Oakland City, Indiana is the home of Oakland City University, the only General Baptist affiliate university in the nation, with a global campus providing over 40 degrees. An organization of this stature, along with the surrounding community, places a lot of emphasis on faith.
As the Midwest continues to suffer during the extreme drought conditions and record breaking temperatures, the residents of Oakland City find relief just knowing improvements to their almost 100 year-old water collection system, a new water treatment plant, a new 400,000 gallon water tower, dredging the “Old Lake” which provides part of their water supply and repairs to the dam have significantly eliminated health and safety issues with the old water system. They now have an adequate supply, storage, transmission, treatment and distribution of potable water to the residents of Oakland City. The project also hopes to bring water loss down significantly, thus saving the community money.
With the help of USDA Rural Development’s Water and Environmental Loan and Grant Program, a loan of $2,045,000 and a grant of $4,721,000 funded the community’s project.
Oakland City is the second largest city in Indiana’s Gibson County. The proposed Interstate 69 project is planning to run through Oakland City and may provide added economic development opportunities for the community in the future.
To find out more about how USDA Rural Development programs can assist your community, click here.