Contact: Don Evans 919-715-6216
Date: March 3, 2000 Distribution: Statewide
Nearly $60 Million In Grants Recommended
To Help Municipalities With Sewer Needs
RALEIGH - The N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) today recommended nearly $60 million in clean water bonds to be awarded to 28 local projects across North Carolina for major wastewater needs.
DENR selected the projects from 189 proposals submitted by cities across the state. The recommendations will be acted on by the state Environmental Management Commission next week. The 17-member board is to consider the proposals at its March 9 meeting in Raleigh.
"These grants will go a long way toward helping these municipalities meet their responsibilities of keeping our waters clean," Gov. Jim Hunt said. "North Carolina has widespread needs in terms of improving wastewater systems and we will work with towns and cities to offer low interest loans and technical assistance to meet those needs and protect our environment."
In November 1998, Hunt signed the Clean Water Bond and pushed for its passage. North Carolina voters approved the referendum for $330 million in state grants and $300 million in loans to help local governments repair and improve water supply systems and wastewater collection and treatment, and to undertake water conservation and reuse projects.
Approval of the recommended projects would leave a bond balance of $144,501,795 in loans and $3,104,731 in a general revolving loan account. The Commission last year awarded $105,766,968 in grants for 43 projects and $5,498,205 in loans to Morehead City and Spindale.
DENR's Construction Grants and Loans Section of the Division of Water Quality administers the wastewater bond programs, selecting projects based upon need priorities and the ability to improve water quality.
Recommendations for this round of wastewater grant requests include the following:
· Washington -- $3 million for wastewater treatment plant improvements.
· West Jefferson -- $3 million to upgrade and expand wastewater treatment plant from 369,000 gallons per day to 500,000, including a wastewater reuse project.
· Erwin -- $2 million for a wastewater reuse project and rehabilitation of sewer collection system lines.
· Louisburg -- $2,295,500 for a wastewater reuse project and rehabilitation of sewer lines.
· Wilson -- $1,586,003 for a wastewater reuse project, nutrient removal and rehabilitation of sewer.
· Zebulon -- $1,928,340 for a wastewater reuse project, nutrient removal and rehabilitation of sewer.
· Farmville -- $3 million for rehabilitation of collection system and a wastewater reuse project.
· Bladenboro -- $1,729,000 for rehabilitation of collection system and addition of a land application site.
· Hendersonville -- $3 million for expansion for wastewater treatment plant from 3.2 million gallons per day to 4.8 million gallons.
· Morehead City -- $2 million for rehabilitation of collection system and a wastewater reuse project.
· Carolina Beach -- $3 million for rehabilitation of sewer lines and a wastewater reuse project.
· Sanford -- $3 million for rehabilitation of sewer lines, a wastewater reuse system and additional standby power.
· Granville County -- $223,000 for new sewer line, pump station and force sewer main for Stoval Elementary School of Stoval; improvement of land application site.
· Macclesfield -- $2,907,940 for rehabilitation of sewer lines and a wastewater reuse system.
· Swansboro - $2,967,290 for wastewater treatment plant expansion from 300,000 gallons per day to 600,000 gallons per day, which will eliminate a discharge of treated wastewater into Foster's Creek and replace it with a land application spray site.
· North Wilkesboro -- $3 million to replace failing septic tank systems with new gravity sewer, pump station and force main.
· Oak Island -- $635,855 to replace failing septic tank systems with a new collection system.
· Warsaw -- $3 million for wastewater treatment plant expansion from 610,000 gallons per day to 915,000; rehabilitation of sewer and a wastewater reuse project.
· Burgaw -- $3 million for rehabilitation of sewer and a wastewater reuse project.
· Polkton -- $1,319,976 to eliminate failing septic tank systems and replace with new gravity sewer.
· Halifax -- $748,745 to eliminate failing septic tank systems, build a new pump station and upgrade the wastewater treatment plant.
· Gibson -- $646,100 for wastewater treatment plant expansion from 44,000 gallons per day to 90,000; rehabilitation of sewer.
· Rose Hill -- $1,458,550 for rehabilitation of sewer, upgrade a pump station and addition of a land application site.
· Locust -- $2,969,700 to eliminate failing septic tanks with a vacuum collection system with regional treatment provided at Town of Oakboro.
· Pinetops -- $2,983,500 for sewer system rehabilitation.
· Creedmoor -- $150,000 for collection system rehabilitation.
· Pink Hill -- $1.4 million for a pump station and force main to serve Moss Hill School and South Lenoir High School; improve land application system.
· Parmele -- $2,201,625 to eliminate failing septic tank system with wastewater connection and treatment at Town of Robersonville.
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