RUSSELLVILLE — Residents of Russellville and Franklin County will have better drinking water and safer sewage disposal thanks to a pair of grants from the Appalachian Regional Commission, Gov. Kay Ivey announced.
The grants total $546,000 for upgrades at the two public utility systems will ensure better drinking water and safe sewage disposal in Franklin County.
Funds from the Appalachian Regional Commission, a federal-state partnership program, will help the city of Russellville take steps to improve filtration at a wastewater treatment plant while the Franklin County Water Service Authority will use funds to improve water quality.
Russellville was awarded a $500,000 ARC grant, and Franklin County received $46,000.
“These two projects, although different in scope, have the same goal of ensuring that these facilities perform as they should and provide reliable service to the homes and businesses that depend on them,” Ivey said. “I commend local leaders in Russellville and Franklin County for their dedication to improving the safety and reliability of their utilities.”
Russellville will use funds to make structural and electrical improvements at the Radford “Joe” Murray Wastewater Treatment Plant. The ARC grant project is one of several improvements the city’s water and sewer board has made to the wastewater facility.
The Franklin County Water Service Authority plans to replace a leaking filter at its Horseshoe Bend water treatment plant to ensure better water quality for the 1,681 households and 16 businesses it serves as well as future customers in Franklin and neighboring Marion counties.
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs administers the ARC program in Alabama.
“The Appalachian Regional Commission has been a valued partner for more than 50 years to Alabama cities and counties within the ARC region,” ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said. “ADECA and Gov. Ivey are grateful for the ARC’s contributions to improving those communities.”
Ivey notified Dan Terry, chairman of the Russellville Water Works and Sewer Board, and Steve Swinney, general manager of the Franklin County Water Service Authority, that the two grants had been approved.
Russellville has pledged $791,000 for its project, and Franklin County has pledged $46,000 for its project.
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 Franklin County, are part of the ARC region and eligible for funds.
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