WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representative Xochitl Torres Small (D-N.M.) announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded a nearly $2.9 million grant to the village of Williamsburg, New Mexico to expand and improve the existing sewer line delivery system to pave the way for integrating the system with the sewer system of the adjacent town of Truth or Consequences.
Williamsburg received the $2,887,000 grant as the existing sewer system, originally installed in the 1940s, has become hazardous and caused several sewage backups in residential neighborhoods. The deteriorated sewer lines are also at high risk of leaking sewage into the groundwater that flows into the Rio Grande River.
“New Mexicans should not have to worry about critical infrastructure breakdowns that threaten health and sanitation in their own neighborhoods,” said Udall, a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “We must do better. Good infrastructure is the foundation of a strong economic recovery from this challenging period, and I will continue to fight for the critical funding to repair and improve these essential infrastructure projects in rural communities so that no New Mexico community is left behind.”
“We must do everything we can to carefully manage our precious water resources in New Mexico. Modernizing our sewers and wastewater treatment infrastructure is the key to keeping our drinking water and the natural habitats in in the Rio Grande safe and healthy,” said Heinrich . “I am proud to welcome this major federal investment that will help both Williamsburg and Truth or Consequences repair this critical water infrastructure.”
“Water is the foundation of communities across southern New Mexico. However, our crumbling infrastructure threatens the sanitation and health in many rural areas, like Williamsburg,” said Torres Small. “This investment will rebuild Williamsburg’s sewer system and make long overdue upgrades to protect our community and precious water sources.”
The grant to Williamsburg comes from the USDA 306C Water and Waste Grants program. This rural development investment will be used to upgrade of the Village's sewer line delivery system by installing additional generators, repairing wet walls, mending cracks and replacing manholes. The investment will also fund new pumps, motors, valves, control panels and alarm systems.
