While Mother Nature set back a portion of the construction, the Coosa Valley Water Authority is on schedule to start providing water to its customers this fall.

Two weeks ago, the Coosa River was flooded by a heavy rainfall, which caused the water project’s quarry 300 feet from the river to flood as well. The quarry’s water levels had been pumped down to allow the contractor to begin work on the pump station’s foundation that day.

“There was no contractor equipment in the quarry that day, but we’re having to dewater again,” Project Manager Mike Walraven said, noting they expected to mobilize again early this week. “We put clay dams in the backside of the quarry to prevent that from happing again during construction.”

As a whole, the project is progressing slightly ahead of schedule.

The water treatment plant is estimated to be about 75 percent done, while the pump station is at 85 percent completion.

Piping to connect the pump station to the water treatment plant has also been mostly completed, aside from a section of Highway 231 where Chick-Fil-A is in discussions of locating.  Officials say that the fast-food restaurant has run into problems with Ala. Dept. of Transportation during the permitting process regarding drainage plans.

After years of planning, dreaming and hard work by many members of the community, the system is expected to begin providing water to local water services in October, bringing the dream of stable rural water supply into a reality.

“I welcome any complaint or call [regarding the project]. The project is coming to and end, and we want to make sure that we do what’s right,” St. Clair County Commissioner Paul Manning said. “This treatment plant on County Road 144 looks great, and the service rendered from this location will provide safe, adequate water supply for the future in St. Clair County.”