Franklin County Receives Major Grant Award for Interstate Sewer Line Project

Franklin County has also taken a new step forward in its plan to put in a new sewer line along I-85.

At their meeting Monday, County Commission Chair Thomas Bridges thanked the management team for securing new funding.

“I want to thank the management team at the Board of Commissioners for making the decision that we need to try and get as much grant funding as possible to Franklin County, and taking the time out to make application to the Appalachian Regional Commission to assist us with out sewer project,” Bridges said.

Bridges announced because of their hard work, the County has been awarded a new grant in the amount of $300,000.

Last month, County Manager Beth Thomas announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture had approved the necessary intergovernmental agreement between Franklin County and the City of Carnesville.

The new sewer line will extend along I-85 from the 160 Exit at SR51 to the 166 Exit at SR106 and is expected to attract new industry into Franklin County.

Plans for the project also involve new lift stations as well as an expanded waste water treatment plant that will be built in Carnesville.

Begun five years ago, the county has been actively working on the design of the sewer line system and on securing funding to pay for the project with the help of the engineering firm of Hulsey McCormick & Wallace, Inc. in Greenville, SC.

The original cost of the project was $13.5 million which included building a new waste water treatment plant, but the USDA kicked the application back last last year saying it was too large a project.

After some reworking of the design, the new cost is now around $6-million.

Last year, the County received a loan/grant package from the USDA in the amount of $3-million.

Carnesville has committed $200,000 to the project and the Franklin County Industrial Building Authority has agreed to kick in $500,000.

The rest of the funding will come out of the county’s water/sewer fund.