Home Local News Ellerbe awarded nearly $3.5M for waterline replacement

Ellerbe awarded nearly $3.5M for waterline replacement

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ELLERBE — One small town in Richmond County is getting more financial help from the state to improve its water infrastructure.

Gov. Roy Cooper’s office announced July 27 that the town of Ellerbe will receive $3,481,000 for the replacement of the waterline on Main Street/U.S. 220.

The project is one of 385 approved for funding by the State Water Infrastructure Authority on July 14. The total allocation for all projects comes to a record $789.4 million.

Funding for the Ellerbe project comes from the Drinking Water Viable Utility Reserve, which is conditional upon approval by the Local Government Commission, according to a press release.

“This funding round included the first awards of American Rescue Plan Act water and wastewater funding on the state level, as well as $174,846,696 in funds that were appropriated in the 2022-23 state budget, signed by Governor Cooper on July 11, 2022,” the press release reads. “… Funding this round also came from the Viable Utility Reserve and the Drinking Water and Wastewater State Reserves, funded from American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds allocated to the State, and the Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Funds.”

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“Clean drinking water is necessary for healthy families and thriving communities and businesses,” Cooper said in a press release. “The historic level of investment provided by the American Rescue Plan will help increase resiliency, support economic growth in our state and improve access to clean water in the communities that need it most.”

According to a press release, the Division of Water Infrastructure received more than 700 applications from 94 of the state’s 100 counties.

In 2020, Ellerbe was awarded $2,097,000 in combined funding through a Wastewater State Reserve grant and loan and a Clean Water State Revolving fund loan for rehabilitation of its sewer system.

The most recent budget also allocated $1.8 million to Ellerbe to pay off a USDA loan for its wastewater line.