Houston County officials are kicking in $30,000 toward developing a long-range plan for water needs, which is required as part of a permitting process to allow the city and county to withdraw water from the Chattahoochee River.
With the water wars between Alabama, Georgia and Florida still unsettled, public officials anticipate the permitting process could be lengthy, but this is seen as one of two long-range water solutions for the area’s dwindling supplies as identified by water studies.
Plans are still ongoing to construct a regional reservoir west of Dothan.
“We need to know if we can even get a permit,” Commission Chairman Mark Culver said. “This is the beginning of the process for a $220,000 project. It’s the first step to see if it is viable.”
The drawing of water from the river would occur at the county’s port near Columbia and would greatly impact residents on the east side of the county, Culver said. The city is paying for the majority of the work at this point.
Dothan Utilities Water Operations Superintendent Randy Morris said the county’s contribution is based on Polyengineering's estimate on the amount of work required outside the city limits. City officials approved the expenditure in mid-December.
“We don’t know if we can get a permit,” Morris said.
James Brannon with Polyengineering said his firm is expecting the process to take two years.
“We hope we can get it quicker than that. When we get into the political ramifications, with what is going on with the river ... we know we can submit the permit to them quickly, how long it takes for them to approve it is a different matter,” Brannon said.
Culver said for future generations, it is time to move forward. “After we are all gone, if there is no water…. This is one of those things we have to get started on.”
In a separate water issue, county commissioners approved a contract with Davis Construction of Mobile to install new water lines in the Ashford area to serve low- to moderate-income residents on South Rocky Creek Road and Antioch Church Road.
The project is being funded by a Community Development Block Grant.
Emily Waters with Southeast Alabama Regional Planning & Development Commission said the bid for the project was below cost estimates and that the county’s match might be reduced by as much at $45,000. That could free up additional moneys for the county.
“We have money set aside in a bond issue for this. If it came in under budget, we can pay for the previous item,” Culver said referring to the Chattahoochee River project.
Waters said there would be a preconstruction meeting and work could begin in late February or early March. The bid was $274,333.
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement