Phenix City is receiving a $1.95 million grant to upgrade the city’s only wastewater treatment plant to accommodate new and existing businesses.
The U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced the grant on March 30. The U.S. Economic Development Administration grant will be matched with $1.95 in local funds and is expected to create 103 jobs, retain 88 jobs and generate $8 million in private investment.
“This new wastewater treatment plan will strengthen Alabama’s economy by providing regional businesses with resources they need to grow and expand,” said Ross.
Senator Richard Shelby added, “It is of the utmost importance that we continue to invest in infrastructure projects like this one throughout our state. I am proud EDA continues to prioritize Alabama and look forward to the benefits this will bring to Lee and Russell Counties.”
The project was made possible by the regional planning efforts of the Lee-Russell Council of Governments, which EDA funds to bring the public and private sectors together to create an economic development roadmap to strengthen the regional economy.
The funding will help encourage private investment in a nearby Opportunity Zone.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Phenix City has a population of approximately 36,641, with a median household income of $40,218.
Located in Russell County, its largest manufacturing employer is MeadWestvaco, making container board. It also has employers in the following sectors: automotive suppliers, poultry processing, paperboard/insulation and reinforcement materials. Tourism, especially whitewater rafting, is big business in Phenix City, as the Chattahoochee River runs through the city.
