POMEROY — The city of Pomeroy will be able to improve its water system thanks to funding through the Community Development Block Grant program.

That community was awarded a $300,000 grant by the Iowa Economic Development Authority on Wednesday.

IEDA awarded more than $3 million total to nine cities in Iowa.

The funds are to be used for water and sewer infrastructure projects.

“These projects are not always the most visible and exciting, but they are critical to the success of our local communities,” said Debi Durham, director of IEDA and the Iowa Finance Authority. “When we can set up our towns to better serve the needs of their residents, additional economic and community development often follows.”

IEDA received 21 applications totaling $7.7 million in funding requests.

The grants are awarded based on the benefit to low and moderate income persons, financial need, project impact and readiness and commitment of local resources to the project.

Not including the CDB grant, Pomeroy has allocated $928,000 to the project.

The CDBG program is federally funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. IEDA is responsible for administering the funds in non-metropolitan areas of the state.