RALEIGH – State officials today announced the reallocation of about $4 million in economic recovery funding to two communities for wastewater infrastructure projects as a part of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act awards.
The new wastewater infrastructure improvement projects slated to benefit from ARRA funding – administered by the Division of Water Quality – are located in Taylorsville in Alexander County and Trinity in Randolph County. Formal award offers will be extended by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources within two weeks. These funding allocations were originally earmarked for other projects but became available when final project costs were less than original estimates.
Taylorsville will receive $1,017,923 for rehabilitation and replacement of more than two miles of sewers, relining of 96 manholes and rehabilitation of the Macedonia pump station. Trinity will receive $3 million to provide sewer service to homes with failing septic systems.
Project awards are not final until the Local Government Commission approves the recipient’s financial qualifications – which has occurred for these two communities—and all ARRA and other federal requirements have been met. Funds will be awarded as 50 percent zero-interest loans and 50 percent principal forgiveness loans. In accordance with ARRA requirements, priority is given to projects that can proceed quickly, already have any required permits and have additional funding committed, if needed.
The Division of Water Quality’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund Program received a grant of $70.7 million to fund wastewater system improvements throughout the state. First-round project awards – made on April 24 – were awarded to 39 communities and totaled nearly $45.9 million. Second-round project awards totaling $21.3 million were made on July 20 and went to 12 communities for wastewater and stormwater projects. Two additional projects totaling $3.79 million were awarded in September from funding reallocated from earlier project awards.
For additional information on wastewater infrastructure project funding and criteria – along with other types of economic recovery projects administered by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – please visit http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/arra/home. Information about federal recovery funding throughout North Carolina can be found at www.ncrecovery.gov.
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