YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced some great news for Yuma County on Friday.
USDA Deputy Secretary Torrey Small visited Somerton and presented a 21.6 million dollar grant.
The USDA says these funds help rural communities get the assistance they need to develop, maintain, and improve drinking water and waste disposal systems.
The county says sewer can now be provided to over 300 homes in Somerton that currently use septic tanks, which are costly and can contaminate groundwater.
Chairman of the Yuma County Board of Supervisors Martin Porchas says this is a big win for local residents.
“When the sewer is there, they’ll be able to use that money for other needs that they have… That’s just not possible for the county to come up with that money. So, any help that we can get from the USDA we’ll take it any time,” says Porchas.
Yuma County and the City of Somerton both give a big thanks to USDA representative Charlene Fernandez for helping make this grant a possibility.
