Melbourne to receive $5.4 million in grants, loans from USDA to improve water facilities

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced Tuesday (Dec. 10) that USDA will make loans and grants totaling $6.3 billion in rural and Tribal communities across 44 states to expand access to the electric grid, provide safe drinking water and create higher paying jobs.

The city of Melbourne will receive a $3.9 million grant and $1.457 million low-interest loan for its water and wastewater treatment facilities.

The funds will be used to fix health and sanitary issues with the city’s wastewater treatment plant as outlined in the Consent Administrative Order issued by the Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment Division of Environmental Quality.

This project will replace aging infrastructure, ensure safe and reliable transmission of wastewater and prevent pollution and runoff in this community of 1,830 residents.

“The Biden-Harris Administration invests in rural America, because we know strong communities are rooted in their people,” Vilsack said. “These investments will build modern infrastructure that will attract employers to the nation’s smallest towns and most remote communities, creating jobs, vibrant Main Streets, and lasting economic growth for the people who live there.”

More than 200 projects are being financed to strengthen the nation’s infrastructure in rural communities through this latest tranche of funding.