The Sconi

Sen. Tammy Baldwin is praising new federal funding for rural communities in Wisconsin to make improvements and update wastewater and drinking water infrastructure. 

"Big news for communities in rural Wisconsin! Thanks to @RD_Wisconsin @usdaRD and @SecVilsack. #BuildBackBetter," Baldwin said on Twitter. 

The Rural Development investment will be used to improve the Edgar Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF), a list of grants from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) said. 

The USDA said that the existing WWTF, originally constructed in the 1930s and upgraded in 1968, has crucial improvements that need to be made including the reconditioning of treatment processes, a replacement to a major portion of the electrical system and a conversion of the blower/generator room to a lab/office. 

"These improvements will allow the WWTF to remove phosphorus both chemically and biologically to be able to achieve the phosphorus waste load allocation imposed by the Wisconsin River TMDL (total maximum daily load)," the USDA said in its statement on the grants. 

The USDA said that the award includes a $4,776,000 loan and a $1,493,000 grant. 

There are seven sites throughout rural Wisconsin receiving aid to help improve their infrastructure, the USDA said in a press release. 

The grant is only available to rural areas that qualify and have under 10,000 residents, the press release said. 

In total, the USDA invested $307 million to modernize rural drinking water and wastewater infrastructure in 34 states and Puerto Rico, the USDA said in a press release. 

"Rural Development continues to support our rural Wisconsin communities with their water and wastewater infrastructure improvements so they can support their economic development needs,” Wallace said. “USDA is investing in our small towns and cities that need it most – to help them build back better and stronger than ever before," Wisconsin Rural Development Acting State Director Michelle Wallace said in a press release.