The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Tuesday that Kingsford would receive a $4,439,000 loan for a sewer and water project slated to begin next year in the Heights/Ford Addition area.

The city council in July accepted a bid of $11,087,509 from Payne and Dolan of Gladstone for a project that will replace an estimated 23,000 feet of mains and 343 residential access lines.

The city had earlier qualified for a $6,710,500 state grant and loan assistance. The grant portion awarded through the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy is $2,184,910.

The federal loan will help replace drinking water distribution mains and associated valves and hydrants that were originally installed in the 1920s, according to USDA. The 100-year-old system has been experiencing increased breakages as it has exceeded its useful lifespan.

The $6.7 million in state assistance is funded through the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill and American Rescue Plan and includes the replacement of lead service lines to residences, USDA said.

“The Biden-Harris Administration invests in rural America, because we know strong communities are rooted in their people,” USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a news release.

The Kingsford loan is part of $8,259,000 in total funding statewide through USDA’s Water and Waste Disposal Loans and Grants program.