by Edward Husar

Congress as appropriated $300,000 to help safeguard Quincy's water treatment facility from flooding.

The money was included in the 2010 federal appropriations bill approved by Congress for the U.S. Department of Interior, U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Environment Protection Agency.  The bill included $1.2 million for water-related projects in Illinois, including Quiny's project, said U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, the assistant Senate majority leader.

The Senate approved a conference report on the bill 72-28 Thursday.  All senators from Illinois and Missouri voted in support of the measure except Claire McCaskill, D-Mo.  Earlier in the day, the House adopted the measure 247-178, with Rep. Phil Hare, D-Ill., supporting the measure, and Reps. Aaron Schock, R-Ill., and Blaine Lutkemeyer, R-Mo., voting against. 

The legislation now goes to Presdient Barack Obama for his signature.

The funding or Quincy will be used to help protect the city's fresh water supply in event of future flooding along the Mississippi River.

During major floods, the city's water treatment intake facility is often in danger of becoming submerged.  Two large motors in the basement were at risk of being knocked out of service in both the 1993 and 2008 floods.

In those floods, city rews placed a wall of sandbags around the water intake facility to help shore up a 35-foot seawall that normally keeps water out of the facility.  But seepage was a problem, and the city had to pump out water that got into the basement.

Mayor John Spring has said the federal appropriation would be used to make some improvements that will help protect the intake faility from future flooding, though it won't resolve all flood-related concerns.

Spring said the total cost of the renovations needed at the water intake faciliy will be about $525,000.  He is hoping to secure some state funding to help pay the balance not covered by the federal appropriation.