MISS. LAWMAKERS ANNOUNCE $14.1 MILLION USDA RURAL DEVELOPMENT AWARD FOR NEW ALBANY WASTEWATER PLANT
USDA Provides $29.4 Million in Loan & Grant Awards for Water & Wastewater Projects in State
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), and Representative Trent Kelly (R-Miss.) today praised the approval of a $14.1 million loan and grant package from the U.S. Department of Agriculture that will allow the City of New Albany to replace its wastewater treatment system.
The New Albany award is among nine awards to Mississippi from the USDA Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant program. The combined grant and loan awards total $29.4 million for water and wastewater improvements throughout Mississippi ($20,516,000 loans and $8,920,000 grants).
The Mississippi lawmakers credited John Rounsaville, State Director for USDA Rural Development in Mississippi, and New Albany Mayor Tim Kent for reaching an agreement on the Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant award.
“This financing is imperative to give New Albany an economically-feasible option to improve a critical service for its residents. It is this type of infrastructure improvement that is key to a rural community’s quality of life and ability to grow,” said Hyde-Smith, who serves on the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee. “I commend State Director Rounsaville and Mayor Kent for their diligence on this proposal.”
“Every Mississippi community deserves strong public infrastructure that can support a thriving economy,” Wicker said. “With this award, New Albany can move forward with essential upgrades to its wastewater treatment facilities. I applaud Director Rounsaville and Mayor Kent for their efforts to bring the city into compliance with federal standards and to support safer, cleaner water for years to come.”
“This critical infrastructure project is much-needed for New Albany,” Kelly said. “State Director Rounsaville and Mayor Kent did a great job working together to help this community. I look forward to working with our communities to help fund important infrastructure projects like this one.”
“This grant/loan will allow the City of New Albany to do a much needed project that otherwise we couldn’t do,” Kent said. “I want to offer a special thanks Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith, Senator Roger Wicker, and Congressman Trent Kelly for their assistance. Without them this project would not have been possible.”
New Albany will use a $7,886,000 loan and $6,214,000 grant to construct a new mechanically-based wastewater treatment plant and renovate failing components of the city’s existing wastewater treatment system.
The new treatment facility would be relocated to help mitigate environmental problems associated with the current plant. These improvements would allow for more growth, while also meeting the renewal permit requirements from regulatory agencies.
The following is a review of the other eight awards to Mississippi:
- Prairie Land Water Association, Columbus – $2,600,000 loan and $1,769,000 grant to improve public and environmental safety through a system to convey wastewater from three existing subdivisions in Lowndes County to the Golden Triangle Industrial Park wastewater collection system and treatment.
- Mount Comfort Water Association, Bruce – $2,937,000 loan and $937,000 grant to construct a new water supply well, a 100,000-gallon elevated water storage tank, and radio read meters. The $3.9 million project will also entail an expanded distribution area and efforts to address water pressure issues.
- Marshall County Water Association, Inc., Byhalia – $2,745,000 loan to support construction of a new well, a water treatment plant, and two water storage tanks to help meet growing demands in a service area that includes more than 1,300 residential customers, industrial and manufacturing sites.
- Hayes Creek Water Association, Inc., Winona – $1,189,000 loan to support construction of a new 300 gallon-per-minute water well with a 10,000 gallon Hydro-Pneumatic tank, treatment equipment, water distribution lines, and generator for the Lodi System.
- Bond Water Association, Inc., Louisville – $1,422,000 loan to support construction of a new 300 gallon-per-minute water well, install new water distribution lines to replace aged and undersized lines, install new radio read meters, and rehabilitation of two water treatment plants.
- Hiwannee Water Association, Inc., Waynesboro – $637,000.00 loan to replace and upgrade water distribution lines to correct low water pressure issues.
- City of Moorhead – $600,000 loan for use as a cost overrun to rehabilitate a wastewater treatment plant and construction of a sewer extension, pump stations, and force mains.
- Fannin Water Association, Inc., Brandon – $500,000 loan to purchase 2,000 radio read meters to improve efficiency in its growing service area.
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