MONTGOMERY – The Alabama Department of Environmental Management has announced that it is
providing the City of Florence with approximately $5.8 million in low interest loans and grant funds
to support energy efficiency upgrades at one of their drinking water pumping stations. A portion of
the funds, $315,000, will originate from a clean air agreement that was signed between the Tennessee
Valley Authority, the State of Alabama, and other entities while the remaining $5.5 million will
originate from the ADEM Drinking Water State Revolving Fund.
The funds will be utilized to support the installation of variable frequency drive pumps at the
Wilson Lake Intake. The installation of the new, energy efficient equipment will result in
significantly reduced operational energy costs and an energy savings of approximately $30,000 per
year. Once installed, the energy efficient equipment will reduce energy consumption at the plant by
over 375,000 kilowatt hours per year.
This marks the second consecutive year that ADEM has provided these settlement funds to local
municipalities in the Tennessee Valley area. The ability to conserve energy and allow these
municipalities to operate their drinking water treatment plants more efficiently provides
environmental benefits and economic benefits for their citizens.
The ADEM Drinking Water State Revolving Fund provides financial assistance for the
installation of treatment facilities, storage tanks, and distribution lines. This infrastructure allows
municipalities to ensure they are providing clean, safe drinking water to their local residents.
