The U.S. Department of Agriculture is investing $392 million to help rebuild and improve rural water and wastewater infrastructure in 42 states, including Nevada.
“Put simply, modern and reliable water infrastructure is foundational to quality of life and economic development,” USDA official Anne Hazlett said this week in an announcement providing details.
USDA is supporting investments in 120 infrastructure projects through the Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant program. It can be used to finance drinking water, stormwater drainage and waste disposal systems for rural communities with 10,000 or fewer residents. In many cases, states, other federal partners and nonprofits are working with USDA to also provide funding for these projects.
In Nevada, USDA’s Rural Utilities Service is investing over $5.2 million in a combination of loan and grant funds to construct a wastewater transmission line from the Pine View Estates development south of Gardnerville to the Minden-Gardnerville Sanitation District.
The 200 individual septic tanks in the area will be bypassed and abandoned, 43 manholes will be removed and replaced. The project will abandon the existing failing wastewater treatment plant, correct effluent discharge violations and protect health, safety and the environment for 553 residents.
In addition, the Mount Rose Bowl Property Owners Water Company will use $319,000 in combined loan and grant funds to replace an outdated storage tank with a new 30,000-gallon water tank, purchase aeration equipment, construct an aeration building, and construct a 775-foot-long waterline for the area’s 15 residents.
Hazlett announced the awards during the Water Pro Conference hosted by the National Rural Water Association.
In fiscal year 2018, Congress provided a historic level of funding for water and wastewater infrastructure. The 2018 Omnibus spending bill includes $5.2 billion for USDA loans and grants, up from $1.8 billion in fiscal year 2017.
The bill also directs Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to make investments in rural communities with the greatest infrastructure needs.
Eligible rural communities and water districts can apply online for funding to maintain, modernize or build water and wastewater systems. In Nevada contact Community Programs Director Cheryl Couch at 775-887-1222 Ext. 4760 or by email at Cheryl.couch@nv.usda.gov
USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities and create jobs in rural areas.
With a portfolio of nearly $225 billion, this agency’s assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; homeownership; community services such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural areas.