West Virginia has been awarded a federal grant that aims to improve water quality in the state, which has been rated one of the worst in the nation.
The Environmental Protection Agency awarded close to $25 million to the Mountain State for wastewater treatment and storm water runoff improvement Tuesday, according to a press release.
The award is part of West Virginia’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund, which provides municipalities with low interest loans specifically for water quality projects. The goal is to reduce the amount of “raw or poorly treated sewage” from entering ground and surface water.
The state will contribute almost $5 million, as well. The revolving fund self-replenishes with repayments and interest earnings on prior loans. To access the money a community has to be recommended by the West Virginia Job Infrastructure and Jobs Development Council.
In 2017, the EPA awarded the state about $20 million for similar wastewater management projects. However in 2019 more than a half of West Virginia’s counties have ranked worst water quality in the nation, according to a study by three environmental groups.