Funding Will Expand Access to Clean and Reliable Sanitary Waste Disposal for Thousands of Rural West Virginians
MORGANTOWN, Dec. 10, 2024 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development West Virginia State Director Ryan Thorn today announced that Rural Development is investing $14.8 million in rural West Virginia communities to improve access to safe and reliable water infrastructure.
“Safe and reliable water and waste infrastructure is a vital necessity for every community and is the foundation which future economic development efforts are built,” said Thorn. “These investments are a testament of Rural Development’s commitment under the Biden-Harris Administration to ensuring that West Virginia’s rural communities, and the people who live and work within them, have every opportunity to not only survive – but to thrive - for generations to come.”
Rural Development is investing $14,807,000 today to expand access to clean and reliable sanitary waste disposal for more than 6,700 West Virginians in Hancock, Hampshire, and Logan counties. The investments are being made through Rural Development’s Water and Waste Disposal Loans and Grants program.
The agency is helping state and local governments, private nonprofits and federally recognized Tribes build or improve rural wastewater systems. For example:
- The City of Logan received $9.5 million ($8,200,000 loan and $1,300,000 grant) to improve its wastewater treatment facility. It will rehabilitate the filters, install dehumidification units, replace the HVAC systems, improve the electrical service and components, repair concrete and steel structures that have deteriorated, and install a secondary source water intake. These upgrades will increase the longevity and efficiency of the Logan water treatment plant, increase the water quality, and increase production.
- Hancock County Public Service District received $2.8 million ($1,907,000 loan and $900,000 grant) to purchase the Newell sewer system. The project will construct various upgrades to the system and address health and safety concerns for customers and operators.
- The Central Hampshire Public Service District received $2.5 million ($1,500,000 loan, $1,000,000 grant) to decommission the Harvest Hills package wastewater treatment plant and send flow into the existing Central Hampshire system through a new lift station and force main there. The project will upgrade the average daily flow of the biological nutrient removal plant at Frenchburg. It will also rehabilitate some of the existing collection system components. The plant upgrade will successfully meet the more stringent effluent requirements of the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
This announcement is part of a larger funding announcement made by USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack. In addition to West Virginia, the funding will help people living in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.
Under the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and healthcare; and high-speed internet access in rural, Tribal and high-poverty areas. Visit the Rural Data Gateway to learn how and where these investments are impacting rural America. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov/wv.
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