ROWLAND — Gov. Roy Cooper toured the Town of Rowland’s wastewater plant Thursday and highlighted the need for the $10.3 million clean water infrastructure grant that the town is receiving to replace and rehabilitate sanitary sewer infrastructure.
Rowland is among seven Robeson County municipalities that have been awarded a total of more than $46 million in grant and loan funding through the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Water Infrastructure.
“Strong communities require strong infrastructure,” Cooper said. “This investment will help make needed improvements to the town’s wastewater system, so Rowland and Robeson County can be an even stronger, healthier and more resilient place for all.”
“These much-needed improvements will improve and enhance the performance and the resiliency of our wastewater treatment plant while improving the quality of life by allowing us to better serve the citizens of Rowland,” said Rowland Mayor Robert McDougald. “It is my hope and our intent to expand and improve these capabilities in order to attract additional housing development and more manufacturing and business opportunities to our area.”
The Town of Rowland owns and operates a wastewater collection system that serves a large majority of the Town’s modest population. This investment will replace gravity sewer lines, rehabilitate four pump stations and improve wastewater treatment plant infrastructure, all operating past their expected service life.
“It will also provide funds to replace many older sewer mains thereby reducing the impact of inflow and infiltration issues systemwide,” Rowland Town Clerk David Townsend said. “All these improvements will increase the Town’s efficiency, which will make the Town of Rowland able to operate in a more cost-effective fashion and encourage new growth to our beautiful town.”
The Town of Rowland is under a sewer line moratorium due to regularly exceeding flows at the treatment plant. The project will help eliminate large volumes of extraneous flow in the system and help end the sewer line moratorium.
On average, North Carolina invests about $200 million annually in the state’s water infrastructure. North Carolina will be investing $2.3 billion in water and wastewater infrastructure in communities across the state.
In July, the Governor announced $789.4 million in water and wastewater infrastructure funding to help pay for 385 projects statewide, including 140 construction projects. To date, 86 counties are receiving funds to upgrade their water infrastructure. The funding comes from American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, state reserve funds and state budget allocations
“The Town of Rowland can now address critical issues that improve sewer service for the community and its residents and ensure the utility’s viability for the future,” said NC Department of Environmental Quality Division of Water Infrastructure Director Shadi Eskaf.
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