U.S. Small Business Administration: Six rural Wisconsin projects receive $5.4 Million from USDA Rural Development for water and wastewater system improvements

Contact: Kelly Edwards | (715) 701.2741 | kelly.edwards@wi.usda.gov

STEVENS POINT, WI – USDA Rural Development Under Secretary Lisa Mensah recently announced loans and grants for 141 projects to build and improve water and wastewater infrastructure in rural communities across the nation.

“Many rural communities need to upgrade and repair their water and wastewater systems, but often lack the resources to do so,” Mensah said. “These loans and grants will help accomplish this goal. USDA’s support for infrastructure improvements is an essential part of building strong rural economies.”

USDA is awarding $299 million for 88 projects in the Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program and $15 million for 53 grants in the Emergency Community Water Assistance Grant (ECWAG) program.

ECWAG recipients can use the grants to help eligible communities prepare for or recover from emergencies that threaten the availability of safe drinking water. Water and Waste program recipients can use funds to construct water and waste facilities in rural communities.

Receiving Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program assistance in Wisconsin include:

– The City of Ashland is receiving $2,843,000 in loans and $650,000 in grants to help replace water mains and the sewer utility under 6th Street West in the City of Ashland.

– The City of Niagara in Marinette County is receiving a $542,000 loan and $343,000 grant to help to upgrade the City’s sewer utilities.

– Downsville Sanitary District, serving rural residents in Dunn County, is receiving a $192,000 loan and $148,000 grant to help construct and install UV disinfection equipment and a chemical feed system at the existing wastewater treatment plant. Receiving Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants in Wisconsin include:

– Village of Radisson – $500,000 grant to assist in locating a new source of potable water for Village residents. The Village of Radisson is a poverty community that is facing an imminent threat of losing its last remaining municipal well due to increasing levels of contamination.

– City of Hurley – $150,000 grant to replace water line infrastructure damaged due to extreme cold and freezing.

– City of Abbotsford – $107,500 grant to make emergency repairs to the water mains and system damaged due to extreme winter weather. Since 2009, USDA has helped provide improved water and wastewater services to nearly 18 million rural residents across the country by investing $12.3 billion in 5,174 projects.

Funding of each award announced today is contingent upon the recipient meeting the terms of the grant and loan agreement.

USDA Rural Development is accepting applications for loans and grants to build rural water infrastructure. Applications may be completed online through RDAPPLY, a new electronic filing system, and at state and local Rural Development offices. Public entities (counties, township and communities), non-profit organizations and tribal communities with a population of 10,000 or less are eligible to apply. Interest rates for this program are at historically low levels, ranging from 2 percent to 3.25 percent. Loan terms can be up to 40 years. For more information, visit http://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/rd-apply.

USDA Rural Development’s mission is to deliver programs in a way that will support increasing economic opportunity and improve the quality of life of rural residents. As the lead federal agency for rural development needs, USDA Rural Development can help rural communities and regions grow and prosper by offering a variety of financial and technical assistance programs that encourage the development of strong community and economic development strategies.

During this past year, USDA Rural Development’s $571 million investment in Wisconsin helped create or retain nearly 1,380 jobs, aided 3,600 families in buying their own homes and assisted more than 50 communities as they made improvements to their facilities, services and infrastructure.

Further information on USDA Rural Development is available at a local USDA Rural Development office or by visiting the web site at http://www.rd.usda.gov/wi.