Fairhope, Ala. – City leaders are moving forward with a major water‑system upgrade that will add a redundant supply line east of the Fish River. The project, funded by a $2 million state grant and $1 million from the city, will lay more than two miles of new 12‑inch pipe, creating a loop that can feed the east side of town even if the north or south line fails.
Why the new line is needed
Hurricane Sally exposed the vulnerability of Fairhope’s water network when residents on the east side of the Fish River were left without water for an extended period. City officials say the new line will prevent a repeat of that outage.
Project details
The Fish River Water Expansion Project will start at Scenic 98 on the west side of the river, run beneath the riverbed, and emerge on Fish River Road on the east side. Fairhope Utilities Engineer Noel Berry explained that the new pipe will connect two existing lines, providing a south‑feed that creates a loop. “If we lose either the north or the south at that point, we’ll still have a way of feeding water to the east side of the river,” Berry said.
Funding and timeline
The $3 million budget covers everything from engineering studies to final construction. The state grant comes from the Community Development Block Grant‑Disaster Recovery program, created after hurricanes Zeta and Sally. The city is contributing $1 million of its own funds. Work is slated to begin next year and reach completion in 2028.
Future water‑system plans
Fairhope has faced water‑infrastructure challenges over the past decade, including new wells, water‑line expansions, shortages, and sanctions tied to rapid growth in Baldwin County. Berry noted that the city is also planning a new well and water tower after the line is finished to address ongoing and future demand.
“Growth in Baldwin County has been massive in the last five, ten years,” Berry said. “We’re trying to keep up and prepare for future growth.”
Original reporting: FOX10 WALA Mobile (news) — read the source article.
