Delta receives $8.6 million for flood and infrastructure needs

by Alex Rozier, Mississippi Today
October 6, 2022

The Delta Regional Authority announced a $8.6 million investment on Thursday to fund flood control and infrastructure improvements across the Mississippi Delta.

“Accessible roads, reliable water and sewer services, and secure flood protection are essential in order to maintain existing businesses, attract new industries, and keep a community healthy and thriving,” said Corey Wiggins, the federal co-chairman of the DRA.

The DRA spends federal appropriations across eight states, including Mississippi, to help support transportation, infrastructure and other economic needs in the region.

The $8.6 million will go towards 13 projects. The announcement also mentioned another $1.8 million in matching funds.

The largest project investment is $3.2 million that will go towards economic development in Clarksdale, specifically to improve a levee and roadway. That project projects to create 56 jobs. A press release said this will attract an additional $12 million capital investment.

In total, about $2.9 million will go towards wastewater and sewer projects in Piney Woods, Charleston, Glendora, and Tunica County.

Earlier this year, the EPA listed Charleston as in “significant noncompliance” with the Clean Water Act due to reporting issues, which followed pollutant violations from the city's wastewater system. The agency also notes recent pollution violations from the wastewater systems at the Piney Woods School as well as in Glendora.

Roughly $2.2 million will go to drinking water system improvements in Metcalfe, Greenville, and Charleston. In 2020, the EPA listed Metcalf, which serves water to about 1,000 people, as “enforcement priority” over drinking water violations, ranging from monitoring issues to contaminants in the water.

And then another $2.2 million is set to go towards drainage and storm water projects that will help Belzoni, Coldwater, Rolling Fork, Coahoma, and Tutwiler deal with flooding. The largest of those projects is $516,896 going to Belzoni.

Rolling Fork is located in the South Delta, which regularly faces backwater flooding. The city hosted a meeting in August to discuss the Yazoo Pumps, a proposed flood control project.

Below are full descriptions of the Mississippi projects from the Delta Regional Authority's press release:

1. Piney Woods School Infrastructure Improvement Program | Piney Woods: The Piney Woods School will use DRA funds to improve the wastewater treatment facility and rebuild a loop road leading to the facility. This investment is projected to affect 30 families.
   • DRA Investment: $1,347,127
   • Total Investment: $1,497,127 
2. City of Charleston Wastewater Improvements | Charleston: The City of Charleston will use DRA funds to improve the sewer collection system by cleaning CCTV gravity lines, installing a cured-in-place pipe, replacing the gravity sewer, and installing a duplex grinder pump station.
   • DRA Investment: $564,205
   • Total Investment: $564,205
3. Tutwiler Flooding & Drainage Project | Tutwiler: The Town of Tutwiler will use DRA funds to rehabilitate the storm water draining system to eliminate storm water quickly and keep homes and businesses dry. This investment is projected to affect 872 families.
   • DRA Investment: $468,009
   • Total Investment: $468,009 
4. Glendora Sewer Rehabilitation Project | Glendora: The Town of Glendora will use DRA funds to install significant sewer improvements, including rehabilitation to the sewer line and sewage lagoon and extension to the public. This investment is projected to affect 46 families.
   • DRA Investment: $536,663
   • Total Investment: $536,663 
5. Coahoma Storm Water Drainage Rehabilitation | Coahoma: The Town of Coahoma will use DRA funds to rehabilitate the storm water drainage system to help eliminate standing water and the associated detrimental public health effects. This investment is projected to affect 95 families.
   • DRA Investment: $422,516
   • Total Investment: $422,516
6. NTWA Water Well Project | Charleston: The North Tallahatchie Water Association will use DRA funds to install a new water well and eliminate sand and iron that are currently in the water. This investment is projected to affect 1,100 families.
   • DRA Investment: $587,172
   • Total Investment: $1,164,667
7. TCUD Sewer Rehabilitation Project | Tunica County: The Tunica County Utility District will use DRA funds to rehabilitate its sewer system.
   • DRA Investment: $291,143
   • Total Investment: $291,143
8. Rolling Fork Northgate Draining Improvements | Rolling Fork: The City of Rolling Fork will use DRA funds to continue ongoing drainage improvements for the Northgate and Eastgate residential areas in northern Rolling Fork.
   • DRA Investment: $345,376
   • Total Investment: $345,376
9. Coahoma County Industrial Site Location Project | Clarksdale: Coahoma County will use DRA funds to construct site improvements to the levee and roadway for an economic development project. This investment is projected to create 56 jobs.
   • DRA Investment: $2,088,235
   • Total Investment: $3,208,235
   • Additional Capital Investment: $12,000,000
10. Metcalfe Water System Improvements | Metcalfe: The Town of Metcalfe will use DRA funds to make water system improvements necessary to remain in compliance with the Mississippi State Department of Health requirements. This investment is projected to affect 355 families.
    • DRA Investment: $407,920
    • Total Investment: $407,920
11. Lamont Water System Improvements | Greenville: The Lamont Water Corporation will use DRA funds to make water system improvements that will address significant deficiencies noted by the Mississippi State Department of Health. This investment is projected to affect 36 families.
    • DRA Investment: $672,675
    • Total Investment: $672,675
12. Coldwater Flooding Mitigation Project | Coldwater: The Town of Coldwater will use DRA funds to mitigate flooding by repairing and replacing portions of the existing drainage infrastructure.
    • DRA Investment: $400,342
    • Total Investment: $400,342
13. Belzoni Drainage System Repairs and Improvements | Belzoni: The City of Belzoni will use DRA funds to replace two storm water pumping stations for flood and drainage system improvements.
    • DRA Investment: $516,896
    • Total Investment: $516,896

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.