Uniontown receives $4.8M grant for wastewater system
Published 11:43 pm Thursday, August 9, 2012
U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, far right, helped unveil a $4.8 million grant for Uniontown to help the Perry County city repair and upgrade its wastewater treatment facilities and services.
UNIONTOWN — U.S. Rep. Terri A. Sewell announced Thursday Uniontown was awarded $4.8 million by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development.
Approximately $2,296,000 of the funding was awarded in the form of a grant and $2,505,000 was awarded in the form of a loan. This funding will enable Uniontown to repair its existing wastewater treatment plant, install new water meters, rehabilitate and install new pumps for city pumping stations.
“I am pleased that USDA will provide this essential funding to the City of Uniontown to help repair their existing waste water treatment plant,” Sewell said during the grant presentation Thursday. “Uniontown was in desperate need of funding due to an outdated waste water treatment facility and insufficient water meters. These improvements are critically important to ensuring that families have access to clean and safe water.”
The grant announcement comes just a few months after a spill from the treatment facility leaked into nearby rivers, causing problems throughout the region.
“We are humble and grateful for receiving this assistance from USDA with the support of Congresswoman Terri Sewell,” Uniontown Mayor Jamaal Hunter said. “The improvements to our waste water treatment plant will greatly improve the quality of life of our citizens in Uniontown. Further, these improvements will serve as an incentive to industries that are interested in locating in Uniontown and our surrounding areas. This issue has long plagued our community and our resources and infrastructure has suffered as a consequence. Again, we are sincerely grateful to God and all of those who have assisted us.”
The USDA Rural Development took the lead in analyzing Uniontown’s needs and working with the city to get the needed funds.
“We spent a lot of time working on this issue so the City of Uniontown could financially support this solution,” said State Director of USDA Rural Development Ronnie Davis. “I was proud that we could develop a sustainable solution and help resolve the issues with their sewer and water system. USDA Rural Development is committed to helping communities across the state of Alabama and to ensuring our communities have quality water systems.”
