By ARLENE NICHOLS
Special to the Northeast News
An attorney with the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) has determined that Harris County now meets all the legal requirements to be eligible for funding from the states EDAP program. The program provides grants and loans for extension of water and sewer services in older neighborhoods that lack public service.
This is great news. It means that both the East Aldine Management District and the Airline Improvement District will be eligible for funding from the state. It has taken years of work both at the state and county level to achieve this goal, said Rep. Kevin Bailey. After I passed legislation in 2005 expanding the program to include Harris County, regulations had to be approved by the county to ensure that no more neighborhoods would be constructed in the county that lacked basic services.
TWDB provides funding for public infrastructure projects through the EDAP program. The program provides grants, loans or a combination grant/loan for water and sewer services in areas that are below the states median income level. The program will pay for construction, acquisition of land if needed, plant improvements, and associated engineering work. The program will not fund ongoing maintenance and operation of the systems once completed.
Earlier this year officials from TWDB came to Houston for a meeting with the East Aldine and Airline Districts at my request. We anticipated that the county would be able to successfully address the concerns that the state had so the districts began a preliminary application process at that time, said Bailey.
Since $250 million in new funding had been approved for the EDAP program, we wanted to make sure that North Houston would be well positioned to benefit from the program. Both districts currently have grant applications pending.
Harris County Commissioners Court passed a regulation in July to ensure that adequate water and wastewater facilities are provided in subdivisions within the jurisdiction of the county.
The new regulations that will enable the county to be eligible for EDAP funding went into effect August 1.
