The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $268m to modernise rural drinking water and wastewater infrastructure in 28 states.
The funding from the USDA will support 76 projects through the Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program and will help improve the rural water infrastructure for 267,000 residents.
The USDA is making the investments across the states of Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington and West Virginia.
Some of the projects receiving the USDA funding support
Some of the projects which will benefit from the loans will include the city of Greenville, Illinois, which will receive $14m loan to replace a water treatment plant to meet both the current peak demands and future growth in demand.
In Hulbert, Oklahoma, the Tenkiller Utilities Authority (TUA) will receive $10.6m in loan and $4.6m in grant to build a regional water treatment plant.
The funds will be used for the construction of a 1.8 million gallon-per-day plant, which will sit on the western side of the Lake Tenkiller at the existing plant site, in Cherokee County.
The borough of Seaside Park in New Jersey will receive $5m loan to build an elevated water treatment facility and an emergency generator to prevent flooding.
A 30,000 gallon backwash tank will be installed and the water main on various streets throughout the borough will be replaced.
USDA Rural Development Deputy Under Secretary Bette Brand said “Upgrading the infrastructure that delivers safe drinking water and modern wastewater management facilities will improve public health and drive economic development in our small towns and cities.
“Under the leadership of President Trump and Agriculture Secretary Perdue, USDA is a strong partner with rural communities, because we know that when rural America thrives, all of America thrives.”
