$300,000 committed in soil quality restoration

In May, the city launched the largest soil quality restoration grant program in the state, with grants up to $1,500 available to North Liberty households to pay for 100 percent of an SQR project. These projects will not only improve residential soil quality and produce greener, lusher lawns, but improve local water quality by slowing storm water’s path to our streams, rivers and lakes, keeping pollutants out.

As of today, we’re proud to announce that all $300,000 has been committed.

The program is funded through a mechanism of the city’s nearly $21 million loan for our waste water treatment plant expansion from the State of Iowa’s State Revolving Fund. The program allows the city to use interest on the loan to fund water-quality initiatives. Funds are also being used for permeable pavement, native plantings and the state’s largest bioswale at Centennial Park. If contingency funding from this Centennial Park project exceeds need, those additional funds will be released for additional SQR grants in the spring. Households can contact City Hall at (319) 626-5700 to be added to a waiting list.

Additionally, households can apply for a best management practices grant, which offers a dollar-for-dollar match up to $750 for projects such as rain barrels, soil quality restoration and rain gardens. The city has offered this program since 2009. An application for this program, as well as guides to best management practices, are available at northlibertyiowa.org/stormwater.