Winfield Water receives $479k grant

By Luke Brantley
Staff writer
WINFIELD — The Winfield Water Works and Sewer Board has received a $479,000 grant to improve the city’s sewer system.
The financial assistance came from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund and will help the water department upgrade sewer lines to make sure they are properly functioning and in compliance with Alabama Department of Environmental Management requirements and other regulations.
“The grant funds will be used to upgrade the Winfield sanitary sewer system,” said Winfield Water Works and Sewer Board office manager and treasurer Leanne Lenahan. “This work involves replacing pumps, panels and motors at key sewer lift stations that are used throughout the city to transport waste. A liner will be installed in approximately 6,000 feet of gravity sewer lines to help seal leaking pipes that tend to take in groundwater. 
“Additional work will be done at the wastewater treatment lagoon to help the treated waste being discharged meet its permit limit. This work will help keep Winfield environmentally safe and meet the ongoing challenges to comply with federal regulations.”
According to a statement from ADEM, “The Winfield Water Works and Sewer Board is proposing to rehabilitate two of their existing elevated storage tanks, replace inoperable isolation valves, install a telemetry system, two new booster pumping stations and install a chlorine dioxide system at the water treatment plant to reduce Disinfection Byproducts (DBP’s).
“Completion of this project will allow the Winfield Water Works & Sewer Board to maintain compliance and provide an improved water system.”
The statement also explained why the Winfield Water and Sewer Board’s project was chosen to receive the grant and why it was eligible.
“The Alabama Department of Environmental Management has determined that the project qualifies for a Categorical Exclusion (CE) from further environmental study under the guidelines specified by the State Environmental Review Process (SERP) which specifically include actions which are solely directed toward  minor rehabilitation of existing facilities, functional replacement of equipment or towards the construction of new ancillary facilities adjacent or appurtenant to existing facilities.
“However, this decision may be reconsidered if significant adverse information concerning the potential environmental impacts of the project is discovered.”
District 17 State Representative Tracy Estes said he was happy to help secure the grant money from Montgomery.
“The Winfield Water Works and Sewer Board submits an application,” Estes explained. “As I do with all agencies across my district, when they make me aware of that, then I will submit a letter of support to ADEM, to let them know that I would really appreciate any consideration they could give these applications and if my office can be of further assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me.
“Sometimes you’ll try a few phone calls just to remind them, ‘Hey, we really need that money up in my district.’”
Estes said securing a grant like this is a group effort.
“It really is a team effort,” he said. “The water works has to work with their attorneys, engineers and staff just to submit the application and get all the information together, which is no small task to pull that all together.
“My job is to step in and write letters and make phone calls and just make sure the folks at ADEM have a clear understanding of what the project is going to do, and how important it is to our district.