Lockhart receives $500,000 grant

The Town of Lockhart will use a $500,000 federal grant to make improvements to its water and sewer systems.

During Tuesday’s Lockhart Town Council meeting, Mayor Ailene Ashe announced that the town had been awarded a $500,000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG). Ashe said the CDBG funds will be used to upgrade sewer lines and a water line in the northwestern part of the town. She said the town would not be able to undertake the upgrade without the grant funds and said the award was a cause for celebration.

“I’m excited,” Ashe said. “It’s a big hallelujah.”

Hugh Gregory, the town’s maintenance engineer, said a new six-inch PVC water line will be installed between North Second and North Third streets replacing a deteriorated cast-iron line. Gregory said new PVC sewer lines will be installed from Mill Street to North Fifth Street and from Lockhart Drive to Summit Drive replacing deteriorated terracotta lines.

He said three new fire hydrants would also be installed in the area.

Since 2002, Lockhart has received $2.5 million in CDBG funds which the town has used to help upgrade its water, sewer and storm drainage systems. Ashe said the town will continue to apply for CDBG funds and other grants in order to continue its efforts to upgrade its infrastructure.

The Community Development Block Grant Small Cities Program is offered to municipalities and counties through the SC Department of Commerce. The program is funded by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development which allocates funding t0 each state which in turn awards the funds to their constituent municipalities and counties.

By Charles Warner, Reporting for The Union Daily Times