News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Byrdstown applying for a federal grant to purchase and install generators for the town’s water system.
Mayor Sam Gibson said the project would involve installing generators at the water intake and the water plant facilities. Gibson said the town currently does not have any in place for the water system.
“If we had something to really come through and to happen that knocked out our electrical park area at both either the intake or the water plant that would paralyze us for a while with getting water to the plant or getting water from the plant out throughout the district.”
Gibson said the generators altogether could cost an estimated $700,000 to $1 million. Gibson said implementing generators would be a much better backup plan than what the town currently has.
“We can get out and rent these generators but yet getting one and having one available and getting it to the intake which is way down over the hill there located at the lake,” Gibson said. “So this would be a big plus for the Pickett County water system.”
Gibson said a few years ago Byrdstown experienced a severe ice storm and luckily enough the water plant was not affected. Gibson said he is not willing to take that chance again.
“It would be really tough on Pickett County if that happened,” Gibson said. “So like I say we have been very fortunate. I don’t know if it’s ever happened but you know again those disasters happen and just like over in East Tennessee those might be a once-in-a-lifetime deal but yet that once-in-a-lifetime thing can make a big impact on a small community.”
Gibson said the grant is from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Gibson said since it’s a federal grant he expects to wait some time before hearing back. Gibson said he expects to hear back sometime in the summer.
