KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A few East Tennessee communities are expected to get a total of millions of dollars in loans so they can improve water systems.
The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation said the loans come from the State Revolving Fund Loan Program, and three different communities would get them. In one community, the money will go towards improving collection systems to help guarantee that people have safe drinking water. In another community, sewer lines and manholes will soon be rehabilitated or replaced.
A list of the communities in East Tennessee getting the loans and how they will be used is available below.
- Dandridge ($400,000): The town will address infiltration and inflow corrections by taking steps to rehabilitate and replace sewer lines and manholes.
- White Pine ($650,000): White Pine will use $500,000 of the loan to rehabilitate its collection system and the other $150,000 will be used to plan and design a new water storage tank.
- Jacksboro ($242,500): Jacksboro and the Caryville/Jacksboro Utilities Commission will use the money to improve its wastewater treatment plant.
Each loan comes with a 5-year term and a 2.38% interest rate. However, the towns were granted different levels of principal forgiveness. So, communities may not need to pay back the full amount of the loan.
The environment and conservation department said it has awarded almost $31.7 million in drinking water loans and around $71.4 million in clean water loans this fiscal year in an effort to support the state's infrastructure.
