Hale County Town To Get Sewer Service Funded by $1 Million Grant

A small town in Hale County about 50 miles south of Tuscaloosa will receive a new sewer system funded by federal grants distributed through a state agency, Governor Kay Ivey has announced.

The town of Newbern, which had approximately 130 residents according to the 2020 census, has been plagued by a public health hazard for years, as faulty septic tanks have allowed wastewater to seep up from the ground or back up inside homes.

On Friday, Governor Ivey announced the distribution of a $1 million grant from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs, which received the money from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Get our free mobile app

In a press release from her office, Ivey stated that the grant will fund new septic systems for more than 100 households and nine additional "community anchor institutions," including the local post office.

The state also said all components of the system, except lines leading from households or businesses to the septic systems, will be the property of a local utility service created by the town council, as is the case in many other parts of Alabama.

“This is a monumental project for Newbern, involving multiple partners, which will certainly mean better living conditions for people in the town and the surrounding area,” Gov. Ivey said. “I am pleased to support this local effort to improve the quality of life for so many.”

The Community Development Block Grant will bring together multiple private and public partners on this project, ADECA said.

“This project will have a tremendous impact on the town of Newbern and surrounding area,” ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said. “ADECA is pleased to be one of many partners involved in this endeavor, and we join Gov. Ivey in commending the community and all those involved for their efforts to make this improvement.”

Ivey has notified Mayor Patrick Braxton that the funding had been approved, the state said in its release.

For more coverage of news in West Alabama, stay connected to the Tuscaloosa Thread.