Alabama Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Reed hosted an event in Oakman June 5 to announce $6.7 million in grant awards for water infrastructure and capacity improvements in several communities located in the northwest part of the state.
The grants come in response to portions of Walker, Fayette and Tuscaloosa counties experiencing an extended period of water shortages in January.
The service disruptions occurred due to an extended period of drought accompanied by freezing weather in the area at the time. Because of these two weather conditions taking place simultaneously and for a prolonged period of time, a serious strain was placed on water infrastructure, water tank capacity and reserve tank capacity in northwest Alabama.
In some cases, particularly for residents in the Oakman and Parrish communities in south Walker County, families faced either low water pressure or a complete lack of water usage for 16 days, according to a June 10 story from Alabama Political Reporter.
"The most important component of being a public servant is service," Reed noted at the announcement. "In response to this crisis, we have worked incredibly hard to track down every possible resource available to make certain this type of situation does not occur again.
"It is my hope and expectation that these resources will be used to further that purpose to their fullest potential for residents of this area," he added.
The infrastructure grants were provided predominately through the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) and the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA), along with a private match from Warrior Met Coal, headquartered in the Tuscaloosa County town of Brookwood.
"It was a pleasure to join Senate President Pro Tem Greg Reed and local leaders in Oakman to mark the great progress in improving water service for parts of Walker, Fayette and Tuscaloosa counties," said ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell. "ADECA is a partnership agency under Gov. Kay Ivey, and we are pleased to help with grant funding for improvements to this vital water infrastructure that will well serve both residents and commerce in these areas in the coming months and years."
Reed was joined in Oakman for the announcement by several other state leaders who worked closely to ensure resources were provided to the stricken area.
"I could not be more pleased that water infrastructure improvement grants are coming to our area," said state Rep. Bryan Brinyark, R-16th District. "This part of Alabama experienced significant challenges with the water supply in January, and $6.7 million will make a huge difference for people to ensure our infrastructure is meeting citizens' needs. I am thankful for all who were involved at the federal, state and local levels to make this happen and solve this issue for people in our communities."
Brinyark's colleague in the Alabama House, Rep. Matt Woods, R-13th District, was also on hand in Oakman, where he added, "This is a huge win for the people who are served by the water authorities in Oakman and Parrish. It will also help sustain industrial mining operations for years to come, which provide good paying jobs for hundreds of hardworking families that call this area home."
The water infrastructure projects in Walker, Fayette and Tuscaloosa counties have all been fully funded and are in varying stages of the bid and construction processes, according to Alabama Political Reporter.
Officials in the affected areas hope that the projects can be completed by June 2026.
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