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USDA Invests in Drinking Water Quality and Wastewater Management for over 7,400 Rural Residents and Businesses in Four Wisconsin Counties

Name
Jessica Mancel
Phone
City
STEVENS POINT
Release Date

Projects will Improve Efficiencies, Address Public Health and Environmental Issues

   STEVENS POINT, Wis., Nov. 19, 2019 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development State Director Frank Frassetto announced that the department is investing $635 million in 122 projects to improve water systems and wastewater handling services in rural communities in 42 states. USDA is funding the projects through the Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant program.

   “These investments will bring reliable, critical infrastructure enhancements to five Wisconsin rural communities. They will replace old, fragile, systems with new ones and allow upgrades to facilities that are decades old, boosting efficiencies and addressing environmental hazards. Working with our partners, these investments create jobs and improve public health and safety,” Frassetto said. “USDA is committed to partnering with rural communities to help them improve their infrastructure, because when rural America thrives, all of America thrives.”

   The projects announced today are in Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

   Eligible applicants include rural cities, towns and water districts. The funds can be used for drinking water, stormwater drainage and waste disposal systems in rural communities that meet population limits. 

   In Wisconsin:

  • The City of Mondovi is receiving a $13.2 million loan and $5.4 million grant along with $1.7 million in partner funding to construct a new Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) and expand water and sewer mains to a new industrial park. The new plant will be constructed at a new site not located in a flood plain, will meet future phosphorus effluent limits and help alleviate high amounts of inflow and infiltration during storm events. The water and sewer extension will support the new WWTP and industrial park. These improvements will serve 2,800 residents.
  • The Town of Pence will use a $240,000 loan and a $398,000 grant to make sewer collection system improvements. This project, the result of a previous grant in 2016, will include improvements to reduce the amount of clear water infiltration by replacing and rehabilitating damaged manholes, replacing linear feet of the connection sewer main into manholes and installation of larger capacity pumps in a new packaged type lift station. These improvements will serve 200 residents.
  • The Village of Paddock Lake will receive a $618,000 loan to provide additional funding for this project initially funded in 2017: the expansion and improvement to the East Side water system which includes a new pump station to house two wells, pumps for both wells and installation of new mains that will provide service to the high school and to businesses that are currently served by their own wells. The current system, built in 1956, does not provide for fire protection and has no back-up water supply as required by the Environmental Protection Agency and state code. This funding will assist in bringing these deficiencies into compliance. These improvements will serve 3,000 residents.
  • The Village of Sullivan will use a $3.6 million loan and a $3.3 million grant to upgrade their wastewater treatment facility (WWTF). The WWTF, constructed in 1959, is nearing capacity, does not meet new limits for phosphorus and does not provide for growth and expansion. The Village plans to construct a new lift station and force main to convey wastewater from the Village to a regional WWTF that will provide treatment for both the village and the Town of Sullivan Sanitary District #1. The Sanitary District site has space to construct a regional facility that will be capable of meeting new phosphorus limits and will provide service to accommodate the village now and in the future. This project is being done in conjunction with the town of Sullivan Sanitary District #1 WWTF upgrade also funded through USDA in fiscal year 2019. These improvements will serve 700 residents.
  • The Town of Sullivan Sanitary District #1 will use a $2.5 million loan and a $1.8 million grant to upgrade their existing wastewater treatment facility (WWTF) to provide treatment for both the district and the nearby Village of Sullivan. The existing WWTF, built in 1978-1979, is reaching the end of its useful life and needs replacement or upgrades to ensure a reliable system, as well as to provide a safe working environment. The existing district WWTF does not have phosphorus treatment capabilities and will need to be upgraded to meet new effluent phosphorus limits. This project will be constructed at the existing WWTF site as it has adequate space to construct a regional facility. The Village of Sullivan will construct a new lift station and force main to convey wastewater from the village to the regional WWTF. This project is being done in conjunction with the Village of Sullivan WWTF upgrade also funded through USDA in fiscal year 2019. These improvements will serve 700 residents.

   View the interactive RD Apply tool or contact our state office for application or eligibility information.

   In April 2017, President Donald J. Trump established the Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity to identify legislative, regulatory and policy changes that could promote agriculture and prosperity in rural communities. In January 2018, Secretary Perdue presented the Task Force’s findings to President Trump. These findings included 31 recommendations to align the federal government with state, local and tribal governments to take advantage of opportunities that exist in rural America. Increasing investments in rural infrastructure is a key recommendation of the task force.

   To view the report in its entirety, please view the Report to the President of the United States from the Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity. In addition, to view the categories of the recommendations, please view the Rural Prosperity infographic.

   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/wi.

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