By Staff
Special to The Standard
The town of Flomaton will soon undertake a project to eliminate a potential health hazard for 161 residents thanks to a $400,000 grant awarded by Alabama Gov. Bob Riley.
The town will use the Community Development Block Grant to re-line 75-year-old sewage pipes in a residential section of downtown bordered on the north by U.S. Highway 31, the south by Church Street, the east by Palafox Street and the west by U.S. Highway 29.
Over the years, the clay pipes developed many cracks which have led to frequent sewage leaks in residents' yards. The new lining will be placed inside the pipes to cover the cracks and eliminate any sewage leaks.
The new lining is expected to last 75 years and is more cost-effective than replacing the pipes with PVC pipes, city officials said. The liners will be installed by robotic equipment controlled by workers using video cameras.
The CDBG is one of 38 grants totaling more $15.6 million awarded by Riley to Alabama's towns, cities and counties for projects to upgrade vital services, improve living environments and make communities better places to live and raise families.
Riley awarded the grant from funds made available to the state by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs will administer the award.
Riley informed Mayor Dewey Bondurant that the grant had been approved. Local funds of $82,375 have been committed to the project.