Grant funding aims to provide Pocomoke City residents clean, quality water

POCOMOKE CITY, Md.  After a long wait,  there’s finally a solution coming to the Pocomoke City’s water concerns thanks to a partnership between Maryland Departments of the Environment and Housing and Community Development.

“It’s great news to have and it’s great news for Pocomoke City,” City Manager Jeremy Mason said.

More than $1.4 million is heading to Pocomoke City improving water quality, thanks to grant funding under the Water Infrastructure Improvement for the Nation (WIIN) Act for disadvantaged communities.

“It’s a smart and necessary step forward. Communities absolutely deserve clean drinking water and modern infrastructure to meet their needs and the needs of their citizens,” Maryland Department of the Environment Secretary Ben Grumbles said.

The city has a long history of water issues including discoloration and outdated pipes, but that might not be the case for much longer.

“Water is life and infrastructure makes it happen. No one should have to drink rusty water. When you have dilapidated pipes it’s really important to replace them,” Grumbles said.

“So hopefully with new technology and this funding we’ll be able to improve those waterlines. Our main focus is on the main water line which runs down market street and that’s going to feed into the other lines,” Mason said.

It’s a move that provides more than just a fresh glass of water. ”

Or not having the infrastructure in place to attract business or to retain businesses. So this is a very big component of the governor’s plan on public health and economic development,” Grumbles said.

Now with both state funding and leadership on board, I’m told the focus now shifts to getting a partnership on the federal level.

“We expect in the coming days there will be more news nationally on how the $844 million dollars in new funding through the federal bipartisan infrastructure law will be available to us in Maryland,” Grumbles said.

The Department of the Environment tells 47 ABC they’re in discussion with the federal government, pushing the importance of water infrastructure and environmental justice.

We’re also told the planning and design phases of the project will happen within the next year, with construction following.

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