USDA Ohio Rural Development State Director David L. Hall today announced the City of Nelsonville (Athens County) and the Village of Cadiz (Harrison County) are receiving more than $7.8 million in USDA funding to help rebuild and improve rural water infrastructure in their regions.
“Access to clean, safe sources of water and functional wastewater treatment is the very bedrock foundation of rural infrastructure,” said Hall. “In addition to being necessary for health and wellbeing, it’s the basis for attracting businesses and manufacturers to rural areas. This is the heart of our mission at Rural Development, and we are so pleased to play a role in assisting communities like Nelsonville and Cadiz.”
In Ohio:
- Nelsonville will use a combined $1,450,000 loan and grant to bolster an earlier $10,696,000 USDA investment for the construction of a wastewater treatment plant and the addition of collection lines in portions of Athens and Hocking Counties. The project ultimately will impact about 6,600 Appalachian Ohio residents.
- Cadiz will use a combined $6.4 million loan and grant to replace the village’s collection system. During adverse water events, the inflow to the plant exceeds capacity, preventing proper treatment and increasing the potential for associated health risks. This project will impact more than 3,360 Appalachian Ohio residents.
In addition to Ohio, today’s announcement includes investments of $116 million in Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and Washington, impacting an estimated 171,000 rural Americans. The funding is being provided through the Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant program, which can be used for drinking water, stormwater drainage and waste disposal systems for rural communities with 10,000 or fewer residents. Eligible communities and water districts can apply online on the interactive RD Apply tool or through one of USDA Rural Development’s state or field offices.
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 (PDF, 5.4 MB). In addition, to view the categories of the recommendations, please view the Rural Prosperity infographic (PDF, 190 KB).
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.