NCLM.ORG 33 The American Rescue Plan and Local Infrastructure Support Received $15 million total in grants and loans. Projects Wastewater consolidation. Goals Sustainable infrastructure; lower rates for citizens. Support Received $3 million loan. Projects Stormwater infrastructure restoration. Goals Water quality protection; flood mitigation; infrastructure resiliency. CASE STUDY • 02 Elkin + Jonesville + Ronda, NC (Community size: 7,200*; System Users: 3,700*) *Total among all three municipalities Elkin, Jonesville, and Ronda are in three separate counties in the northwestern part of the state. Despite the county lines separating them, the three towns in 2006 agreed to consolidate their wastewater treatment operations through the formation of the Yadkin Valley Sewer Authority. The real work began in 2010, but after more than a decade, the new authority has spent roughly $16 million to improve infrastructure and stem rising costs and rates for customers. Roughly $15 million of that money has come from state or federal grant and loan programs, with spending spanning a long period of time due to the competitiveness of the awards and relative scarcity of funds. The consolidation has allowed the three towns to operate a system under one joint discharge point with a single discharge site, instead of three. It has also meant addressing continued failures of the three separate systems, as well as providing for economies of scale that can lower operating costs and stabilizing user rates. CASE STUDY • 03 Hendersonville, NC (Community size: 65,000; System Users: 31,000) Since 2019, Hendersonville has been working on what it calls its Multi-Area Streambank Restoration Project. Intended to address erosion, stormwater control, and water quality along an impaired stream, Mud Creek, and its tributaries, the effort involves restoring roughly 2.5 miles of streambanks through grading and plant buffer projects at 13 separate sites across the city. Other stormwater investments and wetland restoration at a city park also are components of the plan. The project was made possible through a $3 million zero- interest loan from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, which will be repaid over time through payments made from the city’s utility fund. In some respects, the project will pay for itself. It is expected to help protect existing sewer pipes and other infrastructure along the creeks. It will also protect water quality downstream, while mitigating flooding. continues on page 34
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