MONTGOMERY — Gov. Kay Ivey has announced a $224,000 grant to help ensure households and businesses in west Lauderdale County continue to receive adequate water service even during electrical outages.
The grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission, a federal-state partnership program, will enable the West Lauderdale Water and Fire Protection Authority to provide emergency backup power to pump stations, helping to prevent a disruption of public-water service for residences and businesses.
“We expect water to flow when we turn on a faucet, but that has not always been the case for people in west Lauderdale County,” Gov. Ivey said. “This project will help end that uncertainty by providing reliable service to more than 5,000 households, 120 businesses and two schools in an area that stretches from Florence west to the Tennessee state line.”
ARC funds will be used to install diesel generators at booster pump stations. The generators will activate during power outages to eliminate or reduce down times in the system. In the past, power outages have prevented or reduced water flow to customers and have sometimes lasted up to a week, according to local officials.
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the ARC award.
“These upgrades will greatly improve the services provided by the West Lauderdale Water and Fire Protection Authority,” ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said. “ADECA joins Gov. Ivey in commending the water authority for this project that will benefit so many residents and businesses in west Lauderdale County.”
Gov. Ivey notified Deborah Miles, chair of the West Lauderdale Water and Fire Protection Authority, that the grant had been approved.
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 Lauderdale 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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