New Infrastructure Will Support a Growing Economy and Provide Clean Watersheds for Thousands of People in Greenbrier County
LEWISBURG, W.Va., Aug. 31, 2022 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack joined Sen. Joe Manchin today to announce a $75 million investment by USDA in critical infrastructure improvements that will ensure thousands of rural people in Greenbrier County have clean drinking water and sanitary wastewater systems for years to come.
“The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to providing a healthy community and environment to make sure people, children and families have clean water and safe water systems that prevent pollution and runoff,” Vilsack said. “Thanks to President Biden, Vice President Harris and to the tireless efforts of leaders like Sen. Manchin, USDA is making investments in rural communities where they are needed most. With today’s announcement and historic investments like the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act, we will advance our work to ensure people in West Virginia and throughout the country can look forward to healthy, vibrant futures for their families and the communities they call home.”
Vilsack and Manchin were in Lewisburg to highlight two projects that will upgrade aging, failing water infrastructure. They attended a groundbreaking for an improved water treatment plant and announced new funding to update a wastewater system.
The City of Lewisburg has received $52.7 million in USDA loans and grants to upgrade its water treatment facility. The city will construct a new raw water intake structure and two new water storage tanks, as well as replace roughly six miles of water distribution lines. Maintenance on the city’s water system has become increasingly costly and difficult. Without these improvements, the 40-year-old system would continue to be compromised and customers would experience boil water notices and outages. The project is the largest utility investment USDA has made in West Virginia. It will benefit more than 13,000 people