utilities

BY PAUL SLOTH
Journal Times

Friday, October 5, 2007 9:33 PM CDT

RACINE — A generous grant from the federal government will help Racine improve security throughout the city’s water utility during the next year.

The city received a $466,877 grant from the Department of Homeland Security as part of the 2006 Critical Infrastructure Grant Program.

After the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, water utilities throughout the country were required to do vulnerability assessments, said Keith Haas, General Manager, Racine Water and Wastewater Utilities.

The Department of Homeland Security made money available to cities like Racine to do necessary improvements, Haas said.

The Office of Justice Assistance received requests for $2.5 million of improvements and was able to award $1.2 million to grant recipients throughout Wisconsin.

The city has already invested in protecting and securing many of its facilities since Sept. 11, 2001.

The additional funds will be used to install new lock systems at Water Utility facilities, install and replace fencing at five locations in the distribution system and provide for video surveillance equipment at important locations in the distribution system. Software for the existing camera system at the water utility will also be upgraded.

Water department officials were preparing the budget for their 5-year capital improvement plan when they learned of the grant opportunity, Haas said.

"Some of these projects we wouldn’t have done this year. We would have budgeted for them over time," he said.

Haas said he hoped the grant money would allow the city to complete five years worth of

projects in one year.

The grant committee in Madison evaluated the projects submitted on a state wide basis and found merit in the Racine proposal. The contribution from the utility budget is about $93,000 to provide for the $466,000 worth of projects.

"I haven’t seen a grant of that amount," Haas said. "We felt fortunate that we got funded."

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