Infrastructure Work Helps Make Pinnacle Expansion Happen

There are several keys to a successful economic development project and one of those is proper infrastructure.

When Pinnacle Foods decided to locate their Wishbone salad dressing production operation at their plant in St. Elmo, it meant 90 jobs for the area. One consideration, though, was a sufficient water supply.

Fayette Water Company serves the area of the plant, but the utility didn't have ample capacity to serve the expanded plant. That's where EJ Water Cooperative stepped in. EJ and Fayette Water agreed on an interconnect that will allow EJ to provide Fayette Water with additional supply. EJ is utilizing a $588,000 loan to make the interconnect. Meanwhile, Fayette Water received $1.1 million in Rural Development funding through the USDA to upsize the lines the rest of the way to St. Elmo.

EJ will generate the needed water via the Delbert Mundt Water Plant near Beecher City.