Hattiesburg, Mississippi – The City of Hattiesburg has received more than $4 million in principal forgiveness from the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality’s Water Pollution Control Revolving Loan Fund (WPCRLF) to advance a major sewer improvement project along the North Main Street corridor. The investment allows the City to complete critical infrastructure work with minimal local cost by leveraging state resources to stretch its infrastructure dollars further.

This project represents a $5.48 million investment to replace and rehabilitate nearly 9,700 linear feet of sewer lines across the North Main Street area. Of that amount, $4 million will be forgiven by MDEQ, with the City responsible for only $1.48 million.

“This is a major win for Hattiesburg taxpayers,” said Mayor Toby Barker. “By leveraging state and federal resources, we’re able to take on larger infrastructure projects at minimal local cost, stretching every dollar further while continuing to upgrade the systems that serve our residents. This partnership is one more example of how we’re working strategically with state agencies to strengthen Hattiesburg’s infrastructure and prepare for future growth. It also represents one more win for Hattiesburg brought about the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) of 2021, which increased funding and flexibility for these state revolving loan funds.”

The improvements will focus on two of the four planned phases identified in the North Main area. These upgrades will improve reliability, reduce groundwater infiltration and enhance capacity within Hattiesburg’s wastewater collection system.

The WPCRLF program, managed by MDEQ, helps local governments finance wastewater infrastructure improvements through a combination of low-interest loans and principal forgiveness using federal capitalization funds from the Clean Water Act. In this case, Hattiesburg’s project was selected to receive a significant forgiveness allocation, reducing the City’s repayment obligation by more than 70 percent.

Construction is expected to begin in 2026, following final design and bidding, with completion anticipated by 2028.

##

VIDEO

PROJECT MAP