Nearly half of Virginia’s initial wave of federal stimulus funds from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development agency will go to Carroll County.

The Carroll County Public Service Authority (PSA) will receive $6,218,000 to go toward the Austinville Regional Water project. Of the federal funding, $5 million will be in the form of a loan and $1,218,000 will come to Carroll as a grant.

Rural Development Acting State Director Vern Orrell said the Carroll project was selected for funding because it will be used in water line extensions to serve new residents who are having water quality problems from their existing water supplies. Approximately 300 new water connections will result from the funding, he said.

USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced April 28 the selection of more than $615.8 million in immediate funding to water and environmental projects through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Only four projects were selected in the first wave of funding for Virginia — all in Southwest Virginia — for a total of $11,177,000. The Carroll project was the largest, followed by $3.16 million to the City of Norton, $1,065,000 to Wythe County (also associated with the Austinville Regional Water project) and $734,000 to the Town of Rural Retreat.

“Carroll County is absolutely thrilled with receiving this announcement for recovery act funds for the regional water project,” Carroll County Administrator and PSA Executive Director Gary Larrowe said. “We have been working this for quite some time, since November, and we are seeing fruit of the labor today.”

The Austinville Regional Water project will tie all of Carroll County’s water systems together, Larrowe said, resulting in 300 new connections along its path. Beginning at Route 69 in Wythe County, the plant will send water to Pleasant View Road to Laurel Elementary School to Rescue Road, then up to the Wildwood tank at Exit 19 off Interstate 77, he said. The water line would then connect back to Airport Road, which would send it to the Gladeville-Cranberry system.

“The whole system would be tied together and therefore some of the water woes of the past would end up going away,” Larrowe said. “From the economic development standpoint, this provides sustainable water for potential industry that might want to move into this community. Before, we were operating off of wells and we had to be very selective of the industries we would even try to attract.”

Because of that you have to have a sustainable water supply, Larrowe said. The Austinville plant will do that as it will draw water from the New River.

In announcing the recovery act funds, Secretary Vilsack said federal stimulus money will be allocated to 193 projects to help provide safe drinking water and improved wastewater systems for rural towns and communities in 34 states. He said the funding would help create or save an estimated 12,385 jobs.

“This is part of the recovery act funds to help strengthen rural economies and it can certainly help strengthen ours by supplying a clean, resourceful and stable water supply for Carroll County for many, many years to come from the regional water plant,” Larrowe said. “I am just amazed at what is taking place in Carroll County and the avenues that have been forged so far. We are very blessed.”

Travis Jackson, area director for Rural Development, hinted that something might be in the works during a visit to Hillsville on April 20. On hand for the announcement of $1.9 million in federal funding for the construction of a new wastewater system at Wildwood Commerce Park, Jackson said he would be back in Carroll County soon to bring more good news.

“This was us living up to our promise,” Jackson said. “I think this is very good news for Carroll County because this will assure that they are going to have access to the quantity of water, it is going to attract industry and also assure good quality of water to the citizens of Carroll County.”