PRESTONSBURG — For a limited time, Floyd County’s low-income homeowners can apply for a PRIDE grant to replace a failing septic system or straight pipe. The PRIDE grants will pay for installation of a septic system or connection to a public sewer system, if one runs by the home.
“These grants are for homeowners who want to do the right thing but can’t afford a septic system or sewer connection,” explained Tammie Wilson of PRIDE, which is the nonprofit organization offering the grants.
“A good septic system or sewer service is critical for the health of homeowners and their neighbors,” Wilson said. “They protect the streams, rivers, lakes and groundwater that we all share. They also are required by state law.”
The septic system grants are intended to improve the quality of life for homeowners and to improve the environment of southern and Eastern Kentucky, which is the mission of PRIDE. PRIDE was founded in 1997 by U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers and James Bickford, who was the Kentucky Environmental Protection Secretary.
PRIDE encourages you to apply for a grant if you meet these criteria:
• You own the home that needs a septic system or sewer connection. (Rental properties, leased properties and land contracts are not eligible for this grant program.)
• You have electrical service at the home. The electric bill must show the physical address of the residence where the system will be installed, not a post office box.
• The combined income of everyone living in the home qualifies under 55 percent HUD poverty guidelines.
“Please be sure you give us everything asked for in the grant application,” Wilson said. “For example, the application tells you to include copies of your recorded deed, your last electric bill, and the proof of income for everyone living at the home. The proof of income can be a recent check stub, federal income tax statement, or Social Security benefits statement.”
To request a grant application, please call the PRIDE office, toll free, at 888-577-4339. Grant applications also are available from local PRIDE Coordinators. In Floyd County, the PRIDE Coordinators are: Ella Clay, 606-886-9193; Mike Vance (City of Prestonsburg), 606-226-2075; Linda Gibson (City of Allen), 606-874-2953; Rita Whicker (City of Martin), 606-285-9335; Kathy Mills (City of Wayland), 606-358-9233; Ruby Preston (City of Wheelright), 606-452-4273.
Grant applications can be printed at www.kypride.org.
New federal regulations require that states clean up their water supplies. It mandates new inspections on all septic systems, water wells and with funding, local waterways. A failed inspection would include a slow drain in your leach field, low septic tank bacteria levels or elevated Nitrate levels in your Water Well or local Water Supplies; could require replacement of your entire system for $10K to $80K or connect to the city sewer system for $5K to $40K. The new inspections are failing 12% of systems each year and 82% of those older than 1977.