JAY – Water districts in Jay and Livermore Falls have been awarded a combined $1.7 million grant and low-interest loans by the federal government to improve their systems.

The loans and grant are part of nearly $4 million awarded to Maine by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development Project. It was announced by U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King, both of Maine, on Wednesday.

The Jay Village Water District was awarded a $680,000 loan and a $530,000 grant to replace water mains to improve water flow for fire suppression and system reliability, according to a press release.

The district plans to replace the water main and associated valves, services and hydrants along Route 4 from Spruce Mountain High School in Jay to Intervale Road, also known as Route 140, and along the Intervale Road from Route 4 to Smith Avenue, Superintendent Mike Wells said previously.

The Livermore Falls Water District was awarded a $500,000 loan to replace water mains along Route 4 from Livermore Falls into Jay that will improve the flow for fire suppression, aid in reducing system pressure fluctuations during heavy usage, and replace a section of main that has reached the end of its useful life, the release states.

Both water line upgrades will be done in conjunction with a Maine Department of Transportation road improvement project of 1.25 miles from Pineau Street in Jay to south of Tweedie Street in Jay.

The Livermore Falls district’s lines stop near the Spruce Mountain school complex in Jay and serve some customers in that town. Jay Village district lines begin there.

The Livermore Falls district replaced water lines in the first section of the two-phase project in 2011 and 2012 that began at Bridge Street in Livermore Falls and stopped at Pineau Street in Jay.

Some of the Jay Village Water District upgrade is being done outside of the DOT project.

dperry@sunjournal.com