Wednesday, Aug 29 2012 2:45PM

In Colorado, many rural communities benefit from U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) funding. This now includes the City of Walsenburg, which will receive a $3.6 million loan and a $1.8 million grant to help improve sanitation services and overall water quality.

"Reliable, clean and abundant water is a precious resource to sustain life and promote economic development for all communities," said USDA Rural Development Acting Deputy Under Secretary Judith Canales. "This funding will help revitalize the City of Walsenburg by providing a safe, environmentally responsible, water handling system."

Canales announced the funding while visiting Colorado. She also visited cities and locations that have previously been awarded grants for development including the Conejos Library District, which benefited from the Economic Impact Initiative Grant program. The grant helped to renovate the library while also making it more energy efficient.

Canales also awarded a $99,950 USDA Rural Business Enterprise Grant to the Windsor Hotel in Del Norte. The hotel will use the funds to build a conference center to help rural businesses and create more employment opportunities. Additionally, a $1.6 million USDA Community Facilities loan will help the Riverhouse Children's Center in Durango construct a new handicap-accessible center.

For further information, check out this source: U.S. Department of Agriculture