(Gainesville, Fla., April 20, 2026) – U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development State Director MaryAnn Pistilli today announced $4,229,000 in grant and loan awards to support rural infrastructure in North-Central, Southwest, and Northwestern FL covering counties Lake, Charlotte, and Escambia County.
"This funding reinforces our commitment to providing safe, modern infrastructure for rural communities,” said Pistilli. “These projects will improve essential services, support local resilience, and help ensure that residents have the resources they need to thrive."
The investments, provided through the Water and Environmental Program (WEP), provide critical loan and grant funding to support recovery and planning efforts for three infrastructure projects across Florida.
St. Johns River Utility is receiving a $3,000,000 grant using disaster response funding to facilitate a sewer project.
Central Water Works, Inc. is awarded a $45,000 predevelopment planning grant to assist with the initial phases of an infrastructure improvement project.
Additionally, the Charlotte Harbor Water Association is receiving $1,184,000 as supplemental support for its water storage project. Originally funded via a $2,153,000 direct loan and a $1,626,000 grant, two successive hurricanes during construction necessitated an additional $5,886,000 and $1,184,000 in disaster grants to cover cost overruns, bringing the total investment for this project to $10,849,000. This water treatment project will protect the long-term health and wellness of the people within its service area.
USDA Rural Development assists rural communities with the construction of water and waste facilities through the Water and Environmental Programs. These programs help rural communities to obtain the technical assistance and financing necessary to develop drinking water and waste disposal systems. Safe drinking water and sanitary waste disposal systems are vital not only to public health, but also to the economic vitality of rural America. To learn more about these programs, contact SheNeena Forbes, Program Director at Sheneena.forbes@usda.gov.
For more information on USDA Rural Development investments in rural America, visit the Rural Data Gateway. The Rural Data Gateway is an online tool that strengthens USDA Rural Development partnerships with rural people, entrepreneurs, government officials and Congress by making investment data accessible to the public.
Learn more online at www.rd.usda.gov, subscribe to GovDelivery updates.
###