Kansas Department of Health and Environment announced Friday that it has selected 39 projects to receive $53 million in funding to improve the state’s drinking water infrastructure.

Douglas County will receive $1.2 million to replace waterlines to increase distribution system pressures to meet KDHE requirements. The project will benefit Rural Water District 2, just south of Lawrence.

Jefferson County Rural Water District 13 will get $2.4 million to replace waterlines, to build new storage capacity and to improve a water treatment plant.

The projects will be funded, in part, through $19.5 million provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. KDHE plans to supplement the ARRA funding with money from its Drinking Water State Revolving Fund.