On the night of January 6, 2025, Lyon County Judge-Executive Jaime Smith got a text message and ensuing video from her emergency manager — identifying what ended up being catastrophic failures at the Eddyville Sewer Treatment Plant.
Fast-forward to Thursday morning, where local, regional and national authorities gathered in the Lyon County Judicial Center in order to welcome 1st District Congressman James Comer — who brought with him official announcement of a $1 million federal appropriation that will help jump-start the construction of a new $20 million wastewater treatment plant.
One capable of serving Lyon County, the City of Eddyville and extended economic development in the region.
Comer urged that it took all hands on deck — Smith, Eddyville Mayor Greg Greene, the Pennyrile Area Development District, the Kentucky Infrastructure Authority, and others — to bring this project need into focus, and to make it a top priority, and that it isn’t too often Congress and the House of Representatives agree on expenditures.
Smith called it a milestone moment for the community, with the last year spent trying to triage an incident and accident that led to more than 800,000 gallons of partially-treated sewage into the nearby environment, and the growing need for a true long-term solution.
Meanwhile, as Eddyville Riverport’s executive director, Amanda Davenport had to serve as one of the many pairs of eyes and ears necessary to bring this all into perspective.
Having $1 million on hand in a small community, much less $20 million for a full-on disaster, is a difficult thing, and she called the financial lift necessary for continued growth — especially after witnessing previous infrastructure failures in west Kentucky over the last five years.
Davenport also noted that it can be easy to forget just how small of a community Lyon County is, and that federal assistance in this rare near-disaster was needed.
Greene, meanwhile, confirmed that a 20-year plant should have had a little longer shelf life, and that last year’s events came as “a surprise to all.”
Smith said officials are currently applying for community development block grants, further Delta Regional Authority supports, and that further federal advocacy will come when she visits Washington, D.C., this March.
