LEXINGTON, Ky. — Gov. Andy Beshear signed legislation releasing more than $52 million to improve water systems across rural Kentucky, with nearly half the funding earmarked for Martin County, a region long plagued by water infrastructure challenges. The allocation represents a major investment in communities struggling with aging and failing water infrastructure. Martin County, which has long struggled with water issues, will receive $26 million to address eight identified water infrastructure projects, according to the Governor’s office. Martin County has faced chronic water quality and infrastructure problems for years. The county is nearly three hours east of Lexington and is home to around 11,000 people. Despite having one of the lowest per capita incomes in the state, Martin County residents pay some of the highest water bills in Kentucky. Alliance Water Resources, which took over operations of the Martin County Water District, has identified areas where infrastructure problems can be repaired, including broken valves and inadequate pipe sizing. The company noted that aging infrastructure had resulted in water quality issues and significant water loss throughout the system. The funding builds on previous efforts to address the county’s persistent water challenges. In 2022, Gov. Beshear awarded $411,148 to the Martin County Water District through the Cleaner Water Program, a state initiative designed to improve drinking water systems across Kentucky. According to House Bill 900, the broader legislation reflects a comprehensive infrastructure investment strategy, with the state dedicating $45 million annually through 2028 for the Kentucky Water and Wastewater Assistance Program to address critical needs in rural communities statewide. This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from Office of the Governor, enriched with 3 web searches. The original source is available at https://kentucky.gov/Pages/Activity-stream.aspx?n=GovernorBeshearprId=2736. The post Beshear Signs Legislation Releasing $52M for Rural Water Infrastructure appeared first on The Lexington Times. ...read more read less