New water infrastructure worth more than $45 million is coming to Walker County, with $20 million of that total coming from a federal American Rescue Plan Act grant awarded through the state of Georgia.
The project will add new drinking water mains throughout much of the county, storage tanks, a new water treatment plant and additional sewer infrastructure, according to a news release from the county. Design for many elements of the water projects has already begun, and a completion date is slated for the fourth quarter of 2024.
In a phone interview, Shannon Whitfield, chair of the Walker County Board of Commissioners, said, "I think this is a clear example that the leadership in Georgia realizes that Northwest Georgia has a bright future ahead, and that the state being willing to make a $20 million investment into Walker County ... shows their commitment to this region and of the importance of this region to the overall state economy."
News of the project and grant came Tuesday.
The water enhancements will directly benefit 50,000 Walker County residents, Whitfield said in the news release.
"Adding these water main extensions will effectively loop our system, and the new water treatment plant will allow us to filter up to 12 million gallons per day to serve existing and future [Walker County Water and Sewerage Authority] customers," Whitfield said.
The Walker County Water and Sewerage Authority was awarded the grant to expand access to clean drinking water in unserved and underserved rural communities. The project was one of 116 picked by the Georgia Water and Sewer Infrastructure committee to receive funds from the American Rescue Plan, approved last year by Democrats in Congress. Priority was given to applications with broad community impact and local government support, the release said.
Whitfield thanked state Sen. Jeff Mullis, R-Chickamauga, and state Rep. Mike Cameron, R-Rossville, for their help getting the project funded and said the investment doubles the county's capacity to treat wastewater and sets up the county for future growth and growth already on the books.
In just the past few weeks, a new 500-lot subdivision called Hawks Ridge broke ground at the corner of Happy Valley Road and Battlefield Parkway, Whitfield said. There will be retail development in that area as well, and Whitfield said the developer expects to attract a major grocery store. The county planning office reported 150 housing starts in 2020 and 157 in 2021.
Also, there's the new 200-room McLemore golf resort being built on Lookout Mountain by Hilton Hotels, he said. The infrastructure investment will also bring public water to about 50 homes in the Flarity Road community. That's expected to be completed in 2022, Whitfield said.
The American Rescue Plan grant will extend 82,346 linear feet of water main infrastructure throughout the county. Water mains will be installed along Glass Mill and Old Bethel roads to Highway 341; from the Coke Ovens wellfield to the Mountain View storage tanks; Tatum Road up Lookout Mountain; and from the Georgia/Alabama state line at Flarity Road to Highway 157 and the Girl Scouts' Camp Adahi, the release specified.
The water and sewer service improvements are estimated to cost approximately $45,490,000, and the grant received by the Walker County Water and Sewerage Authority will fund 44% ($20 million) of the project's costs. Walker County will match the federal funds with $5 million from local American Rescue Plan Act dollars. Walker County's water and sewer authority will fund the remaining $20,490,000.
The $1.9-trillion American Rescue Plan Act was the most recent federal stimulus bill to aid public health and economic recovery due to the pandemic.
"Water and sewer infrastructure is the backbone of economic growth," said Spencer Hogg, project manager for the Northwest Georgia Joint Development Authority in a news release. "The $20 million investment from the state of Georgia will have an unprecedented impact on the ability to attract new prospects and help current projects expand. We are thankful for Gov. [Brian] Kemp and the Walker County Commissioners for their leadership."
In the release, both Mullis and Cameron praised state leadership for the investment in Northwest Georgia.
"This significant investment from the state of Georgia will be a driver of economic development and improve the lives of hard-working Georgians," Cameron said. "I want to thank the governor and our local officials for their tremendous work. I look forward to seeing these infrastructure projects enhance Northwest Georgia communities."
Whitfield said the county will soon benefit from a broadband internet investment: a $6 million state-allocated American Rescue Plan grant, matched by a $5 million investment from a local internet provider. That will cover 80% of the unserved and underserved residents of Walker County, Whitfield said.
"Access to water supply and access to high-speed internet are two very important components that are needed in any community for growth and this really will set Walker County up for the future," Whitfield said.
Contact Andrew Wilkins at awilkins@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6659. Follow him on Twitter @tweetatwilkins.