U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith, who serves on the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, today announced $11.4 million in U.S. Department of Agriculture grants and loan guarantees to support water and wastewater infrastructure projects in six Mississippi counties.
Systems in Clay, Coahoma, Lauderdale, Panola, Perry, and Tishomingo counties will receive USDA Rural Development Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant program funds for water infrastructure upgrades, including new water wells, meters, and related improvements.
“This USDA program is designed to specifically assist rural communities with fewer than 10,000 residents provide safer and more efficient water services to people,” Hyde-Smith said. “I’m pleased residents throughout Mississippi will benefit from this round of awards to improve rural infrastructure.”
USDA grants and loans awarded to Mississippi include:
- Town of Como, Panola County – $3,258,000 grant and $1,135,000 loan to rehabilitate a 300,000-gallon elevated water storage tank, demolish a deteriorated 100,000-gallon tank, replace water meters, and make extensive renovations to the town’s wastewater system.
- Tishomingo County Water District, Iuka – $951,000 grant and $2,547,000 loan tp support system upgrades, acquire land for four groundwater wells and a drinking water treatment system to support self-sufficient delivery of services to customers.
- Northeast Perry Utility Association, Richton, Perry County – $441,000 grant and $679,000 loan to construct a new 400 gallon-per-minute water well and generator at Camp Eight Road, in addition to water meter replacement.
- Russell Utilities, Inc. Toomsuba, Lauderdale County – $29,000 grant and $941,000 loan to construct a 400-gallon-per-minute replacement water well, repair a water storage tank, replace water meters, and install system improvements at the water treatment plant.
- Sun Creek Water Association, Pheba, Clay County – $442,000 grant and $453,000 loan to construct a new water well and generator to maintain adequate supply and pressure throughout the system.
- Moore Bayou Water Association, Marks, Coahoma County – $450,000 grant and $152,000 loan to construct an aeration tower at the Dublin well site to reduce sulfur levels and to connect the Dublin system to the north system for a redundant source of water in accordance with Mississippi Department of Health requirements.
This USDA program is available to towns, water districts and other eligible entities for drinking water, stormwater drainage and waste disposal systems in rural communities with 10,000 or fewer residents.
The Mississippi awards are among 49 projects in 24 states benefitting from increased FY2019 appropriations provided to the USDA Water & Environmental Programs account to address the water and wastewater infrastructure backlog in rural America.
