Commerce Secretary Keith Crisco today announced that four North Carolina communities will receive a total of $1.4 million in Community Development Block Grant funds to connect low- and moderate-income homes to clean drinking water supplies. The money will be used to install or replace 15,300 linear feet of public water lines.
“Every North Carolinian should have access to safe, clean drinking water,” Crisco said. “Community development is an important part of the mission of the N.C. Department of Commerce and we will continue to focus on improving the quality of life for all of our residents.”
CDBG Small Cities infrastructure funds are awarded to local governments to eliminate severe water and sewer problems that are causing health and/or environmental problems. Projects are chosen based on severity of need, feasibility of the project and the percent of low- and moderate-homes that will be served. The maximum award per project is $750,000.
The four projects most recently funded by the Commerce Department’s Division of Community Assistance are:
- Catawba County - $308,500 to install 2,100 linear feet of 8” water line to replace a contaminated community well that serves 22 households on Royal Height Circle. The water lines will be connected to the City of Hickory’s public water system.
- The Town of Hobgood (in Halifax County) - $122,610 to replace two unconnected 2” water lines on North Bay Street with 1,950 linear feet of 6” line and to install 2,450 linear feet of 6” line to connect and loop the replacement lines.
- Union County - $225,434 to install 3,300 linear feet of 6” water line that will serve the Dodge City community including 19 homes with contaminated wells.
- The Town of Whitsett (in Guilford County) - $750,000 to install 5,500 of 6” and 8” water lines in a residential area with contaminated wells. The water lines will be connected to the City of Burlington’s public water system.
CDBG funding is allocated to the state from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for community improvements in low to moderate-income areas. The N.C. Department of Commerce’s Division of Community Assistance administers the program.
Communities seeking more information about the CDBG award program can visit the Department of Commerce’s Division of Community Assistance on the web at www.nccommerce.com/en/CommunityServices.