The US Department of Agriculture announced grants and loans totaling $116.9 million for water and wastewater projects in 28 rural communities in 19 states. More than half the projects and the money is slated for drinking water projects, including at least two communities that currently have no public water system.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the money, which is being administered by USDA Rural Development’s Water and Environmental Program, is part of the funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The Dec. 29 announcement brings to USDA water and environment loans and grants funded to ARRA to a total of $2.08 billion. Grants comprised 36 percent of the $116.9 million.

Of the 19 water projects, the largest is Somerset, Ky., which will receive $20 million, one-third of it in a grant. The largest wastewater project selected was for Chatham, Mass. — nearly $39.4 million.

Some of the selected communities are in persistent poverty areas, such as the West Dallas Water Authority in Selma, Ala., which received $3 million to construct new water distribution lines to an unserved area of Dallas County.

The Wysox Municipal Authority in Towanda, Pa., has been selected to receive a $1.9 million loan to provide safe public drinking water to a community of more than 480 residents. Currently, the community has no public water system and the residents are faced with using water that contains bacteria, and volatile organic and inorganic chemicals. Funding will be used to install 60,000 linear feet (18,288 m) of water lines, a 220,000-gal (833-m³) water storage tank and a pump station.