Senators Ossoff and Warnock help secure funding for new Wilkinson County sewer system

Construction is already underway in the city of McIntyre and is expected to take 2 years.

MCINTYRE, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — Wilkinson County is building its first ever public sewer system thanks to help from Georgia senators Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock.

“It makes you wanna shout with having two senators that see the vision and understand the need, so I’m very elated,” said McIntyre Mayor Vicki Horne.

For more than 30 years, officials in Wilkinson County have been working to secure funding for a public sewer system.

Without a public sewer system, residents have had to rely on failing septic systems, which are often at risk of flooding and overflowing. This posed a threat to public health due to the potential for contamination.

That’s why US senators from Georgia Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock worked secure $6.3 million for the county.

“When I learned that the city of McIntyre and Wilkinson County needed additional resources, I reached out to colleagues from both parties and built the support necessary to pass this into law,” Senator Ossoff said.

Construction is already underway in the city of McIntyre. Mayor Vicki Horne says figuring out how to pay for the sewer system has been a challenge.

“Money has been at the top of the list, always,” Mayor Horne said. “Then you have some people that don’t totally understand the project, and they may have some concerns, but money has always been at the top of the list of issues and concerns.”

The first phase of construction is expected to take 2 years. Once complete, the second phase of construction will extend to the school system and surrounding cities in Wilkinson County.

According to Senator Ossoff, the sewer system isn’t just about public health. It will help provide new economic opportunities to the county.

“I’m focused everyday on rural Georgia,” said Senator Ossoff. “That’s why I delivered these resources in order to begin construction, so that we can deliver a public sewer system in Wilkinson County.”

The project will cost a total $20,000,000. Wilkinson County has also received support for their sewer system from the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority and the U-S Department of Agriculture.