Community Development Block Grants Awarded to 34 South Carolina Communities

Funding to Assist Communities in Improving Various Sewer and Water Services

BERKELEY COUNTY, SC – August 2, 2010 – The South Carolina Department of Commerce today announced that approximately $14.5 million in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds have been awarded to 34 communities across the state. These projects will directly benefit more than 16,000residents.  A full list of grant recipients is listed below.

“The CDBG program is a resource with a track record of helpingcommunities most in need. Thanks to this program, communities across thestate will be able to improve water and sewer-related services, and indoing so improve their infrastructure for potential economicdevelopment,” said Commerce Secretary Joe Taylor.

Approximately 78 percent of the funds recommended will directly impactresidents in distressed, least-developed and under-developed counties inSouth Carolina. More than half of the projects recommended for fundingwill address public health or safety issues or concerns, includingcontaminated wells, insufficient fire protection and unsafe wastewatertreatment.

In all, 665 low- to moderate-income households will be connected topublic water and 107 low- to moderate-income households will beconnected to public sewer.

The projects receiving grants were selected through a statewidecompetitive process.  Communities receiving CDBG funding are required toprovide at least 10 percent matching funds. 

All grants awarded through the CDBG program must meet at least one of three objectives:

• Benefit low and moderate income persons.
• Aid in the prevention or elimination of slums and blighting conditions.
• Meet other urgent community development needs where existingconditions pose a serious and immediate threat to public health andwelfare and where other financial resources are not readily available tomeet such needs.

The grants funds are allocated annually to South Carolina from theUnited States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).  TheDepartment of Commerce administers the CDBG program for the state.  Theprogram assists communities in providing housing, a suitable livingenvironment and expanded economic opportunities.  Grants are awarded tolocal governments to carry out a wide range of activities addressinghousing and community development needs. 

Community Development Block Grantswill be awarded to the following communities:

BerkeleyCounty – BurntwoodWater Extension                                                   $495,375

Town ofBlacksburg –Oak Grove Road WaterExtension                                    $427,420

Town of Central – Head/Watkins SewerUpgrade                                                 $500,000

CherokeeCounty –NormanBoulevard Water Extension                                      $278,600

City ofChester –Pinckney Street Water Upgrade                                                $500,000

City ofClinton –Lydia Waterline Upgrade Phase II                                              $475,102

Town of Clover –Roosevelt Area Water Upgrade                                                $500,000

City ofDarlington –WestDarlington Sewer Line Upgrade                                    $447,150

Town of Edgefield – Sewer Upgrade                                                                  $500,000

Town ofFairfax – Wastewater PumpStation Upgrade                                         $500,000

GreenwoodCounty – SeaboardSewer Upgrade Phase III                                    $500,000

Town of Harleyville – Pump StationUpgrade                                                      $144,250

City ofHartsville – SouthHartsville Water Upgrade                                             $474,000

Town ofHeath Springs – WaterSystem Improvements                                        $500,000

JasperCounty –Purrysburg Sewer Extension                                                     $500,000

City ofLakeCity – Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade                                     $500,000

Town of Lamar –McClendon Street Water Upgrade                                             $91,080

LancasterCounty – WaterSystem Improvements                                                $500,000

LaurensCounty –TractorRoad Waterline Extension                                            $248,000

MarlboroCounty – GrantRoad Water Line Extension                                          $450,821

Town of Mayesville –Third Street SewerUpgrade                                               $308,998

City ofMullins – Water LineImprovements                                                          $475,000

Town ofNinety Six – Duke/AllisStreet Waterline Upgrade                                   $162,820

Town ofPamplico –Seven Mile Road Water Extension                                       $312,463

Town ofPortRoyal –FortFrederick Sewer Extension                                         $308,250

Town of Prosperity –Forest Hills Sewer Upgrade                                                $500,000

Town ofSaluda – Sewer UpgradesPhase II                                                        $500,000

City ofUnion – Union &Excelsior Mill Villages Sewer Improvements                    $500,000

Town of Varnville – Water Upgrade                                                                     $500,000

Town ofWagener – Water SystemImprovements                                                $500,000

City ofWalhalla –ChicopeeMillVillage Water Upgrade                                       $500,000

WilliamsburgCounty –St. Mark Water Extension                                                $500,000

Town ofWinnsboro – Sewer SystemImprovements                                            $433,720

Town ofYemassee – SewerCollection Line Improvements                                  $500,000