GRANT, Ala. – The fight for safe drinking water is an uphill battle on Bishop Mountain in Marshall County.
"This is a letter from the health department," Wayne Whitaker shows WZDX News.
For the nearly two dozen families who live there, it was a shock confirming things had to change.
They’re some of the last in the county without access to a public water system and it’s costing them to drill wells.
Neighboring mountains have been developed and gotten city water.
"Yes, if it’ll help us get safe public drinking water," said Wayne Whitaker.
A developer sent a letter to the county commission in support of getting city water and the health department’s environmental supervisor recommended it to North Marshall Utilities, according to documents shown to WZDX News.
"The way it’s explained to me from Congressman Aderholt’s office is there’s grants available for water utilities that serve less than 10,000 customers," said Wayne Whitaker.
The neighbors say they’re also concerned about fires on the mountain.
They say fire departments have to haul water up since there isn’t public water there to put it out.