U.S. Sens. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), ranking member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced $4,519,000 in loans and $3,465,000 in grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program. This funding will be used to modernize rural drinking water and wastewater infrastructure and eliminate outdated pipes and service lines to safeguard public health and safety in rural communities.

“Through my work as ranking member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, I have long emphasized the impact that updated wastewater and drinking water infrastructure can have on our communities. That is why I worked alongside Chairman Carper to craft the Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act of 2021, which is a bipartisan, responsible, and meaningful investment that will advance the infrastructure needed to help local communities keep their drinking water safe and clean, which passed the Senate 89-2. I’m thrilled to see these three locations in West Virginia receiving this funding today, and I look forward to the impact this will have on residents across our state,” Ranking Member Capito said.

“When every West Virginian has clean water to drink, our entire state is healthier and our communities thrive. In order to ensure all West Virginians have reliable access to clean water, we must improve and upgrade our drinking water and wastewater infrastructure. My recent bipartisan infrastructure proposal includes millions to improve America and West Virginia’s drinking water and wastewater infrastructure and our sewer systems,” Sen. Manchin said. “USDA’s investment in three West Virginia Public Service Districts is great news for our state, and I look forward to seeing the benefits of these upgrades for our rural communities.”

Individual awards listed below:

· $2,019,000 Loan / $965,000 Grant for the Tyler County Public Service District: This Rural Development investment will be used to enable the Public Service District to provide both public drinking water and fire protection by extending its water distribution south from Boreman Elementary along Route 18 to Centerville and Alma.

· $2,000,000 Loan / $1,000,000 Grant for the Lavalette Public Service District: This Rural Development investment will be used to replace undersized and outdated lines in the German Ridge and Dickson areas of the Northern Distribution System.

· $500,000 Loan / $1,500,000 Grant for the Cowen Public Service District: This Rural Development investment will be used to extend a sewer system to the Upper Glade area.