Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
TUCUMCARI — The City of Tucumcari has been earmarked to receive more than $5 million dollars in a loan/grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to be used for wastewater systems improvements.
The Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development today announced the USDA is investing $267 million in 103 infrastructure projects to upgrade water and wastewater systems in rural communities.
“Robust, modern infrastructure is foundational for quality of life and economic opportunity – no matter what zip code you live in,” Anne Hazlett said. “Under Secretary Perdue’s leadership, USDA is committed to being a strong partner in addressing rural infrastructure needs to support a more prosperous future in rural communities.”
The funds can be used to finance drinking water, storm water drainage and waste disposal systems for rural communities with 10,000 or fewer residents.
“We have not received this money, it has only been earmarked for our community,” said City Manager Britt Lusk.
Lusk said the city has yet to receive the actual agreement and contract from the USDA. He said the city still needs to review the conditions of the contract before the commission decides if it will approve the application.
The money will be used to help the city become compliant with future Environmental Protection Agency regulations concerning the discharge of the wastewater treatment plant, said Public Works Director Mark Martinez.
Martinez said the wastewater treatment plant currently meets the EPA’s regulation on discharging of wastewater.
“The regulations are constantly changing and becoming stricter,” Martinez said. “However it is projected that the cost to continue to meet those regulations will be too costly for the city.”
Martinez said the city applied for the USDA funds as a way to pay for an alternative solution to the wastewater issue. He said the $5,634,400 loan/grant funding package would be used in implementing a total reuse project that requires zero discharge.
According to the USDA release: “The City of Tucumcari will purchase the (318-acre Smith property) to extend the system and install sprinklers that would allow the storage of the treated effluent and irrigate during the irrigation season. The project will consist of the construction of one reuse storage pond, a new manhole structure, extension and modifications to gravity effluent pipelines, a pump station, and improvements to the existing effluent irrigation system.”