MONTGOMERY— Gov. Kay Ivey has announced a $140,000 Appalachian Regional Commission grant to help expand sewer service to an area of downtown Sumiton currently using a faulty and deteriorated septic system.
The city of Sumiton will use grant funds to install 970 feet of sewer line, eight manholes and sewer mains that will serve 10 businesses. The city identified this project as a high priority due to frequent leaks from the antiquated septic tanks currently in use which can have a detrimental effect on the health of the community.
“Updating Sumiton’s sewer system will create a reliable and healthier sewer system for everyone who lives or works in the downtown area,” Gov. Ivey said. “This grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission will improve the lives of so many for years to come, and I am pleased to play a role in this project.”
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs administers the ARC program in Alabama along with a wide range of other programs that support law enforcement, economic development, recreation, energy conservation and water resource management. Thirty-seven counties in Alabama are part of the ARC region and eligible for funds.
“ADECA supports Gov. Ivey in her efforts to improve Alabama’s rural communities through infrastructure projects like this one in Sumiton,” ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said. “The partnership between the state and the ARC has led to an increase in quality of life for many of our residents over the years, and we hope that continues for many years to come.”
The 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.
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Contact: Russell Sellers, Mike Presley