WEKU | By Stan Ingold

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Gov. Andy Beshear Youtube Governor Andy Beshear announcing money for Pike County water projects

A State funded program will provide more people in eastern Kentucky better access to clean drinking water. $3.5 million dollars from the Cleaner Water Program will go to communities in Pike County to help with the area’s water infrastructure.

Governor Andy Beshear made the announcement during a press conference Tuesday at the Pikeville YMCA. He said this money comes from a program to improve the lives of Kentuckians.

“This comes through the Better Kentucky Plan, which was a bipartisan agreement between the executive and the legislative branch. It helps ensure that more of our families have access to clean drinking water and that is a basic human right.”

Governor Beshear said this program makes access easier for those in eastern Kentucky.

“After a year and half of seeing this plan in action, after visiting families that have never been able to turn the tap on before and know they will have that steady stream of water, it changes lives, it changes communities.”

Nearly two million dollars of that money will be used to replace leak-prone waterlines in various locations in the Mountain Water District. Over $300-thousand dollars of that will go toward constructing a new water main to support water service to 350 homes. Around $400-thousand dollars will be used for water projects around Elkhorn City in Pike County.

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