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Trump Administration Invests $18.9 Million in Rural Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Improvements in Rural Pennsylvania

Name
Amber Albright
Phone
City
HARRISBURG, Pa
Release Date

Projects Will Improve Rural Water Infrastructure for 14,700 Rural Residents and Businesses

HARRISBURG, PA., Oct. 27, 2020 – The Trump Administration today announced that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $828 million to modernize rural drinking water and wastewater infrastructure in 43 states.

“Upgrading water infrastructure provides a path to economic growth and protects the health and safety of people who live and work in rural areas,” USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Bette Brand said. “Under the leadership of President Trump and Secretary Perdue, USDA continues to be a strong partner to rural communities, because we know that when rural America thrives, all of America thrives.”

These 219 projects will help improve rural water infrastructure for 785,000 residents. The projects are being funded through the Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program.

Trump Administration Official & Pennsylvania State Director Curt Coccodrilli announced today that rural Pennsylvania is investing over $18 million in the Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program. “These vital infrastructure investments are exactly what the Presidential Task Force on Rural Prosperity identified, our Congressional leaders would like to see, and USDA Rural Development wants delivered into our rural areas that can benefit most from these investments. I’m grateful that we have dedicated communities thinking of their future, and our PA Rural Development federal employees are there to serve their communities.” These water projects will help communities upgrade and thrive.

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 to households and businesses in eligible rural areas with populations of 10,000 or less.

In Pennsylvania:

  • The Authority of the Borough of Charleroi located in Washington County; Pa., is receiving a $10.6 million loan to construct a pump station, install a diversion chamber, install 1,500 feet of 18-inch gravity sewer line, and construct a shared force main. In addition, a new influent box and sluice gate will be installed at the sewer treatment plant. The project is needed to comply with a Department of Environmental Protection consent order agreement that requires the authority to eliminate combined sewer overflows (CSO) and implement a long-term CSO control plan. 
  • Newport Borough Water Authority located in Perry County; Pa., is receiving a $5 million loan to replace customer service meters, the addition and associated piping of two production meters at the filtration plant, and upgrades to the chemical feed equipment. Funds will also be used for the installation of automation equipment and meters at a booster station. The authority will also be refinancing existing debt.
  • Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County- Avonmore located in Westmoreland County; Pa., is receiving $1.2 million loan and $1.8 million grant to construct a new Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR) treatment system capable of handling the peak flow rates seen in the system and eliminate sanitary sewer overflows and hydraulic overload conditions at the point. The funds will also be sued to decommission the existing gravity influent lines and replace with larger installed gravity influent lines at the correct grade, reconfigure the usable portions of the existing plant to serve the purpose of headworks, raw sewage pumping, sludge holding, and effluent water supply, and construct a new ultraviolet disinfection system to meet the new permit limits imposed on the plant transitioning from chlorine. The proposed project will bring its sanitary sewer system up to standard to meet Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection's consent order.
  • Rixford Water Association located in McKean County; Pa., is receiving a $153,000 loan to replace two existing steel standpipes which are beyond repair with one 43,000-gallon glass fused steel tank. Funds will also be used to purchase and install a chain link fence which will surround the new tank for security reasons. Proper chlorine detention for disinfection treatment of the well water will also be provided by the new tank.

These USDA investments are going to Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin 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.

If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.

To schedule an interview with State Director, Curt Coccodrilli, please contact Amber Albright at 717-237-2295 or Amber.Albright@usda.gov.

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