Kulm receiving loan for sewer project

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced Wednesday that 193 water and environmental projects will receive funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

The cost of the projects totals more than $615.8 million.

The projects will help provide safe drinking water and improved waste-water treatment systems for rural towns and communities in 34 states.

“These investments will help meet my goal to bring increased economic benefits to rural America by protecting our environment and creating jobs,” said President Barack Obama. “Aging water and waste infrastructure systems threaten the ability of rural communities to provide clean, reliable drinking water to residents and protect precious environmental resources. Recovery Act funds will modernize and upgrade this important infrastructure.”

These are the first of many projects that will receive Recovery Act funds to im-prove rural water and waste disposal systems. For example, Dakota Rural Water District in Finley, N.D., was selected to receive a loan for $1.98 million to make changes to the water reservoirs increasing water capacity to 25,000 gallons, along with installing new PVC piping.

Harvey, N.D., was selected to receive a loan for $1.526 million and a grant for $1.43 million to replace the water main lines in the city. The project will reduce the groundwater contamination preventing future health hazards.

Kulm, N.D., was selected to receive a loan for $538,000 and a grant for $1.297 million to remodel the sanitary sewer system and reduce groundwater contamination and health hazards to this rural community.

Funding of individual recipients is contingent upon their meeting the terms of the loan or grant agreement.

USDA Rural Development’s Water and Environmental Program provides loans and grants to ensure that the necessary investments are made in water and wastewater infrastructure to deliver safe drinking water and protect the environment in rural areas. Find more information about USDA Rural Development at www. rurdev.usda.gov.

More information about USDA’s Recovery Act efforts is available at www.usda. gov/recovery. More information about the federal government’s efforts on the Recovery Act is available at www.recovery.gov.

Tags: recovery and reinvestment act, news, kulm, sewer, project