Acting New York State Director for USDA Rural Development Brian Murray announced today the agency is investing more than $11.3 million in eight rural New York State communities to improve rural water infrastructure This is part of nationwide announcement where Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $272 million to modernize rural drinking water and wastewater infrastructure for 270,000 people living in rural communities across 37 states and Puerto Rico.
“As people in many parts of the nation battle drought and fires brought on by climate change, there has never been a more urgent need for this assistance,” Vilsack said. “When we invest in rural infrastructure, we build opportunity and prosperity for people in rural communities. These investments support the local economy by making rural communities attractive, economically viable and safe places to live and work, therefore helping to create and save jobs by attracting and retaining employers and workers. Investing in rural water infrastructure is one of the many things the Biden-Harris Administration is doing to help the nation build back better during the ongoing recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.”
“These investments will have a far-reaching, positive impact on rural residents, rural small business as well as the community as a whole,” said Brian Murray. “Improving water and wastewater infrastructure improves the quality of life, supports economic development and ensures that a rural community will have safe, clean and affordable access to water. USDA Rural Development is proud to be rural New York’s partner as each community builds back better.”
USDA is financing 114 projects through the Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program. These investments will help improve rural infrastructure for 270,000 people and businesses.
Background:
The Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program provides funding for clean and reliable drinking water systems, sanitary sewage disposal, sanitary solid waste disposal, and storm water drainage. The program serves people and businesses in eligible rural areas with populations of 10,000 or less.
USDA is announcing investments today in Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming and Puerto Rico.
For example, projects in New York include:
- Town of Bergen This Rural Development investment of $950,000 in loan funding and $577,000 in grant funding will be used to provide additional financing to construct a water distribution system for the Water Benefit Improvement Area project in the town of Bergen, located in Genesee County, New York. This water project will benefit town residents by alleviating health, and safety concerns.
- Town of Sullivan This Rural Development investment of $320,000 in loan funding will be used to create a public water and fire service district in the Town of Sullivan, located in Madison County, New York. The project will deliver a reliable water source to residences that do not have safe potable water. The project will include the installation of approximately 6,900 feet of eight-inch water main with six hydrants on Hamilton Brown Road and 1,200 feet of eight-inch water main with three hydrants on Bushnell Shore Road.
- Town of Volney This Rural Development investment of $56,000 in loan funding and $124,000 in grant funding will be used to help with additional costs incurred to construct the Mount Pleasant, Bateman & Distin Road Water Service Area Project in the Town of Volney, which is located in Oswego County, New York. This project will increase municipal water access and improve the health, welfare, and safety of the residents.
- Town of Junius This Rural Development investment of $132,000 in loan funding will be used to help with additional costs incurred to construct Water District #3 in the town of Junius which is located in Seneca county, New York. This project will extend public water service to residents located in a targeted poverty area and also help alleviate health and sanitary issues.
- Town of Arcadia This Rural Development investment of $2,167,000 in loan funding and $1,691,000 in grant funding will be used to create Water District #15 in the town of Arcadia, which is located in Wayne County, New York. This project will extend public water service to the town's residents who do not have reliable access to safe potable water. The project includes the installation of approximately 54,000 linear feet of eight-inch water main, with appurtenances, a pressure relief vault (Hydesville Road), and restoration.
- Town of Wolcott This Rural Development investment of $2,702,000 in loan funding will be used to improve approximately 34,000 linear feet of eight-inch water main in the town of Wolcott's Blind Sodus Bay Water District. After the improvements, the water facility will be able to provide safe and reliable potable water and fire protection to all residences in the Blind Sodus Water District. A new water distribution network will reduce the operations and maintenance time and increase water quality reliability. The project scope is to connect to the current water system owned and operated by the town and install 33,000 lineal feet of eight-inch water main, with appurtenances.
- Town of Westfield This Rural Development investment of $920,000 in loan funding and $1,806,000 in grant funding will be used to construct a public water distribution system within the town of Westfield located in Chautauqua County, New York. This project will include the installation of approximately 23,100 linear feet of six-inch and 12-inch water mains along NYS Route Five and will receive water from the village of Westfield. Once the project is completed, the health risks to the community will be eliminated, fire protection will be available and the quality and quantity of water going to the residents will be more sufficient than what is being provided by the private wells.
- Town of Dunkirk This Rural Development investment of $2,289,000 in loan funding will be used to improve approximately 12,900 linear feet of eight-inch water main in the town of Dunkirk Shorewood's water district. After the improvements, the water facility will be able to provide a safe and reliable potable water supply and fire protection to all residences in the Shorewood water district. The replacement water distribution network will reduce the operations and maintenance time and increase water quality reliability.
To learn more about investment resources for rural areas, contact a USDA Rural Development state office.
Under the Biden-Harris Administration, Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans 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, tribal and high-poverty areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov. If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate-smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.