The Ardmore Water Works and Sewer Board has received $22 million to upgrade the sewer system. Funds came from the Alabama Department of Environmental Management, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 4 and the Town of Ardmore.
“The addition of our new wastewater treatment facility will greatly help us meet the needs of our residents in Ardmore,” said Billy Shannon, mayor of Ardmore, Alabama.
Ardmore sits on the Alabama/Tennessee border, with the sewer board serving customers on both sides of the line. The project will replace the wastewater treatment plant. The bulk of the funding — $19.99 million — was awarded by ADEM from the state’s share of the American Rescue Plan and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. That includes $18.679 million for construction and $1.27 million for planning and development.
“The Ardmore wastewater system has been grappling with severe issues for years, and for the past two years I have led the charge in correcting this dangerous health situation,” said Alabama State Rep. Andy Whitt. “The system’s deteriorating sewer lines, particularly in the downtown area, have caused significant problems, including sewer overflows, and placed an enormous strain on the town’s sewage treatment plant. These issues pose ongoing health and environmental risks to our community.”
Whitt added that an area of concern is that the system is undersized and also has faulty pipes.
ADEM Director Lance LeFleur said the funding is being allocated based on demonstrated need throughout the state. “Thanks to federal funding and appropriations by Gov. Kay Ivey and the Legislature, Alabama is making an unprecedented investment in repairing and improving our state drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, with $1.278 billion committed in just the past two years,” said LeFleur.
Tennessee officials also contributed $2.5 million to the project, including $2.2 million from ARPA. The city of Ardmore, Tennessee, contributed $252,125 to the project.
