A new water treatment plant in eastern Kentucky got some much-needed funding on Tuesday. More than $8.8 million will go toward building a facility in the city of Buckhorn in Perry County.
Currently, the entire county gets potable water from the water treatment plant in Hazard.
Happy Mobelini is Mayor of Hazard. He said the Hazard plant is over capacity.
“I mean it’s supposed to be pumping 5 million, its pumping 5.3 million a day. So if we can get this plant built it’ll take two million gallons of water off of our plant a day. Because it’s for the city of Buckhorn, but it comes all the way down 28 and runs into the industrial park so it’ll help that whole area,” said Mobelini.
The project is expected to create 364 new jobs while retaining 351 jobs. Officials expect construction to begin sometime next year with water flowing to homes and businesses in late 2024.
The funding is part of 11-point-six million dollars to improve infrastructure and build a new ambulance station to serve northern Perry County.
Tom Burns is the Mayor of Buckhorn. He said the 25-mile drive to get an ambulance to his community can be dangerous.
“I know that we had one incident a few years ago and from the time that 911 was called to the time that the ambulance got on scene was 55 minutes. So you can see the importance of improving these services,” said Burns.
Burns said the new ambulance station is much needed in Buckhorn because of the aging population.
The money will also fund road resurfacing at the Coal Fields Industrial Park and improvements at Perry County Park.
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