Rural Areas Sharing $30 Million for Water, Wastewater Projects

AUSTIN (Strategic Partnerships Inc.) – Nearly $30 million in U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) funds have been distributed to 15 Texas water supply corporations, counties, cities and special utility districts to help defray the costs of water and wastewater projects in Texas.

The funds are part of the USDA’s Build Out Texas program, which is designed to improve infrastructure in rural areas with population of 10,000 or less.

The largest amount of funding was awarded to the city of Floresville. The city will benefit from a nearly $7.5 million loan and a grant of roughly $1.8 million. The community also contributed $180,000 toward the project. The funds will be used to replace and upgrade the city’s 35-year-old sewer system.

El Paso County was awarded more than $8.5 million to construct a sewer collection system.

In all, six cities were awarded funding, from a $30,000 grant to the city of Poteet to conduct a preliminary engineering report and environmental report, to the city of Breckenridge, which received an $846,000 loan and $358,000 grant to replace water and sewer lines under city streets.

Some of the recipients were awarded USDA SEARCH grants. These grants, such as one for $30,000 to the Batesville Water Supply Corp. and one for $27,500 to the city of Patton Village, are used for predevelopment feasibility studies and technical assistance on proposed water and waste disposal projects.

To view the entire list of recipients, funding amounts and a project description, click here.