Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The Lowndes County Unincorporated Wastewater Program (LCUWP) held the first of several planned community meetings Saturday in Fort Deposit, where the board informed community members about the program and answered questions about the program.

The group’s secretary and outreach coordinator, Willie Dixon, updated Lowndes County Commissioners on the meeting’s turnout during the commission’s July 22 meeting.

“Community outreach is one of those things that requires us to get involved, get out there and get signs up and talk to people,” Dixon said. “So that’s what we did. We did not get a lot of people… but they were enthusiastic, and they were asking a lot of questions.”

Dixon told commissioners that she and Vice President Elis Bandy delivered information about the program and what residents can expect who the group’s efforts. She also said organizers told attendees that the group will be communicating with stakeholders throughout the process of providing wastewater disposal solutions.

Bandy told commissioners the group had met with an engineer, who explained the process for identifying which septic systems were best suited for each home.

“The key thing is [the engineer] will always complete [the design] of each system, so that before we bid it out, we will know exactly how much the cost is,” Bandy said. “Some of the systems cost more than others. We want to let him decide what system is beneficial for [each] property.”

Deborah Stewart, the program consultant, said the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) had identified four homes prioritized based on tiers — age, level of exposure and health issues.

“They provided us with the first slate of four of which they did their own assessment,” Stewart said. “We created a preliminary assessment form, which the engineer loved, because it kind of cut short some of the stuff that they need and provides the date that’s needed.”

Stewart also explained the group had been calling residents and identified 60 other homes needing systems.

“One thing that is different about this project and others is that there’s no requirement for them to have a clear deed,” Stewart said. “Now, ADPH wants us to do everything we can to try and get a clear deed, but if we can’t, they can get the septic system.

“And, it’s free. They’re not required to pay anything because it’s a Department of Justice agreement. The caveat to that is how is the care going to be managed. That’s something the board is working on [and] looking for additional funding.”

The board members also reported it has a database with a waiting list, so all users could track each client’s progress. The database, she explained, will ensure all data is in place for reference if the system fails in the future.