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U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Selma, announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Office of Rural Development has awarded a loan of $2,419,000 and a grant of $6,586,000 to the West Dallas County Water Authority.

The $9 million investment will improve the water system in West Dallas and Marengo Counties and benefit more than 7,400 rural residents.

“Access to clean, safe water is a basic human right, and one that too many of my constituents in rural Alabama have gone without,” Sewell said. “With this $9 million USDA investment, we are taking important steps to improve our water infrastructure for more than 7,400 rural residents in Dallas and Marengo Counties, including those who were not previously connected to water mains. I know this funding will make a tremendous difference here in the Black Belt.”

“This approval represents a significant opportunity and major step toward the development and growth of vital services to our community,” said the West Dallas Water Authority Board of Directors. “We are excited about the positive impact this project will have on the community and confident this project will bring long-term vital benefits to the people of Marengo County. West Dallas Authority is honored and thankful for the coordinated efforts of everyone who helped us reach this goal.”

“The Biden-Harris Administration invests in rural America, because we know strong communities are rooted in their people,” said U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “These investments will build modern infrastructure that will attract employers to the nation’s smallest towns and most remote communities, creating jobs, vibrant Main Streets, and lasting economic growth for the people who live there.”

The improvements include the purchase and installment of new water mains, 31 new fire hydrants, a 200,000-gallon elevated water storage tank, and one booster station. The West Dallas County Water Authority will use this funding to connect 115 new customers to the new water mains that will provide a source of drinking water to unreached rural residents of West Dallas and Marengo counties.