Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) is providing the court-appointed receiver of the Prichard water and sewer system $5.8 million to help begin the process of upgrading the plant.
According to a press release, more than $4 million of the initial funding will go toward rehabilitating water tanks. $300,000 will go toward completing audits of the water system finances. ADEM identified problems with the water tanks such as mildew and corrosion.
A lack of adequate audits has impaired the ability of the Prichard Water Works and Sewer Board (PWWSB) to qualify for state funding. ADEM awarded $400,000 to the system in 2022 to conduct audits.
The $5.8 million also includes money for design work and assistance for future work such as bidding and loan applications for future projects.
PWWSB reported monthly water losses in the past year that sometimes exceeded 60 percent systemwide – six times the industry standard of 10 percent. A 2022 study reported water leaks were costing the system $75,000 a month.
The goal of the Prichard system is to adequately meet water and sewer needs of its residents.
