Together, with the support of our donors, the DeKalb County Community Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life in DeKalb County, IL. Grants from the Community Foundation come from a variety of grant programs. Each program is unique in how to apply, who it supports, and the impact it creates. So how do these grants impact the community in which we live? Learn more in this grant in action story below! 

Imagine cost-effective sanitation, a cleaner Kishwaukee River, and local cities, towns, and villages coming together to explore these possibilities. These are a few of the goals of a Northern DeKalb County Sewer Study conducted by the Kishwaukee Water Reclamation District (Kishwaukee WRD). Thanks to partial funding from the Foundation through a Community Needs Grant ($10,000) and support from other partnering communities, the Study took place as planned in 2020.

The Study evaluated the viability of designing, constructing, and financing a sanitary sewer extension from the existing Kishwaukee WRD sewers north to serve the City of Genoa, the Village of Kingston, and the Village of Kirkland. Currently, the City of Genoa and the Village of Kirkland each own and operate a wastewater treatment facility. With facility upgrades needed for both facilities to remove new contaminants and add treatment capacity, exploring a regional approach made sense.

Results from the 2020 Study indicate that the project is viable and feasible both financially and physically. The next steps following the Study are for the city and villages to thoroughly vet the proposal and data to ensure it’s a good fit for them.

“Cleaner water, creation of renewable power, and partnership with neighboring communities will improve our shared environment and enable economic development to proceed unencumbered in DeKalb County.” ~ Mark Eddington, Kishwaukee WRD Executive Director

Funding for the Community Needs Grant program is made possible through ongoing donor generosity to COMMUNITY IMPACT FUNDS at the Community Foundation. 

Thank you to the donors whose gifts make grants like these possible!

The Kishwaukee Water Reclamation District main facility located in DeKalb.