South Dakota Ag Connection - Pukwana Receives USDA Funding to Improve Infrastructure

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Pukwana Receives USDA Funding to Improve Infrastructure
South Dakota Ag Connection - 08/16/2018

Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development Anne Hazlett announced in Louisiana that USDA is investing more than $124 million to help rebuild and improve rural water infrastructure in 23 states. One project in South Dakota is receiving funding.

"Modern, reliable water infrastructure provides a foundation for economic growth and prosperity," Hazlett said. "USDA's partnerships with rural communities underscore Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue's commitment to ensuring that rural places have the infrastructure needed to thrive."

USDA is providing the funding through the Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant program. It can be used to finance drinking water, stormwater drainage and waste disposal systems for rural communities with 10,000 or fewer residents.

Hazlett announced that the following project in South Dakota will receive USDA funding:

- Town of Pukwana is receiving a $234,000 loan and a $349,000 grant to improve the town of Pukwana's sewer sanitation system. It will help alleviate major sewer infiltration and inflow into the soil and help plan for future growth. Improvements to the infrastructure consist of two key elements. The first includes repairing and replacing two miles of clay sewer pipe. The second involves rehabilitation of the lift station and the purchase of a new generator. This project will benefit 285 rural users. A $770,000 Community Development Block Grant from the state will provide additional funding.

The funding that USDA is announcing today will benefit communities in Arkansas, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Vermont and West Virginia.

In FY 2018, Congress provided a historic level of funding for water and wastewater infrastructure. The 2018 Omnibus spending bill includes $5.2 billion for USDA loans and grants, up from $1.8 billion in FY 2017. The bill also directs Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to make investments in rural communities with the greatest infrastructure needs.

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