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Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) Lowndes County community liaison Ursula Crittenden joined Lowndes County Unincorporated Wastewater Program (LCUWP) President Carmelia Arnold to deliver a progress report at the Aug. 12 County Commission meeting.

“Inspectors went into [homes identified as needing improvements] and evaluated conditions,” Crittenden said. “They’re doing site evaluations and working on the perk tests for trying to get some systems in the ground. Hopefully within the next month or so we’ll have the first system put in as part of ADPH’s program. We’re working to get in touch with [other] residents to get their paperwork completed.”

According to Arnold, efforts to contact homeowners in need of new or repaired systems is aimed at reducing duplicated efforts.

“I have the residents’ full names, and we had those sites assessed,” Arnold said. “We have them sent to the engineer Friday for assessment. Six assessments have been sent out and we are waiting on [the engineer’s] response before we can do anything else.”

The program’s board of directors has been conducting informational meetings around the county but are reporting low turnout at those gatherings.

“Our numbers have not been good for attendance at those briefings, so I think we are going to address municipalities to see if they can help us find people who need our services so they can come to get the information,” Arnold said. “We are also working with OCAP (Organized Community Action Program) for the clients who need home repair.”

Commission Chairman Charlie King, Jr. asked commissioners to aid in sharing information throughout their districts.

“If you can do that and provide the information to Mrs. Arnold, I think [the board] could do a better job of following up and getting people on board who need the service,” King said.