North Dakota Ag Connection - USDA to Improve Water and Wastewater Across 42 States

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USDA to Improve Water and Wastewater Across 42 States
North Dakota Ag Connection - 09/18/2018

Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development Anne Hazlett Monday announced that USDA is investing $392 million (PDF, 238 KB) to help rebuild and improve rural water and wastewater infrastructure in 42 states.

"Put simply, modern and reliable water infrastructure is foundational to quality of life and economic development," Hazlett said. "USDA's partnerships with rural communities underscore Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue's commitment to rural people and the places they call home."

USDA is supporting investments in 120 infrastructure projects through the Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant program. It can be used to finance drinking water, stormwater drainage and waste disposal systems for rural communities with 10,000 or fewer residents. In many cases, states, other federal partners and nonprofits are working with USDA to also provide funding for these projects.

Hazlett announced the awards in Texas Monday during the Water Pro Conference hosted by the National Rural Water Association. Below are some examples of the types of investments USDA is making to improve infrastructure in rural communities:

- City of New Town -- nearly $2.9 million loan, $2.3 million grant -- the funds will be used to improve the city's sewage lagoon to help accommodate population growth.

- City of Beach -- $482,000 loan, $307,243 grant -- the funds will be used to build a new sewer lift station and install about 4,000 feet of force main, replacing a more than 50 year old sewer system.

"Without these important waste management improvements, New Town and Beach would not be able to adequately serve their current residents and accommodate growth in population," said Senator John Hoeven. "Today's funding will not only improve residents' quality of life, but will lay the foundation for community development."

USDA is making investments in rural communities in: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansans, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia and Wyoming.

In FY 2018, Congress provided a historic level of funding for water and wastewater infrastructure. The 2018 Omnibus spending bill includes $5.2 billion for USDA loans and grants, up from $1.8 billion in FY 2017. The bill also directs Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to make investments in rural communities with the greatest infrastructure needs.

Eligible rural communities and water districts can apply online for funding to maintain, modernize or build water and wastewater systems. They can visit the interactive RD Apply tool, or they can apply through one of USDA Rural Development's state or field offices.

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