City Utilities Awarded RIA Grant Funding

NEWBERRY — The City of Newberry Utilities department has been awarded grant funding from the South Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA). The funds will be used for water system improvements at the city’s water plant.

RIA grants are awarded twice a year through a competitive process that considers the need for improved public health, environmental protection, community sustainability and economic development. Applications are selected by the RIA board based on criteria, including severity of the problem, expected impact and project feasibility.

City Utility Director Tim Baker said their department submitted the grant application in March and were notified in May that they had received funding in the amount of $468,188.

Baker said the grant funding would be used to install a permanent system for liquid discharge from their existing sludge lagoons, allowing staff increased flexibility for managing the residuals and protecting the finished water quality.

In layman’s terms, he said it was going to be used in creating a more efficient way for the water plant to manage materials that were filtered out of the city’s drinking water. The system will include pumps, a floating intake, flow meter and valves/piping.

The project is expected to be completed by October 2022, pending any unexpected delays.

The total project cost is projected at $624,250. With the assistance of the RIA grant, the city is only responsible for a match of 25%, Baker said, projected to total $156,062.

“I’m thankful to the South Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority and proud that the City of Newberry received this grant so that we can continue to serve our community high quality water in a cost-effective manner,” Baker said.