Richmond County will be asked to seek a $500,000 grant from the N.C. Rural Economic Development Center Supplemental Projects to aid in the development of a water line to serve rural areas on Fox Road.

County commissioners will meet at noon today to consider approval of a resolution authorizing the submission of a grant request for the Fox Road emergency waterline extension.

The meeting will be held at the County Administration Building, South Hancock Street, Rockingham.

Municipal Engineering Services Company has given the county an estimate of $1,689,158 for the project to extend county water lines from N.C. 177 down Ponderosa Drive looping around to Fox Road connecting to a county water line there.

Now that rights-of-way have been discovered in that neighborhood, county water will be made available to residents when the line is installed.

Many residents in that area have water wells contaminated with dangerous chemicals left over from former peach farming in the area.

The county lists a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and a $600,000 grant from the N.C. Department of Commerce Community Development Block Grant Program already committed.

County funds needed are estimated at $89,158.

Funds for the Rural Center include $50 million allocated by the N.C. Legislature for grants to rural communities in need of water and wastewater infrastructure improvement for fiscal years 2007 to 2009.

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Other items on Tuesday’s agenda include:

n Commissioners will be asked to proclaim February as “Black History Month” in Richmond County.

n Rick Sago, county director of development, will make a report to commissioners.