Residents in 16 counties will have better drinking water and improved management of storm runoff and wastewater because of the $68.9 million in loans and grants approved this week by the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority.

Most of the money approved, $63.9 million, is in the form of low-interest loans. Combined with $5 million in grants, PennVEST will fund 21 clean water projects.

The awards approved by PennVEST range from a $727,000 loan to construct new storm water management facilities for a community in Luzerne County to a $10.3 million loan and grant combination that will eliminate the contamination of a river in Fayette County caused by malfunctioning on-lot septic systems.

A list of projects approved is available online.

10/26/2007