Twiggs County, Georgia is seeking contractors to upgrade aging water lines on Sgoda Road using federal COVID relief funds that must be spent by year's end.

The county is using money from the American Rescue Plan Act, the 2021 pandemic relief package that gave local governments until December 2026 to complete infrastructure projects. With bids due April 1, Twiggs is working near the deadline to access funds that won't require raising water rates in a county where median household income sits around $39,000, well below Georgia's $61,000 average.

Many of Twiggs County's water pipes date to the 1960s and 70s, part of a statewide pattern of deferred maintenance in rural Georgia. The county of 8,000 people has limited tax revenue to fund major upgrades on its own, making the no-local-match federal dollars a rare opportunity.

The project is labeled Division A, suggesting it's the first phase of a larger effort. Treasury Department rules specifically encouraged using ARPA funds for infrastructure that had been postponed due to budget constraints, and rural counties across Georgia have prioritized water and sewer work over other eligible uses.

Contractors have until 11 a.m. on April 1 to submit sealed bids to the Twiggs County Board of Commissioners. The county must finish spending all ARPA funds by December 31.