MONTGOMERY — Fort Payne residents and businesses on the east side of I-59 will see improved water service and supply thanks to a grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission.
Gov. Kay Ivey announced the $500,000 grant will be used to reroute and install new water lines for the community along a portion of Briarwood Avenue.
The Appalachian Regional Commission is a federal-state partnership program.
“This project is a major undertaking by the Water Works Board of the City of Fort Payne to provide plentiful and reliable water that will serve residents and businesses for years to come,” Ivey said in a news release. “I commend local leaders for addressing this need, and I am pleased to support this project.”
Ivey notified Brandon Light, executive director of the Fort Payne Water Works Board, that the project had been approved, the news release said. The city has pledged $746,140 in local funds and resources for the project.
According to the news release, the Water Works Board plans to bore from the west side of I-59 to connect the Briarwood Avenue area on the opposite side of the interstate. Durable and long-lasting water lines will replace the current lines.
The 45-year-old fiberglass water line along Briarwood Avenue has been prone to frequent ruptures because of its brittleness, creating hardships for the five businesses and residential areas, including two apartment complexes.
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs administers the ARC program in Alabama.
“Leaders in Fort Payne are to be commended for their resourcefulness in finding a solution to what many would consider a difficult problem,” ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said. “ADECA joins Gov. Ivey in supporting this project.”
ADECA manages a range of programs that support law enforcement, economic development, recreation, energy conservation and water resource management.
ARC is an economic development agency of the federal government and 13 state governments. The agency’s mission is to innovate, partner, and invest to build community capacity and strengthen economic growth in Appalachia to help the region achieve socioeconomic parity with the nation.
DeKalb County is among the 37 Alabama counties in the ARC region and eligible for funds.
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