Almost 9,400 Residents to Benefit from Investment
COLUMBUS, Ohio - July 7, 2021 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Ohio Rural Development Acting State Director Beth Huhn announced that USDA is investing $307 million to modernize rural drinking water and wastewater infrastructure in 34 states and Puerto Rico.
“Upgrading infrastructure that delivers safe drinking water and modern wastewater management will improve public health in our rural Ohio communities,” Huhn said. “USDA is investing in our small towns and cities that need it most – to help them build back better and stronger than ever before.”
USDA is financing the projects through the Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program. This program provides funding for clean and reliable drinking water systems, sanitary sewage disposal, sanitary solid waste disposal, and storm water drainage. The program serves households and businesses in eligible rural areas with populations of 10,000 or less.
Gallia County Board of Commissioners will use a $887,000 loan and a $1.5 million grant to provide additional financing for a wastewater collection system project funded in 2018 for $3.8 million with an additional $1.7 million being provided by other state and federal partners. This project will improve water quality and economic development opportunities for 1,154 residents in the rural Appalachian communities of Rodney and Quail Creek in portions of Green and Springfield townships.
City of Nelsonville will use a $2 million loan and a $3.1 million grant to provide additional funding for this sewer project originally funded in 2018 and 2019 totaling $12.1 million with an additional $4.4 million being provided by other state and federal partners for 8,245 users. Nelsonville, located at the gateway of Wayne National Forest in Appalachian Athens County, is a persistent poverty county. The project will construct a new wastewater treatment plant to address significant non-compliance issues identified in a 2017 Ohio Environmental Protection Agency inspection. Sewer collection system improvements will be implemented along with tying into several areas in Murray City and Carbon Hill that do not have sewer systems.
Under the Biden-Harris Administration, 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.
Information on programs available through USDA Rural Development is available by visiting www.rd.usda.gov/oh or calling 614-255-2400. If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.
###
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.