Northam announces $2.5M awarded to four localities for water, sewer improvements

Gov. Ralph Northam has announced more than $2.5 million in Community Development Block Grants for the counties of Buchanan, Lee, and Wise, and the Town of Pulaski.

The funding will support water and sewer system improvements to assist low- to moderate-income individuals and households.

“Strong, dependable water infrastructure is essential for creating economic opportunity and enhancing the quality of life for all Virginians,” Northam said. “With this funding from the Community Development Block Grant program, we will continue to address critical needs in our rural communities and ensure our most vulnerable populations have access to safe drinking water and reliable sewer systems.”

The federally funded CDBG program has been administered by the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) since 1982. Virginia receives approximately $18.5 million annually, and funding is allocated among local government applicants through a competitive process using objective scoring criteria developed in consultation with eligible localities.

Three projects were awarded funding through the competitive cycle. These applications were reviewed, evaluated, and scored according to the requirements of the program, and award offers are recommended to the highest-ranking proposals based on funding availability. One additional project was funded through an open submission CDBG Community Economic Development Fund.

“CDBG funding is an important tool to ensure a better quality of life for Virginians,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Brian Ball. “Not only will these grants provide safe, reliable drinking water and sewer connections for more than 150 households, but we will also see the support of a business and retainment of jobs through a sewer improvement project.”

Hunt’s Fork Waterline Extension Project

$570,000
Buchanan County

Buchanan County is providing a regional water line to the rural Hurley community. This project will provide 92 households, 84 percent of which are low- to moderate-income, with safe, reliable drinking water. The county will construct approximately 20,000 linear feet of water line, a water tank, and eight fire hydrants in the Hunt’s Fork Valley.

Blackwater Phase II Water Project – Letter of Intent

$346,500
Lee County

Lee County will provide new public water service to 21 households, 15 of which are low- to moderate-income. This second phase of a larger water system expansion will install approximately 21,590 linear feet of water line and eliminate private system failures or contaminations.

Sewer Improvements at James Hardi Pulaski Facility

$700,000
Town of Pulaski

The Town of Pulaski will upgrade a pump station, add additional storage tanks to the system, and replace approximately 1,000 linear feet of sewer line to accommodate the utility needs of the James Hardie Building Products facility. This project will allow James Hardie to retain at least 70 jobs at this facility, of which at least 36 jobs will be retained at entry-level positions. This upgrade will increase the capacity of the sewer system to better accommodate James Hardie’s operations, as well as any potential future expansions.

Glamorgan Sewer Project

$885,000
Wise County

Wise County will provide new public sewer service to 45 households in the Glamorgan community, 33 of which are low- to moderate-income. Construction will include the installation of approximately 13,000 linear feet of gravity sewer line.