LITTLE ROCK – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Arkansas State Director Jill Floyd announced today that USDA is funding three Water and Waste Disposal projects totaling more than $20.2 Million as part of the President’s Investing in America agenda.
The Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program helps state and local governments, private nonprofits and federally recognized Tribes build and improve rural wastewater systems. The funding enables rural communities to expand access to clean and reliable drinking water, sanitary waste disposal and stormwater drainage.
“Investing in modernizing the infrastructure of rural Arkansas pays dividends by empowering opportunity and prosperity for the people who call those communities home,” said Director Floyd. “These investments will help rural cooperatives and utilities provide clean drinking water and sanitary wastewater systems for rural Arkansas families and businesses for years to come. These projects will help grow the economy for future generations, create good-paying jobs, and better position rural Arkansas to compete in a global economy.”
The rural Arkansas projects are as follows:
Rock-Moore Public Water Authority - $1,514,000 loan to fund essential improvements to the public water system in rural Independence County. The project will include installation of high-service pumps and an emergency backup generator; improvements to the wastewater treatment plant; and construction of a pump station.
City of Clarendon - $2,836,000 loan and $7,417,000 grant for replacement of the city's wastewater collection system. These improvements will address health and sanitary issues with the city's wastewater system.
Runyan Sanitary Sewer Improvement District - $8,469,000 loan will provide funds for replacement of its wastewater treatment plant in rural Pulaski County. The project will eliminate ongoing health and sanitary violations involving the system’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination system (NPDES) permit. More than 4,100 residents will benefit from improvements to this facility.
