Community Development Block Grants Awarded to 23 South Carolina Communities
August 3, 2009
Funding to Assist Communities in Improving Water and Sewer Services
COLUMBIA, SC – August 3, 2009 – The South Carolina Department of Commerce today announced that more than $10 million in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds have been awarded to 23 communities across the state. These projects will directly benefit more than 9,822 low- to moderate-income residents. A full list of award winners is listed below.
“The CDBG program is a resource with a track record of helping communities most in need utilize resources to implement a variety of opportunities. Thanks to this program, these communities across the state will be able to improve water or sewer services and in doing so improve their infrastructure and economic development potential. We are pleased that this year 23 communities and more than 9,800 residents will benefit from these grants,” said Commerce Secretary Joe Taylor.
More than half of the projects statewide will address public health or safety issues related to water services. Five communities will benefit from new water service to replace unreliable, shallow or dry wells, and provide the community with water for fire protection. Three communities will receive new sewer service.
Existing water systems will be upgraded in eight communities to improve water pressure, quality and fire protection, and ensure a safe source of drinking water for local communities. Seven communities will have existing sewer systems upgraded to make them compliant with DHEC standards and safe for residents.
These grants will also help 596 low- to moderate-income households connect to public water service and 97 low- to moderate-income households to public sewer service.
The projects receiving grants were selected through a statewide competitive process. Communities receiving CDBG funding are required to provide 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 existing conditions pose a serious and immediate threat to public health and welfare and where other financial resources are not readily available to meet such needs.
The grants funds are allocated annually to South Carolina from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The Department of Commerce administers the CDBG program for the state. The program assists communities in providing housing, a suitable living environment and expanded economic opportunities. Grants are awarded to local governments to carry out a wide range of activities addressing housing and community development needs. More than 70 percent of the funding will assist the state’s most-distressed and least-developed counties.
Community Development Block Grants will be awarded to the following communities:
Beaufort County – Dale Water Extension Phase II $436,060
Town of Bluffton – Buck Island-Simmonsville Sewer Extension $500,000
Cherokee County – Bear Creek Road Water Extension $500,000
City of Chesterfield – Water Upgrade $464,500
City of Clinton – Lydia Waterline Upgrade $500,000
Town of Edgefield – Rosa Hill Waterline Upgrade $500,000
Greenwood County – Seaboard Sewer Upgrade Phase II $499,999
Town of Hampton – Water Looping $290,183
Town of Hemingway – Thompson/Monaco Road Water Extension $500,000
Town of Johnston – Sewer Upgrade $465,980
City of Lake City – Beulah Road Sewer Extension $500,000
Laurens County – Highway 101 Waterline Extension $292,400
Orangeburg County – Edisto Sewer Extension Phase III $500,000
Town of Ridgeland – Green/Adams Street Well Upgrade $462,160
Town of Saluda – South Bouknight Sewer Upgrade $499,999
Town of Sellers – Regional Sewer Treatment Connection $940,000
City of Seneca – Utica Mill Village Phase III Sewer Upgrade $500,000
Town of St. George – Upgrade Water Line $500,000
Town of St. Stephen – Sewer Line Upgrade &
nbsp; $296,990
City of Union – Buffalo Sewer Improvements – Phase II $500,000
City of Walterboro – Lincoln Apartments Water Extension $206,000
Town of Whitmire – Water Main & Pump Station Improvement $525,000
Williamsburg County – Morris Corner Water Extension $500,000
Total Community Infrastructure Grants $10,879,271
