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MURFREESBORO – After moving forward with an effort to seek an Asset Inventory and Assessment (AIA) grant last September, the Murfreesboro Town Council approved a resolution at their meeting on May 11 to receive the grant funds.

The $150,000 AIA grant will be used to conduct an assessment on the town’s water system, which includes mapping the water lines and identifying any problems with the system.

The grant is distributed by the NC Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Water Infrastructure.

Council member Jay Revelle motioned to approve the resolution, and council member James Futrell seconded. The vote was unanimously in favor.

The town previously received an AIA grant for the sewer system, and received the results of the sewer line assessment at a meeting last October. Much of the 11,400 feet of pipe surveyed was deemed in need of rehabilitation and replacement, particularly due to its age.

With the results of that assessment, the town was able to receive a zero-percent interest loan from NCDEQ to cover some of those rehabilitation costs. Supply chain issues, however, have slowed down progress on the work.

During last Wednesday’s meeting, Revelle explained how beneficial the grant will be to the town, calling it “a big deal.” He also referenced the delays for ongoing projects, acknowledging the frustration and explaining that they’re continuing to look for ways to improve.

“Everybody knows there’s a lot of infrastructure problems in the town, and we’re trying to get them done, but it’s going to take time,” Revelle concluded.