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'They need to do something': Baldwin County gets $1 million to fix sewers

County Manager Carlos Tobar says Stuart Circle is just one of several streets to be helped. This project will help 146 people that are in a low- to mid- income area.

MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. — $1 million will help Baldwin County replace sewer pipes that are over half a century old.

The money comes from a state grant that will be used to improve sewage lines east of Vinson Highway.

13WMAZ’s Jessica Cha went out there to see what folks think of the current sewage system and what the project will look like.

"I'm glad they're doing something, because they need to do something,” Sammie Marshall says.

Marshall has lived on Stuart Circle for over 18 years. He says the sewer lines need to be replaced.

"Alright, you see that manhole back there? The pipes on the bottom busted and overflowed. The feces and whatever came up out of it and they had to come over here and fix it,” she says. 

Marshall says it's happened several times since he's lived here, and that it's made him feel neglected by Baldwin County.

"They just act like we was a forgotten neighborhood.”

Kenneth Ward lives up the street from Marshall. 

"I'm just looking forward to seeing something get started,” he says. 

Ward explains that they've had water trouble for years. 

"Backing up, it'd be dirty sometimes. Have your clothes smelling like septic tank and sewer.”

Ward says he sometimes has to wash his clothes more than once to get the smell out and that it raises his water bill. 

"We done filed complaints and whatever like that, but still ain't nothing been done yet,” Ward says. 

County Manager, Carlos Tobar says Stuart Circle, Daphney Street, Martin Drive, Lee Drive, and a portion of Lee Street, are being targeted as the last stop of their 10-year sewer improvement project east of Vinson Highway.     

"The state of Georgia provided us with a $1 million community development block grant to replace the sewer lines in this neighborhood,” he explains. 

Tobar says that this project will help 146 people that are in a low- to mid-income area. He says over 10 years, eight miles of sewer lines have been replaced and have benefitted a total of 490 residents.  

"We had great participation from the citizens who've written us letters, telling us what their issues are, and sending us pictures of the problems in the neighborhood.”

Tobar says the current pipes are old and damaged by tree roots and it's best to replace the whole system. He says it's about time. 

"People need to have the peace of mind that when they flush the toilets, everything is going in the right place, and when they pour water into their glass-- that it's good, clean drinking water that they're going to consume,” he says. 

Tobar says they're planning the project now and getting property owners' permission, and the pipes should be fixed by the spring.

County Manager Tobar says this is not their last sewer line replacement project. He says they want to replace lines west of Vinson Highway and in West Baldwin County next. 

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