MONTGOMERY — A long-time health issue plaguing Town Creek will be rectified thanks to grants announced by Gov. Kay Ivey.
Town leaders said faulty sewer lines are causing sewage to overflow onto the ground and back up into houses, resulting in the town being in violation of federal and state health regulations.
A $350,000 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission will assist the town of Town Creek in alleviating a health risk and improving infrastructure for residents, Ivey said.
The ARC grant will be combined with a $400,000 Community Development Block Grant, awarded by Ivey last November, to overhaul the town’s sewer system lines.
Ivey notified Town Creek Mayor Mike Parker that the grant had been awarded. The town has pledged $50,000 for the project.
“This project will ensure residents and businesses of Town Creek have a properly operating sewer system and ease any concerns about overflows and health issues,” Ivey said. “I am pleased to announce this grant that will benefit the town and its residents.”
The money will be used to replace and seal deficient sewer lines, install a sewage lift station monitor and add pumps to safely transport sewage from households and businesses to the wastewater treatment plant.
Town officials said the sewer system becomes overburdened when groundwater seeps through the porous lines and seals, overburdening the wastewater treatment plant. At the same time, sewage also escapes from the sewer lines into the ground.
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the ARC and CDBG awards.
“Town officials, realizing they do not have the local resources to tackle this problem, wisely decided to combine ARC and CDBG funds to help them address this dilemma,” ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said. “ADECA joins Gov. Ivey in commending these officials for pursing and securing these funds.”
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. Thirty-seven Alabama counties, including Lawrence County, are part of the ARC region and eligible for funds.
ADECA manages a range of programs that support law enforcement, economic development, recreation, energy conservation and water resource management.
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