By Tiffany Green
The Cullman Times
COLONY — Cullman County Commissioner Wayne Willingham attended Colony’s recent town council meeting to discuss the current Cullman County water issue with area residents.
“Our goal is to provide safe drinking water for everyone in the community and keep rates low,” Willingham said.
The county’s proposal consists of using Smith Lake as Cullman County’s second water source. The county has proposed upgrading the treatment facilities at Lake Catoma and constructing a new treatment facility that would pump water from Smith Lake. Included in the proposal is the creation a regional water board to oversee water distribution in the county.
The city’s proposed dam on Duck River would create a 640-acre lake and a six-mile pipeline with a 32-million-gallon-per-day capacity. The reservoir would resemble the one at Lake Catoma, currently the county’s sole water source. The city of Cullman has been working on the Duck River proposal for nearly 20 years.
“We have offered the city a different proposal,” Willingham said. “We have some concerns.”
Willingham does not want the county to rush into anything and wants citizens to look at all options.
“When we started digging into these numbers, it made us nervous,” he said.
Willingham noted whichever route is decided on, the current facility must have upgrades. He said Cullman is the largest county and only county in Alabama that is relying on one facility.
“We are going to continue to grow,” he said. “We know Smith Lake is good water because Arley and Birmingham both get water out of it.”
Willingham pointed out that Smith Lake’s water levels will only decrease by one-half an inch within a two year period.
“We want to make a regional water authority and feel like this will keep it at a lower cost in the long run,” Willingham said. “We are not giving up on this, we want to have clean water for years to come.”
Willingham said for the last three years, from June through August, Cullman County has been buying water from Arley.
The council members had concerns about the rates going up, and Willingham said either way, rates will go up.
The council also:
* Announced there are current openings at Krayola Kids Daycare.
* Announced the town will sign on to the county bid for gravel. The town will provide the gravel to residents.
* Announced there will be a Boston Butt sale and three-on-three basketball tournament on Dec. 12 for ages 15 and up. For more information contact the town hall at 287-1192.
* The next council meeting will be Nov. 20 at 6 p.m. at the town hall.
* Tiffany Green can be reached by e-mail at tgreen@cullmantimes.com or by telephone at 734-2131, ext. 220.
