PINK HILL — A small Lenoir County town received big bucks to finish its water works rehabilitation.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Rural Development, through its Rural Utilities Service, sent along another $812,500 to complete Pink Hill’s restoration of its water distribution infrastructure.
“We appreciate the USDA-RD loan and grant that will provide better water quality and increase our fire protection with additional fire hydrants,” Pink Hill Mayor Carol Sykes said in a statement. “On behalf of the Town of Pink Hill, we thank (Area Director) Elmer Langston of USDA-RD and Sen. (Kay) Hagan for all you have done.”
Hagan announced the appropriation Monday.
“Sen. Hagan has always supported rural infrastructure grants like the one the USDA awarded to the Town of Pink Hill,” Hagan state spokesman Chris Hayden said in an email. “She believes that it is critical to find ways that we can modernize infrastructure in rural North Carolina and is very pleased that Pink Hill will be given this opportunity.”
The additional funds are to keep the project’s budget balance and cover increased costs of building materials.
Originally approved in 2009 as part of the “second stimulus,” or American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the Pink Hill project is part of nine rural water projects and the only one in North Carolina.
Originally, the ARRA called for the town to receive a $372,000 loan with a $688,000 grant. The plan calls for replacement of undersized water lines, looping most “dead lines” and adding more fire hydrants. At least 8,600 thousand feet of PVC pipe, of various diameters, are being installed.
When the USDA announced the projects in November 2009, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the Pink Hill project and others like it are part of an overall effort of “rebuilding and revitalizing the nation’s rural infrastructure.”
Wes Wolfe can be reached at 252-559-1075 or wes.wolfe@kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter @WolfeReports.
Pink Hill received from the USDA:
n $661,000 loan
n $151,500 grant
Originally budgeted:
n $372,000 loan
n $688,000 grant
Appropriation helps pay for water works infrastructure