Legislation heads to governor with nearly $26 million for Martin County water, sewer projects

Legislation that would release nearly $26 million for Martin County water and sewer projects is headed to the governor. (Adobe Stock)

BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

FRANKFORT — Legislation that would release $25.8 million for eight Martin County water and sewer projects cleared the Kentucky General Assembly on Tuesday, moving to Gov. Andy Beshear.

The measure, House Joint Resolution 81, would release $52,502,260 statewide in previously appropriated funding through Kentucky’s Water and Wastewater Assistance for Troubled or Economically Restrained Systems program. Known as WWATERS, the Legislature created the program in 2024 to help distressed public water and wastewater systems.

Martin County’s share represents nearly half of the statewide total.

The Senate Appropriations and Revenue Committee advanced HJR 81 earlier Tuesday, sending it to the Senate floor as a consent bill. The Senate then posted it for passage in the Consent Orders of the Day, gave it a third reading and adopted it unanimously. The resolution was later received in the House, enrolled, signed by the Speaker of the House and President of the Senate and delivered to the governor.

The House approved the measure March 17 by a 95-0 vote.

For the Martin County Water District, the resolution would provide $964,850 for the Route 292 booster station and waterline, $6,471,900 for the Davella pump station and line, $3,294,561 for debt service and $769,210 for tank repair and painting.

The Turkey water storage tank in Martin County will benefit from the WWATERS funding. The rusted, leaking tank has been a longtime worry to the family living below it on KY-908 in Inez. (Citizen photo by Roger Smith)

For the Martin County Sanitation District, it would provide $1,687,380 for the Blacklog gravity line replacement, $6,596,750 for countywide lift station replacement, $2,169,799 for debt service and $3,864,100 for the Inez wastewater system.

The sewer lift station leaking sewage into the stream at the corner of KY-645 and Saltwell is one of several countywide that would benefit from the WWATERS funding. It has leaked sewage so long that residents nicknamed it “Ol’ Stanky.” (Citizen photo by Roger Smith)

During Tuesday’s committee discussion, after senators raised questions about accountability for this year’s recipient districts, Sen. Robin L. Webb, R-Grayson, pointed to Martin County’s long contribution to the state.

“Martin County was an economic driver of this state through coal production for many years,” Webb said. “I know I worked there many years myself as a miner. So they’ve contributed a great deal to the overall state bottom line.”

Martin County Judge/Executive Lon Lafferty has raised the same point many times. He said Tuesday that the funding is a major step but not a quick fix for a county whose water and sewer problems have persisted for years.

Martin County Judge/Executive Lon Lafferty (Citizen photo by Roger Smith)

“I will make a promise: we will ensure accountability for this money,” Lafferty said. “It will be spent according to the tenets of the grant.”

He said residents should not expect immediate results.

“It won’t be an overnight fix,” Lafferty said. “There will be problems for years to come, and you should make those problems known. But we finally have a plan and resources to begin taking Martin County water and sewage from the worst in Appalachia to the best.”

,
, , , , , , , ,

1 / ?