$350k loan approved for southern Laurel County water project

A Laurel County water district that serves the southern portion of the county is getting a federal loan to help pay for a project that has gone over budget.

United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development Kentucky State Director Hilda Legg announced in late May that the department is investing over $16.6 million in seven water infrastructure improvement projects across rural Kentucky.

Laurel County Water District No. 2 is getting a $350,000 loan to cover a cost overrun due to low cost estimates based on the current market and higher than anticipated costs at bidding, a news release noted.

The project involves the construction of one new 500,000-gallon water storage tank and the replacement of approximately two miles of water line in order to meet the current and future demands of customers in rural Laurel County, one of Kentucky’s persistent poverty counties, the release noted.

USDA is funding the projects through the Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant program.

“All too often, we take clean water and wastewater disposal for granted,” said Legg. “As rural water districts across the commonwealth age, these projects are crucial to rural communities. Water districts that keep their infrastructure in good health and practice sound management are well poised to serve their respective communities for decades to come. Together, we can help those communities thrive, because when rural Kentucky thrives, America thrives.”