MOBILE, Ala. (WPMI) — This week, Mobile Baykeeper encouraged the public to reach out to their elected representatives and the Alabama Department of Environmental Management and urge them to take action now and fund fixes to infrastructure that’s nearing complete failure in Prichard. Prichard Water Works & Sewer Board’s system loses 60% of the water it receives. Mobile Baykeeper reports that since 2021 the utility has spilled 51 million gallons of raw sewage. NBC 15 News reached out to ADEM and Governor Kay Ivey’s office for comment about the funding requests. ADEM provided this statement:
“ADEM has been working with the court-appointed receiver to improve both the operation of the system in Prichard and its facilities. Since the appointment of a receiver in October 2023, ADEM has provided the system with $5.8 million to make critical repairs. In addition, ADEM has committed funds to the water system to pay for annual audits of the system’s finances.
The receiver has estimated that to repair and upgrade the water and sewer systems to adequately serve the needs of residents would cost $300 – $400 million. ADEM does not have that level of funding for individual systems.…