USDA loan assists North Carolina with sewer project

1/6/2012

An $8.5 million loan from the United States Department of Agriculture will help fund an $11.4 million, six-mile sewer plant discharge pipe in Havelock, North Carolina, the Sun Journal reports.

A project many years in the making, the loan will likely be the catalyst to help begin construction in the spring. The state's Division of Water Quality is currently in its last comment period on the proposal.

"We're in a very good position with that," Havelock city manager Jim Freeman told the news source. "It was a very big thing to get the financing in place last year."

The city's current sewer capacity is unable to accommodate larger new customers to its system, such as subdivisions or large retailers. With the addition, it will be able to stretch its capacity from 1.9 million gallons per day to 2.25 million gallons per day.

Since Hurricane Irene hit, Havelock has been experiencing drought-like conditions, and the eastern portion of the state is currently dealing with a rain deficit, Havelock News reports.

Because of the lack of rain this winter, farmers are looking at alternative crops to help spur growth, such as small grains and sorghum.