Oxford will soon be able to get a jump start on their sewer and water rehabilitation project.

During Tuesday’s Board of Aldermen meeting, Mayor Robyn Tannehill announced the City was awarded $1.7 million by the U.S. Corps of Engineers. The grant requires a “25 percent match,” or $425,000, from the City, according to Tannehill. With the city’s contribution, the current total of available funds for the project is just over $2.1 million.

The total cost of the project, which includes building a new water treatment plant, is around $10 million.

“Hopefully, this will allow us to start with doing the test drills and getting at least one well operational,” Tannehill said. “It is just strictly to help us serve our growing community, and this should double our capacity once it’s finished.”

The test wells will be drilled out near mTrade Park and will help in making improvements and conducting site work for the new treatment plant. It was not specified when drilling will begin on the test wells.