Kathy Beisner (302) 857-3580 or (302) 270-5767
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F FEDERAL FUNDING FOR SMALL TOWN INFRASTRUCTURE
Williamsport, MD August 24, 2007 – Congressman Roscoe Bartlett and USDA Rural Development State Director Marlene Elliott announced more than $760,000 in federal loans and grants to help the towns of Williamsport and Smithsburg with improvements to water and sewer systems.
Congressman Bartlett said, “USDA’s Rural Development program has provided more than $10 million in critical funding to small towns in western Maryland just during the past two years. This $15,000 grant to Williamsport is an important step to providing residents and businesses with safe, affordable, and reliable drinking water. Smithsburg buys its water from Hagerstown and this $748,000 loan will ensure an uninterrupted supply of safe drinking water for current and future generations.”
In Williamsport, a $15,000 USDA Rural Development grant was announced that will help the town proceed with an engineering study to identify upgrades for the town’s aging sewer lines. The grant will be added to the town’s $25,000 investment that will allow for a full examination of the sewer system. The town’s sewer system dates back to the early 1960’s. A testing of a small area of the sewer lines has revealed that rehabilitation work is needed; pipes are collapsing, revealing cracks and root intrusion which cause an inflow and infiltration problem. During wet weather months, the town’s bills triple compared to normal billing months; the system is absorbing large amounts of ground water that is being treated by the county’s wastewater treatment plant.
“This funding represents an opportunity to protect the environment, improve the quality of life and increase economic opportunity,” said Elliott. “So many of our rural communities are having inflow and infiltration problems as a result of aging sewer systems. It is costly to the community and USDA Rural Development is pleased to be a partner in helping make it affordable for the local government to repair.”
Smithsburg received a $748,000 USDA Rural Development loan to help construct a 350,000 gallon capacity water storage tank and purchase an emergency back-up generator. USDA Rural Development is providing 100% of the financing to be repaid over 40 years at 4.1250 percent. The town currently purchases water from Hagerstown that serves some 1,270 households and businesses. The new water tank will be built in the southern portion of town near the existing water tanks at the intersection of Wolfsville Road (Rt. 17) and Federal Lookout Road and will help meet residential growth planned in the area. In the event the water supply from Hagerstown is disrupted, the new water tank will serve as a backup for fire and other emergency services in the town of Smithsburg.
“No problem is more difficult and more costly for rural towns than providing access to clean, safe drinking water and sanitary disposal of wastewater,” said Elliott. “We are pleased to return the people’s money to Smithsburg and have the support of Maryland’s Congressional delegation by ensuring that we have the programs in place to serve rural communities with their most pressing needs.”
USDA Rural Development is committed to the future of rural communities. Last year, the agency returned over $185 million to rural Maryland. They have over 40 programs that support agriculture, business opportunities, home ownership, home repair, rental housing, broadband technology, public safety, health care, education, social and cultural needs and energy related projects. Additional information on rural programs is available by calling their State Office at (302) 857-3580 or by visiting their website at www.rurdev.usda.gov.
USDA Rural Development is an Equal Opportunity Lender, Provider, and Employer. Complaints of discrimination should be
sent to: USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410.