Continued Infrastructure Improvements

Strategic investments in infrastructure continued to be a focus for the River Ridge Development Authority, building on more than $150 million in investments that have been made in infrastructure since the RRDA was created.

Key projects and initiatives in 2021 included the following:

• Struck a new water operating agreement with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) to expand water supply. The 50-year contract reserves up to 20 million gallons of water per day from the Ohio River Outflow Aquifer.
• Completed negotiations for the IDNR to construct new water wells and treatment facilities to add 3 million gallons per day to the water system.
• Partnered with the cities of Jeffersonville and Charlestown to seek funding for waste-water treatment facilities. Efforts led to inclusions of the projects in a $50 million request a Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative (READI) grant. The State of Indiana announced in December that Southern Indiana’s regional development authority would be awarded the grant, and the funding is expected to be split among numerous projects.
• Began construction of new supply lines and two, 2 million-gallon water towers to accommodate the long-term needs.
• Improved access and connectivity with completion of the last section of the heavy-haul road connecting River Ridge and the Port of Indiana-Jeffersonville. The RRDA in partnership with the State of Indiana, the Port, Clark County Government and the City of Jeffersonville funded the $32 million project.