Grand Tower approves $100K loan to repair sinkhole
GRAND TOWER, Ill. (AP) - Grand Tower city leaders have approved a $100,000 emergency loan to repair a sinkhole that has been getting bigger and deeper since flooding overwhelmed the Mississippi River in the small southern Illinois city last year.
At first, the sinkhole 'œwas just a small area,'ť Fire Chief Dennis Wright said. But earlier this month, the road buckled and the hole grew. It now spans nearly an entire intersection and has brought the sewer system to a halt.
It is nearly 30 feet (9 meters) in diameter and 5 feet (1.5 meters) deep.
The Grand Tower City Council on June 8 approved the $100,000 loan to fix the hole, The Southern Illinoisan reported.
Wright said he expects repair work to begin next week. Some of the loan will be used to purchase a 6-inch portable pump and electrical hookups for flood pumps in case of a power outage.
The emergency loan is only a temporary solution. Grand Tower is waiting on about $4.5 million in flood recovery funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Those funds that are intended for the repair of sinkholes and damaged streets, and to replace storm drains and water mains.
Wright said allocation of the money has been delayed, likely due to efforts to combat COVID-19. He said he hopes the money arrives soon, because more delays could lead to additional disasters.
The city had a population of little more than 600 in the 2010 census.