Today, Dr. Terry Goodin, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Indiana State Director, announced that USDA has invested $27,378,000 in five different water and waste disposal projects in/across Indiana.
“These investments will go a long way in bolstering our economy from the bottom up and middle out,” Goodin said. “This will help us bring modern infrastructure and well-paying jobs to rural communities, ultimately making it easier for young individuals to build their lives in the communities they call home, and for more Hoosiers to discover new opportunities in these rural areas.”
These projects will have a significant positive impact on rural communities by ensuring access to safe and clean water, as well as improving the management of waste. The funding will help address the critical needs and challenges faced by the people of Indiana for these infrastructure projects.
The new projects will provide clean, safe water for more than 31,000 Hoosiers living and working in rural areas.
Rural Water and Wastewater Infrastructure
USDA is financing the projects through the Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program to help state and local governments, and private nonprofits build and improve rural wastewater systems. The funding enables Indiana rural communities to expand access to clean and reliable drinking water, sanitary waste disposal and storm water drainage.
Here are the Hoosier towns receiving funding:
- Oxford will update and rehabilitate parts of the water utility system. The project aims to improve the water supply, treatment plant, and distribution system by replacing water mains, hydrants, meters, and water-tower hatches, and making other necessary improvements. The project will benefit 1,162 residents.
- Princeton will improve treatment operations at the Treatment Plant by correcting deficiencies noted during the construction phase of the initial Treatment Plant improvements. Princeton serves 3,057 residential connections and 418 rural businesses inside the municipal boundaries and surrounding area.
- Brooklyn will use these investments to finance improvements to the collection system additions and upgrades, which include gravity sewers, upgrade the left stations and force mains. These funds will include new upgrades to the existing wastewater treatment facility with a new flow equalization tank and a laboratory building. These additions and improvements will help the Brooklyn's collection and treatment wastewater system.
- Petersburg will renovate and improve the existing wastewater utility. The project will add two new trickling filters to the existing wastewater treatment plant. The plant will also replace two clarifiers and add a new transfer lift station. A new equalization basin/lagoon will be built on the site. The Petersburg Wastewater Utility service area currently includes the Petersburg's 353 city customers and 80 rural customers residing in Washington Township.
- Hancock Rural Telephone Corporation in Greenfield will improve the wastewater system in the Riley Village area. The aging system provides sanitary sewer to 83 homes and one large-volume user. Approximately 3,800 linear feet of 8-inch gravity sewer lines will be installed to improve waste removal. In addition, the discharge line for the treatment plant will be lined to maintain safe operation. The improvements will also help ensure clean drinking water is maintained.
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 health care; 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.
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate-smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.
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