$13 million in grants approved for 19 S.C. counties

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The S.C. Rural Infrastructure Authority has approved $13 million in grant assistance for 28 water, sewer and stormwater infrastructure projects throughout South Carolina.

The grants will be combined with more than $15.6 million in local and other funding to addressing health and environmental concerns including water quality, sewer overflows or frequent flooding, according to a news release. Other projects will replace or upgrade aging infrastructure or expand or improve existing infrastructure.

Combined, the projects will benefit more than 53,000 customers in 19 counties.

“Even as many communities face increased expenses and decreased revenues as they respond to today's challenges, the infrastructure that residents and businesses depend on continues to need improvement,” Bonnie Ammons, RIA executive director, said in the release. “The investments we make today are crucial to maintaining public health and environmental standards and providing the foundation for strong local economies.”

RIA grants are awarded twice a year through a competitive process that considers public health, environmental, community sustainability and economic development factors. Recipients share in project costs by paying for non-construction activities and often providing additional construction funds.  

The recipients of the first round of grants for fiscal year 2021 are:

• Anderson County, $490,000, sewer system improvements
• City of Barnwell, $500,000, water system improvements
• City of Camden, $500,000, water line improvements
• City of Dillon, $471,000, water system improvements
• Dorchester County, $260,000, economic water and sewer infrastructure
• City of Easley, $483,603, drainage system upgrades
• Fairfield County, $500,000, economic water infrastructure  
• Gaffney Board of Public Works, $54,617, water system improvements
• Gilbert Summit Rural Water District, $500,000, water line improvements
• City of Goose Creek, $500,000, water line improvements
• Greenville County/Blue Ridge Rural Water Co., $500,000, water line improvements
• Greenwood Commission of Public Works, $400,000, economic water infrastructure
• City of Hartsville, $500,000, water system improvements
• Town of Kershaw, $649,875, water line improvements
• City of Lake City, $497,555, economic water and sewer infrastructure
• City of Lancaster, $409,350, economic water infrastructure
• Laurens Commission of Public Works, $500,000, sewer system improvements
• Laurens County Water and Sewer Commission, $500,000, water line improvements
• City of Liberty, $259,875, sewer system improvements
• City of Loris, $500,000, economic sewer infrastructure
• Lugoff-Elgin Water Authority, $900,000, economic water infrastructure
• Metropolitan Sewer Subdistrict, $500,000, sewer system improvements
• City of Myrtle Beach, $500,000, sewer system improvements
• Ninety-Six Commission of Public Works, $222,200, economic water infrastructure
• Town of Olanta, $429,023, sewer system improvements
• Town of Santee, $500,000, sewer system improvements
• City of Sumter, $500,000, economic water and sewer infrastructure
• Town of Williston, $500,000, water system improvements