OTTUMWA, IOWA -- The Ottumwa Industrial Airport recently received a $1.5 million grant and our Fact Finder team wanted to know how that money will help benefit the area.

Ottumwa City Administrator Joe Helfenberger told Fact Finder the funds were matched by the Ottumwa Water and Hydro in order to run the water main up to the airport area.

The funds help prevent the unemployment rate from rising.

“These are critical for existing industry to help keep the existing jobs they have. We are looking at saving at least 205 jobs and creating several hundred additional jobs over the next 5-10 years,” Helfenberger said.

Helfenberger told Fact Finder Dr. Pepper Snapple group is just one of the companies planning to increase production as a result of the water main project.

The grant also helps finance the new Job Corps Training Facility which is scheduled to open next year.

The Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration awarded the grant to the City of Ottumwa.