The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced an investment of $462m to modernize water and wastewater infrastructure in rural communities in the US.
Through the Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program, USDA is providing loan for 161 projects that will benefit 467,000 residents.
The $6.5m funding will be provided to Sallal Water Association to build a reservoir, a new headquarters building and a new well.
Serving about 5,000 people throughout the service area, the association supplies potable water to approximately 1,700 connections.
Additionally, $2.9m loan and a $695,885 grant for Sanbornville Precinct in New Hampshire will be used to replace the out dated water system infrastructure dating from the 1930s.
USDA to offer $872,000 loan and a $1.5m grant to the town of Lawndale, N.C.
USDA said: “This project will resolve health and sanitary issues by upgrading the source pump house facility and replacing 2.3 miles of failing bituminous-coated steel water mains.
“These improvements will bring the system into compliance with state and federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations and provide enhanced water quality and reliability for 1,056 residents.”
It has offered $872,000 loan and a $1.5m grant to the town of Lawndale, N.C., to provide sanitary sewer service to an area of the town that doesn’t have sewer service.
Approximately 16,785 linear feet of eight-inch gravity sewer line, 60 manholes, 141 cleanouts, service laterals will be installed as part of the project. It also includes other upgrades to service 141 additional residences.
Under the new funding programme, USDA is investing in Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas,Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York and North Carolina.
Furthermore, it also includes Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
Last month, the USDA announced an investment of $1.6bn to build or improve rural electric infrastructure in 21 states in the US.
