RICHMOND, Va., Feb. 21, 2024 – Three Virginia projects are included in a $644.2 million U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development investment to help 158 utilities provide clean drinking water and sanitary wastewater systems for 913,000 people in rural areas nationwide.
A public-health study funded under the Solid Waste Management Grants Program and infrastructure improvements financed through the Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program will benefit nearly 8,000 residents now and many more in the years to come.
“Virginia projects will receive $19.1 million in funding to help make landfills safer in three states and bring modern infrastructure to remote areas of the commonwealth, transforming our rural communities for the better,” said Perry Hickman, USDA Rural Development Virginia State Director.
Wythe County is receiving a $10,866,000 loan and $2,737,000 grant to address water quality and quantity issues for residents of the Dunsford Road area served by private wells. The scope of work includes approximately 8 miles of new water lines, a pump station, 110 water meters, and 34 fire hydrants. Replacement construction includes 9 miles of water line, one pressure reducing valve, 336 water meters and 39 fire hydrants. This project will improve water accountability and enable the county to add 110 new customers and offer improved service to 336 existing clients.
Buena Vista Public Service Authority (PSA) will use a $5,424,000 loan to purchase the existing water system that serves the city and portions of Rockbridge County. The PSA has owned and operated the local public sewer system and assisted with water operations since it was formed in 2011. The current owner, Buena Vista Industrial Development Authority, has actively participated in planning the transition to facilitate improved system maintenance for more efficient service to nearly 7,000 users.
George Mason University in Fairfax is also receiving a $132,000 grant to fund a study to develop a critical model to predict the long-term mass flux of polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) through landfill liners and evaluate impacts on groundwater and aquifers near rural landfills. The project will investigate transport patterns in rural Virginia, North Carolina, and West Virginia liners, and determine whether PFAS migration poses significant risks to drinking water sources. Quantitative study findings will be publicly available through webinars, technical conferences, federal and state agency meetings, and publications to help stakeholders, policy makers, and communities minimize public-health risks from hazardous compounds in local landfills.
The water infrastructure projects will also benefit families and businesses in Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands.
The Virginia funding was part of Secretary Tom Vilsack’s Feb. 21 announcement of 216 projects that will bring high-speed internet, state-of-the-art infrastructure and economic growth as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. A full list of projects from today’s announcement is available online.
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.