It’s the dirtiest of the dirty jobs, but someone has to make sure a city’s sewer system stays secure. And that just became easier for Porterdale.

The USDA awarded the city with a grant and loan to rehab a portion of the Porterdale sanitary sewer system, which the Porterdale City Council approved the resolution to accept the funding on Thursday, Sept. 25.

Along with the $1,190,000 grant, the city was approved a $2,277,000 loan at 2.5 percent, some of which will be used to pay off an existing, higher-interest loan (3.87 percent), leaving around $2 million for capital improvements to the system.

“With the combination of the low-interest loan and grant, Porterdale’s debt load will be reduced, and much-needed sewer improvements will be made,” said Bob Thomson, Porterdale city manager.

The original sewer system was built in the 1940s with clay pipe, which has a tendency to crack and break over time, Thomson said.

“A video inspection of the lines by Carter and Sloope, the city’s engineering firm, revealed roots, debris and other blockages that impair the effectiveness of the collection system,” Thomson said.

Work is projected to start mid-2015.