Georgiana residents will get a much-needed sewage system upgrade, thanks to a $400,000 grant approved by the Governor’s office recently. The city will add $40,000 to the upgrade’s tab.

The upgrade will provide the Butler County town’s 289 citizens with improved sewer services and eliminate a potential health hazard.

The Alabama Department of Environmental Management has cited the city several times in the past for excessive flows from their wastewater treatment plant due to old and deteriorated clay pipes located in the city.

ADEM officials’ cited the city because the overflow from the plant, mixed with storm water run off, was flowing into Rocky Creek and creating a public health threat.

&uot;Our wastewater plant is different than most small towns’ plants in that it will handle 300,00 gallons per day,&uot; Georgiana Mayor Lyn Watson said. &uot;Unfortunately, when they put the new system in, they came to a certain point in installing new sewer lines and stopped. In recent years, when we have had big rains, the plant has overfilled. This grant will allow us to replace those old lines.&uot;

Watson said the new sewer lines would dramatically improve the city’s sewer system.

&uot;With the plant at full capacity, we will be able to add more companies to the system without creating problems,&uot; he said. &uot;It will make the system more efficient, so if we got another company in here, they could hook into it.&uot;

The sewer line upgrades will be made to central collection lines in the downtown Georgiana area. The old lines will be replaced with new 12-inch lines along the north edge of the city’s Public Housing Authority and replace the leaking clay pipes near the Hollis Public Housing Apartments with 8-inch lines.

The upgrade project also calls for re-routing storm drains that currently tie into the city’s sewer system, and replace manholes in the upgraded area.

The grant is a Community Development Block Grant, which is provided through the Department of Housing and Urban Development and designed to help communities address infrastructural needs.