$4M grant to provide better water quality to Monroe County
The City of Aberdeen and Monroe County are looking to improve the outdated water system.
MONROE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Some Monroe County residents can expect better access to safe, reliable water after receiving a nearly $4 million grant.
This comes after an interlocal agreement between the City of Aberdeen and Monroe County to use their ARPA Funds to secure extra money from the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality.
The City of Aberdeen and Monroe County are looking to improve the outdated water system.
The project’s main target is to improve the water system in the Egypt Road area.
“Well, we received a grant from the DEQ for the upgrade of our wells along with upgrading our wells we are also going to update a water tank out in the Egypt road area. That will allow us to continue to equalize our system and provide better support to that area,” said Aberdeen Mayor Charles Scott.
County and City leaders expect this to fix water pressure problems some residents have.
“Part of our system is actually on someone else’s system and we are trying to work closely with our neighbor utilities to ensure that part of our water lines are better powered up,” said Scott.
County Attorney David Houston said while the system’s structure is nearly five decades old, some parts are still in working order.
“It’s old. The good houses that contain the electrical equipment and the chemical infusion equipment are basically 50 years old. So, they need replacing the electrical equipment is going to be replaced. But the electrical infusion is in good shape so it won’t be replaced so that will just be part of it to enhance the quality of the water in the area,” Houston said.
Houston said this kind of partnership is crucial to improve the lives of Monroe County citizens.
“Well, all the residents in the cities in Monroe County are Monroe County residents. And it’s good to have cooperation between the county and the various cities. .. It’s always good to have the county cooperating with the cities. It actually adds strength, financial strength, and economic strength to the various projects,” Houston said.
There is no start date yet on when the project will begin.
The ARPA funds must be used by 2026.
