MONTGOMERY— Economic stimulus grants awarded by Gov. Bob Riley will help two Franklin County towns save taxpayer money by reducing energy costs.
A $225,000 grant will enable the town of Red Bay to make improvements to its wastewater system, reducing energy consumption and bringing the town into compliance with Alabama Department of Environmental Management regulations.
The town of Hodges will receive a $215,410 grant to upgrade equipment within their water system, which serves residents in Franklin and Marion counties. The improvements will increase efficiency and reduce water loss.
“Upgrading the efficiency of these public utilities will save money for local taxpayers and have a positive impact on the environment,” said Riley. “The projects also will give a boost to our economy.”
The Red Bay project involves installation of aerators at the town’s wastewater treatment lagoon and replacement of inefficient pumps at 17 lift stations. The aerators help maintain proper oxygen levels in the system; without sufficient levels of oxygen, bacteria cannot biodegrade waste efficiently.
The grant also will permit Red Bay to install a telemetry system which will allow workers to monitor and control each lift station remotely, reducing overflows and saving man-hours. Town officials estimate that the upgrades will save more than $28,000 annually and contribute to the employment of more than 50 people. Local matching funds of $135,600 have been committed for the project.
Hodges will replace old, inefficient pumps in its water system with new pumps and related equipment. The new equipment will increase efficiency by approximately 40 percent, town officials say. The project also includes the installation of a telemetry system to control the daily operation of the pump station and allow for better monitoring to prevent water loss due to overflowing tanks. According to town officials, annual savings from the project will be more than $16,000 and the project will contribute to the employment of more than 35 people. Matching funds of $19,000 will supplement the grant.
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grants from funds made available to the state by the U.S. Department of Energy as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
The grants are part of $9.6 million awarded by Riley as part of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program. The program helps local governments and nonprofit organizations improve energy efficiency of facilities and vehicles, reduce fossil fuel emissions and create or retain jobs.
Riley notified Red Bay Mayor Bobby Forsythe and Hodges Mayor Ed Crouch that the grants had been approved.
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Contact: Josh Carples; Larry Childers