Projects Will Improve Rural Water Infrastructure for Rural Residents and Businesses
STILLWATER, OKLA., Sept. 22, 2020 – The Trump Administration today announced that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $268 million to modernize rural drinking water and wastewater infrastructure across 28 states.
“USDA Rural Development is committed to making safe and reliable water and wastewater infrastructure available for our rural communities. The opportunity to bring these investments to Oklahoma will improve the daily lives of rural Oklahomans and the economic development in these rural communities,” Oklahoma State Director Dr. Lee Denney said. “Under the leadership of President Trump and Agriculture Secretary Perdue, USDA continues to be a strong partner with rural communities, because we know that when rural America thrives, all of America thrives.”
Background:
USDA is funding 76 projects through the Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program. These investments will help to improve rural water infrastructure for 267,000 residents. Projects in Oklahoma are:
- Carney Public Utilities Authority will use a $1.8 million loan and a $1.3 million grant to make improvements to its wastewater collection system. These improvements include new sewer lines, manholes and service taps and will result in meeting established discharge limits.
- Rural Water Sewer & Solid Waste Management District No. 1, Beckham County will use a $499,000 loan to purchase and install water meters. These improvements will help reduce the District’s water loss.
- Tenkiller Utilities Authority will use a $10.6 million loan and $4.6 million grant to construct a regional water treatment plant with a 1.8 million gallons per day capacity. To connect the nine rural water systems that comprise the Authority, construction will also include a transmission line, two pump stations and three water storage tanks. These improvements will result in increased water and energy efficiency and a reduction in operation and maintenance costs for the nine participating systems.
The investments that USDA announced today are being made in 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.
To learn more about investment resources for rural areas, interested parties should contact their USDA Rural Development state office.
USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities and create jobs in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov.
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