Byrdstown Applying For Grant To Begin Sewer Project

Byrdstown Aldermen approved to re-apply for a Community Development Block Grant for an extensive sewer project.

Mayor Sam Gibson said the sewer project would improve pumps at the sewer plant and various other stations throughout Pickett County. Gibson said the town applied for the grant last year and asked for $1 million in funding. Gibson said he believes asking for that much hurt the town’s application.

“That was my choice to shoot for the moon and like I told the council, I missed,” Gibson said. “So this time I’m gonna drop my aim down a little bit better and shoot for what I think is pretty much a hopeful definite in order to be able to get it.”

Gibson said the town will apply for $550,000 with only a seven percent match. Gibson said the funding would not cover the whole project but it would be a great starting point.

“Well when you’re dealing with sewer plants and water plants you know that’s a small amount but that saves the city and the county a lot of money,” Gibson said. “No, that won’t do what we need but it’ll kind of get us started in the right direction.”

Gibson said though most of the sewer pumps have not had any issues he hopes to improve the pumps sooner rather than later.

“The sewer plant the main one in the county we did renovate it this year but that was already at the plan to do that,” Gibson said. “But the others so far are still hanging on and we just hope that we don’t have any major problems until we do get an opportunity to renovate them.”

Gibson said he expects to hear back about the grant by November of 2025. Gibson said if the town does receive the grant he hopes to begin the project by April or May of 2026.