U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin Announces Over $51 Million to Rebuild and Improve Rural Water Infrastructure in Wisconsin

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin is announcing more than $51 million in United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development funding to help rebuild and improve water infrastructure in Wisconsin communities. As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Baldwin has supported strong funding for infrastructure projects through USDA’s Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program and is working to reauthorize the program in the 2018 Farm Bill.

USDA Rural Development will provide $34,822,000 in loans and $16,547,000 in grant funding for seven water and wastewater projects in Wisconsin.

“Safe drinking water and reliable water infrastructure are priorities for every Wisconsin community and are essential to public health and the economic prosperity of our state. Too often, small rural communities lack the resources to solve our most pressing water challenges,” said Senator Baldwin. “I worked to secure these strong investments to make sure that our rural communities across Wisconsin have access to clean drinking water, and safe and improved water infrastructure.”

USDA is providing the funds through the Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program. The funding can be used for drinking water, storm water drainage and waste disposal systems for rural communities with 10,000 or fewer residents.

The USDA funding was awarded to the following Wisconsin communities:

• City of Waupun: $27,611,000 in loans and $9,479,000 in grants for water distribution and storm water drainage system improvements, including the addition of a phosphorus removal system making use of new technology.
• Village of Reedsville: $1,049,000 in loans and $802,000 in grants for water distribution system improvements; and $1,275,000 in loans and $813,000 in grants for sanitary sewer system improvements.
• Village of Tennyson: $1,628,000 in loans and $2,591,000 in grants for water and sanitary sewer system improvements.
• Village of Albany: $983,000 in loans and $676,000 in grants for water system improvements.
• Village of Blanchardville: $1,876,000 in loans and $1,453,000 in grants for water distribution and sanitary sewer system improvements.
• Village of Radisson: $400,000 in loans and $733,000 in grants for a new well and elevated water tower to meet residential and industrial needs after an existing well was shut down due to lead.