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USDA Awards Money For W.Va. Water Infrastructure Improvements

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture is awarding more than $21 million to improve water infrastructure in some of West Virginia’s rural communities.

The funding is set to help improve the state’s water and wastewater systems through a combination of federal grant and loan money.

  • Grafton will receive a $1 million grant and $4.9 million in loans for its wastewater system.
  • Kermit will receive a $1 million grant and $2.43 million in loans for its water system.
  • Stonewood will receive a $900,000 grant and $3.5 million in loans to replace aging portions of its sewers.
  • Tyler County will receive a $675,000 grant and $1.01 million in loans for its water and waste disposal system.
  • Bluewell’s public service district will receive a $487,000 grant and $480,000 in loans to provide 106 households in Mercer County with a reliable water source.

Funding for the restoration of Wheeling’s Fort Henry was also included in the infrastructure package. A loan of $5.2 million will go toward renovations to the building’s first, third, and fourth floors.

“Investing in our rural communities spurs economic growth and creates good-paying jobs, and I am pleased USDA is investing in these six sites,” Sen. Joe Manchin said in a joint press release with Sen. Shelley Moore Capito. “As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I will continue to advocate for funding to ensure our rural communities across the Mountain State have the resources they need to thrive.”

Both senators are on the appropriations panel, which steers federal money to the states.

Documents from the USDA say the improvements will benefit 18,433 West Virginians across each project in totality.