In the summer of 2023, the Environmental Services Team at Communities Unlimited (CU) began assisting the Longview Water Association (LWA) near Starkville, Mississippi. In the northeastern part of the state, the LWA serves about 250 connections.

CU helped LWA secure funding for vital water system upgrades.

The association aimed to install a second well, lay new lines, and upgrade existing ones with an American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant. Caroline Ingram, an Infrastructure Development Project Manager from CU, guided them through the grant application process.

Ingram assisted LWA in obtaining a MAGIC number from the Mississippi Department of Finance and in crafting a compelling grant narrative that highlighted how the proposed upgrades would bolster economic development and benefit the disadvantaged population. MAGIC, or “e-Grants,” is the state of Mississippi’s grants management access portal.

Through this platform, Ingram guided the completion of a $2 million grant application, which was successfully submitted to the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) in September 2023. Chad Bishop, who has been with LWA for 15 years and now serves as an operator and manager, reflected on their challenges.

“We were struggling with the cost of drilling the well and materials,” Bishop said. “It was a significant financial burden. Although the board has been conservative over the past 40 years and has money in the bank, such expenses can quickly deplete our funds.”

Shortly after the WFX/CU workshop, on January 22, they received tentative approval for the full $2 million from MSDH, pending additional documentation.

From March through April, Ingram continued to assist LWA, working with the system engineer and president to run required public notices and compile the necessary post-award documents. In mid-May, MSDH’s contract engineer requested several revisions to these documents. Ingram facilitated meetings and correspondence between LWA’s engineer and the contract engineer to ensure all necessary details were agreed upon for final approval.

Bishop mentioned that Ingram was instrumental in helping with the ARPA grant, their bylaws, and policy procedures. Additionally, Ingram invited Bishop and Collins to the workshop in Vicksburg, where they gained valuable information despite being one of the smallest organizations present.

Bishop highlighted the impact of the ARPA funding. One of the existing wells was drilled in 1964, making the addition crucial. Before the ARPA opportunity, LWA sought USDA loans to fund the project. The ARPA grant covered most of the project’s costs, significantly reducing the loan amount needed. Ingram

is now assisting them with gathering the remaining documents to complete their USDA-RD loan application, ensuring they obtain the additional funding required for project completion.

“The president, water operator, and engineer are one of the most efficient and eager teams that I have encountered in my time as a technical assistance provider (TAP); they were expedient in producing documents, which was helpful because we were working on tight timelines.”

With additional funding, the plan is to upgrade the system to accommodate significant growth in the area, potentially adding 86 new houses. These upgrades will benefit both new and existing customers.

Bishop estimates that LWA will need $1 million in USDA loan funding to upgrade its water lines. Many of the existing lines are small and insufficient, with about five to six miles of two-inch lines causing pressure issues for numerous houses. These problems, though not always noticeable, become apparent during high-demand periods. Upsizing and upgrading the lines are essential to ensure better service.

Reflecting on the collaboration with CU, Bishop praised Ingram’s efforts.

“Caroline’s assistance has been valuable. She has taken a lot of the headaches away, helping us through the process and getting us to this stage. There are more improvements we want to make, but our goal is always to enhance the system for our customers.”

CU’s work with LWA continues. Ingram helps with post-award compliance for their ARPA grant and assists with a USDA loan application to cover the remaining project costs.

“I have enjoyed my time assisting Longview because they have made me feel like a full-fledged team member rather than just an outside TAP,” Ingram said. “I look forward to assisting them further.”