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State awards more than $66 million in low-interest loans for wastewater improvements
Story Date: 11/3/2011
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Source: PRESS RELEASE, 11/2/11
Recent funding from the Division of Water Quality’s Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund will add protection to Bogue Sound, upgrade Lumberton’s wastewater collection system and enable Newport to serve more customers through its wastewater treatment system.
A total of 27 projects recently received low-interest loans from the Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund. This program makes funding available twice yearly to local governments to help fund wastewater treatment, stormwater management and water pollution controls employing green technologies. The funds are made available at one-half the market interest rate for a period of 20 years. Eighteen communities across 16 counties received funding in the most recent loan cycle.
“A robust infrastructure allows a town to encourage business development and to provide for its citizens,” said Coleen Sullins, director of the N.C. Division of Water Quality. “These loans help towns to revitalize their treatment systems and, thereby, support and protect the economic, social and environmental needs of their communities.”
The following is a description of the projects that received low-interest loans:
Pine Knoll Shores was awarded $362,100 to install stormwater controls that will help reduce flooding during heavy storms. Currently, the east end of town floods so badly during strong rainstorms that some septic systems fail. The untreated wastewater poses a potential threat to human health and the health of Bogue Sound. The project will allow the town to redirect floodwaters to provide irrigation on a nearby golf course.
Parts of Lumberton’s collection system were built so long ago that they combine sewage collection and stormwater collection in the same line – an illegal practice in North Carolina these days. During the past several years, the city has been working to separate these systems. City officials should be able to finish that project with the help of the $2 million awarded during this round of funding.
The Cape Fear Public Utility Authority received loans for five sewer rehabilitation projects that will make significant improvements in the sewage collection system infrastructure.
Newport needs to improve its wastewater treatment process and increase capacity. The loan award of $6.3 million will allow them to construct a new facility adjacent to the current site, but on higher ground that is out of the flood plain. Some of the treatment processes of the old plant will be incorporated in the new system. The result will be better wastewater treatment and increased capacity for the town.
The next round of Clean Water State Revolving Fund loans will be awarded next March. Local governments who wish to apply should visit the Division of Water Quality website (http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/wq/cgls/fap/apps ) for additional information, application forms and directions.
A full list of this cycle’s recipients for wastewater, stormwater and green technologies is available on the N.C. Division of Water Quality’s website at: portal.ncdenr.org/web/wq/cgls/news .
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