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Greenville Sewer Improvements Earning Earth Day Praise

Name
Deborah Callahan
City
GREENVILLE
Release Date

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Georgia celebrate Earth Day today with the City of Greenville as the City prepares to break ground for wastewater treatment system upgrades to bring the city into compliance with the Clean Water Act. USDA’s Water and Environmental Programs provide 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 a population of 10,000 or less.

“The Water and Environmental Programs help small towns and communities obtain multimillion dollar infrastructure improvements and healthy water and wastewater systems” said Jill Stuckey, State Director of Rural Development Georgia. “The water and waste disposal loans interest rates are at historic lows and grant funds can be leveraged to help keep user rates affordable,” she said.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack this week said “Safe drinking water and sanitary waste disposal systems are vital not only to public health, but also to the economic vitality of small communities. Helping rural communities build and upgrade their water infrastructure is one more way USDA strengthens rural areas. Building and maintaining water infrastructure creates jobs, boosts the economy, and provides rural families with safe, reliable water and wastewater facilities that improve the environment.”

In 2014 Greenville used USDA’s Special Evaluation Assistance for Rural Communities and Households grant program to fund the Preliminary Engineering Report and Environmental Report to evaluate the state of the City’s water and sewage systems.  The Reports found the sewage system to be unreliable and unable meet Clean Water Act National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit limits; pump stations in need of repair experiencing frequent raw sewage overflows; and aged gravity collection sewers with significant inflow and infiltration.

To correct the deficiencies, Greenville will use a $5.9 million Water and Waste Disposal program loan and grant combination to construct a new wastewater treatment plant, replace three raw sewage pump stations, rehabilitate the sanitary sewer pipeline, and provide erosion control and appurtenances. The project is one of 19 projects funded under Rural Development’s Build Out Georgia Initiative to obligate Georgia’s $60 million allocation for loans, grants and guarantees.  Goals of the Initiative are to reduce application processing times, increase outreach to rural communities and inform rural residents, local officials and businesses of the Agency’s financial support to build or improve drinking water and waste disposal systems.

Low water and waste disposal loan interest rates coupled with Rural Development’s new online application tool RD Apply, means applying for water and waste loans has never been easier.  Eligible applicants include most State and local governmental entities, private non-profits and Federally-recognized Tribes. Get started by contacting the Georgia Rural Development Area Office, the directory is online at http://www.rd.usda.gov/contact-us/state-offices/ga, or call the Community Programs Division at (706) 546-2171.

President Obama’s historic investments in rural America have made our rural communities stronger. Under his leadership, these investments in housing, community facilities, businesses and infrastructure have empowered rural America to continue leading the way – strengthening America's economy, small towns and rural communities.