MOUNT LAUREL – The Trump administration Aug. 3 announced that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $462 million to modernize critical drinking water and wastewater infrastructure across rural America.
“Upgrading the infrastructure that delivers safe drinking water and modern wastewater management facilities will improve public health and drive economic development in our small towns and cities,” Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Bette Brand stated. “Under the leadership of President Trump and Agriculture Secretary Perdue, USDA continues to be a strong partner with rural communities, because we know that when rural America thrives, all of America thrives.”
According to an Aug. 3 release, State Director Michael Thulen Jr. announced that New Jersey is investing over $8 million through the Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program. “These vital infrastructure investments are exactly what the Presidential Task Force on Rural Prosperity identified, our Congressional leaders would like to see, and USDA Rural Development wants delivered into our rural areas that can benefit most from these investments. I’m grateful that we have dedicated communities thinking of their future, and our NJ Rural Development federal employees are there to serve their communities.”
Background:
USDA is funding 161 projects through the Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program. These investments will benefit 467,000 residents. The following are examples of projects being funded in New Jersey under today’s announcement.
- Flemington Borough is receiving a loan of $3,758,000 and a grant of $1,142,000 to install a new elevated water tank, with approximately 300,000 gallons capacity near the existing standpipe. The existing standpipe will be repaired and rehabilitated once the new elevated tank is operational. This project will provide the needed additional water storage capacity and will be completed in compliance with the State of New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Safe Drinking Water Act.
- Lakehurst is receiving a loan of $960,000 and a grant of $212,200 to replace deteriorated water mains. The project consist of 6,373 linear feet of new 8-inch diameter water main and 1,575 linear feet of 6-inch DIP water main, approximately 120 water services, gate valves, wet taps and associated fittings and appurtenances. This is phase one of a four-phase project.
- West Wildwood originally received a $30,000 SEARCH Grant from the USDA to complete a feasibility study of the existing sewer system. This study suggested the borough’s complete improvements to the wastewater system. The borough will receive a loan of $983,000 and a grant of $954,200 from the USDA together, with $316,000 in grant funding from the Department of Transportation. This project will replace the deteriorated sanitary sewer system along with improvements to the drainage system on the affected roadways due to existing conditions of localized flooding in these areas. The sewer system on each roadway will be excavated and completely replaced with new pipe, manholes, and service laterals. The current conditions led to sinkholes in the roadway, frequent pipe repairs, and potential contamination of groundwater, which in turn causes potential health hazards affecting residents as well as increasing treatment fees due to stormwater that is conveyed to the treatment plant.
The investments that USDA announced today are being made in Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
To learn more about investment resources for rural areas, interested parties should contact their USDA Rural Development state office.
