Lt. Delbert Hosemann discusses water and sewer grants in Meridian

MERIDIAN, Miss. (WTOK) -Mississippi Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann was in the Queen City Thursday visiting with city and county officials about water and sewer grants the Mississippi Legislature funded.

The Legislature dedicated $750 million in Federal Pandemic Relief Funds to water and sewer infrastructure grants to cities, counties, and rural water associations.

$400 million is dedicated to cities and counties that received more than $1 million from the federal government through a 1-to-1 match. $50 million is dedicated to those that received less than $1 million through a 2-to-1 match and each Rural Water Association can receive up to $2.5 million.

Lt. Governor Hosemann said Mississippi’s cities and counties’ water and sewer grant programs will fix problems that would otherwise have to come out of the street repair budget.

“I think it’s a huge infusion. I’m really pleased. Not everybody did what meridian and the county did. Some of them spent their money. I think Jackson had $47 million and they have $25 million left. But not everybody had the fiscal will to hold off on spending some money so they can get double the amount. We came over early and met with the mayor right after they were elected here, and the group was elected and I was real pleased they took and had taken that step. Long term for Meridian, that’s a giant step forward,” said Lt. Governor Hosemann.

The Department of Health has the applications ready for the rural water grants, and the Department of Environmental Quality will have regulations ready for the city and county match program in the next two months.

The first awards will be made in early September.

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