The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development office in Virginia announced today more than $1.4 million in wastewater infrastructure funding for the town of Stuart.
In order to provide public sewer service to recently annexed areas of the town, the existing wastewater treatment plant is in need of improvements as it has received no major upgrades or enhancements in more than 25 years.
“Outdated or nonexistent public sewer systems are unhealthy for people and the environment, which is a reason we work every day with Virginia localities to find solutions to water infrastructure and other challenges,” said USDA Rural Development’s Virginia State Director, Basil Gooden, Ph.D. “These solutions create ripple effects that improve the economy, quality of life and environment in rural Virginia.”
Upon completion, the treatment plant’s maintenance needs and operation will improve significantly and continue to serve approximately 335 residential and 85 commercial users with safe, sanitary sewer. The improvements also will enable the town to extend public sewer service in the near future to recently annexed areas that are currently served by private septic systems.
The funding is part of more than $4 million in USDA Rural Development funds announced this week in Virginia and $183 million announced nationwide from the agency’s Water and Environmental Program (WEP). The program provides technical assistance and financing to develop drinking water and waste disposal systems for communities with fewer than 10,000 residents.
Today’s Virginia funding details are as follows.
Town of Stuart – Loan: $863,000; Grant: $593,000
Town of White Stone – Loan: $807,000; Grant: $1,958,000
USDA Rural Development in 2015 invested more than $1 billion in rural Virginia through 40 loan, grant and loan guarantee programs in housing, business, agriculture, energy, health care and community facilities. It has employees stationed in 14 offices across the commonwealth to better serve residents where they live and to improve the economy and quality of life in rural Virginia.