Gov. Bentley Awards Grant to Address Uniontown Sewer Problem

The city of Uniontown has been dealing with a health hazard in the form of sewer leaks, and now, the city can take steps to fix the issue.

Gov. Robert Bentley has awarded a $32,000 grant to help the city of Uniontown fix the sewer issue. The city will use the Community Development Block Grant to detect leaks in sewer lines. Local funding of $2,500 is being added to the project.

Recent rains have worsened the problem, causing raw sewage to back up in neighborhoods and streets. The city is also violating state health regulations, by exceeding permitted capacity at its wastewater treatment lagoons.

Inspectors will use special cameras to detect breaks and cracks in the sewer lines. City workers will then make the needed repairs. City officials say the age of sewer system, soils and tree roots have resulted in the recent breaks. The large amount of rain the past few months has also been a major contributing factor.

The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grant from funds made available to the state by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.