U. S. Sen. Jeff Sessions announced last week that the U. S. Department of Agriculture's Office of Rural Development has awarded the South Crenshaw County Water Authority a grant of $410,000 and a loan of $1.84 million to upgrade its existing water system.

&#8220Sen. Sessions called me July 24 and told me about the grant money,” Tom Compton, general manager of South Crenshaw County Water Authority, said.

&#8220The actual amount of the loan is $1,844,000 from USDA Rural Development,” Compton added.

He said that the Water Authority would also receive $368,000 from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) in the form of a community development block grant.

With the received funds, Compton said that there would be three projects put in place. First, a new water well will be located at the intersection of Mt. Ida and Spring Hill roads between Luverne and Brantley. Also, a 500,000-gallon water tank will be constructed.

In addition, a 300,000-gallon water tank will be put up on Crenshaw County Road 43, or Old Three Notch Road, in the Bullock Community, according to Compton.

&#8220Right now, we're in the design phase of the plan,” he said. &#8220We are hoping to be under construction by Jan. of 2007 with these projects.”

The water storage tanks should improve water pressure as well as storage capacity.

&#8220This is great news for Crenshaw County,” Sen. Sessions said in a prepared statement. &#8220I am very appreciative of the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture's Office of Rural Development for their commitment to this project.”