Marion residents are reaching out to state agencies and leaders about water woes they believe constitute a public health emergency.
Due to aging infrastructure, the city's water is often discolored and turned off.
The ongoing issues have caused the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) to address complaints. ADEM stated that in some cases, pumping failures have caused iron-containing sediment to dislodge from pipes.
From November 20–24, the area experienced a four-day water outage. ADEM sent in truckloads of water for residents. Crews responded to fix the problem, but residents told 1819 News the issue has been ongoing for 9 years and is only getting worse.
"Families, seniors, schools, businesses, and healthcare facilities are all being impacted," Crystalin Metcalf told 1819 News. "On a personal level, we cannot wash clothes to appear presentable at work, care for our animals or maintain basic sanitation. My sister, with a baby at home, cannot properly wash bottles, creating unsafe conditions. Even flushing toilets has become a challenge."
Laird Willis' family moved to Marion 14 months ago and is already considering moving back to Prattville.
"They're sitting on the edge right now of another critical water outage that puts people's lives in jeopardy," Willis told 1819 News. "And because they only have one or two pumps that are functional, their tanks are in disarray."
A September inspection by ADEM found 20 significant deficiencies and 15 minor deficiencies in the water and sewer system. Among significant issues, ADEM identified caps on access holes, water pressure issues and a crack in a well. The inspector also suspected that the daily operator was not checking in at the time recorded in the operator log.
"The daily operator log showed every day checking in at 6 a.m. and out at 4 p.m. for months except for the day of the inspection, which showed 9:11 a.m.," the report stated. "This brings into question the accuracy of the operator logs."
ADEM has offered at least $4 million in grants for a water system overhaul, but the city could lose that funding. In a letter from ADEM, the city was told that, due to its refusal to provide water service audits, funds could be withdrawn. The city must provide the necessary documents by December 22, or over $700,000 of those funds will be withdrawn.
Perry County Commission chairman Albert Turner Jr. said he supports the City of Marion and is willing to assist in preventing another water outage.
Marion is located in Perry County in Alabama's Black Belt. Residents said they want the city's leadership to live up to the important position they hold.
Marion Mayor Dexter Hinton has not returned a call from 1819 News.
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