The town of Wadesboro received a grant for $18,638 from the N.C. Rural Economic Development Center to map and devise an asset management plan for the town’s water system, according to the Rural Center.

The town received its award letter at the beginning of the month and is in the beginning stages of the administration process, according to Town Manager Alex Sewell.

“The town is excited about the positive impact it will have on our community,” Sewell said via email. “We’re constantly striving to improve our water quality and infrastructure for our citizens, and this is a big step in the right direction. We would not have secured the grant without the support of the Town Council, and the hard work of Ms. Mary Beck and public services director Hugh James.”

The grant is a 50/50 grant, meaning that the Rural Center will contribute $18,638 and the town will match that contribution. The money will be used specifically to develop water and sewer mapping, an asset management plan, and a new capital improvements plan (CIP), according to Sewell.

The Rural Center announced the $4 million in grants it provided to over 30 counties on March 5. The grants will be used within those counties to create jobs, provide clean water and assist with economic development in rural counties. According to the rural center, the 31 grants will create 451 jobs in various counties through economic infrastructure grants to enable new business locations and expansions, among assisting other projects. The funding for the rural center comes from appropriations by appropriations of the N.C. General Assembly and state Clean Water Bonds.