health hazard

By JAINE TREADWELL

Features Editor

Published Aug. 19, 1999

A Wiregrass Resource Conservation and Development grant has made it possible to alleviate a health hazard along County Road 66 near Springhill at no cost to the county.

Randy Hale, district conservationist for the Natural Resource Conservation Service, said ponding water was backing up into septic tanks that served about 15 houses in the area and causing contamination to the ground around the tanks.

"The ponding top water was also providing a breeding place for mosquitoes, causing an additional health hazard," Hale said. "Water was ponding several inches almost year around and the residents in that area wanted some relief."

To provide that relief, a ditch on the county right-of-way had to be cleaned and a ditch had to be cut from the ponding water which was off the right-of-way.

"Through Wiregrass RC&D we were able to get a grant that would provide reimbursable money to the county for the work done off the right-of-way which was about a third of the project," Hale said. "The county provided the manpower and machinery for the project."

The Natural Resources Conservation Service provided the engineering design and construction check for the project which was 20 percent of the cost of the project, Hale said. The Soil and Water Conservation District provided the administration of the project which accounted for five to seven percent of the cost.

"About 35 percent of the project was donated from those two agencies and the grant provided $3,000 of reimbursable money to the county for work done off the right-of-way," Hale said. "The dirt needed as filler was hauled in at no cost. The work done on the right-of-way had to be done anyway. So, the project actually cost the county nothing and we eliminated a health hazard for about 15 families."

With a ditch cut from the ponding area, the water will now run freely into the ditch along the road and into a safe outlet, Hale said.

The Wiregrass RC&D is made up of 10 counties and provides assistance for such projects as the critical area treatment and drainage project completed last week on County Road 66.