U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall, D-WV, today announced that the Birch River Public Service District has been awarded a $623,076 Rural Development Grant by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to extend public water services to the Morris and White Oak areas of Nicholas County.

"For too long, residents of Morris, White Oak, and similar communities across southern West Virginia have had to deal with inadequate or poor quality water supply," said Rahall. "This funding will help improve the quality of life for hundreds of families in rural Clay and Nicholas Counties."

This funding will provide for the upgrade and extension of public water service to the Morris and White Oak areas of Nicholas County and to the Dille and Widen areas of neighboring Clay County. The project will provide more reliable water service for an estimated 268 area customers, including 156 households in Nicholas County.

In addition to the $623,076 Rural Development Grant, the USDA awarded a $630,000 loan and a $729,000 Rural Development Grant to the Birch River Public Service District extension in Fiscal Year 2007. The State of West Virginia has also contributed $2,024,924 for a total project cost of $4,007,000.

"In southern West Virginia, we greatly appreciate the help of programs like the USDA Rural Development Fund, the Appalachian Regional Commission, and the Economic Development Administration," said Rahall. "These programs are a huge help to our communities and our efforts to combat the complex set of economic challenges specific to our area."