Tuscaloosa · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Tuscaloosa public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
SPX Aids to Navigation equipment contract
The airport tower, which currently has no radar, will get ADS-B technology letting controllers track aircraft electronically. Costs are split with the airport's FBO, and federal reimbursement is possible.
2026 Sanitary Sewer Design Manual adoption
A $161,725 contract with Sun Coast Infrastructure for sewer line cleaning plus a water/sewer reserve fund budget amendment keep maintenance moving on core utilities.
Copeland Square Sanitary Sewer Improvements change order
The Copeland Square sewer project wrapped up, but crews hit an unexpected storm pipe conflict that added $36,615 and new junction boxes. Final cost: $796,236.
Nucor Sewer Line cleaning and assessment
Suncoast Infrastructure got the tentative $161,725 contract to clean and assess the Nucor sewer line — routine sanitary sewer maintenance.
Digester rehabilitation schedule extension
The Hilliard N. Fletcher plant rehab got 120 more days at no extra cost so the biological treatment process in two digesters can stabilize before the third digester is rehabilitated.
Water and Sewer Fund budget revision no. 1
A $154,657 budget revision moves funding for a new water and sewer operations position into contingency instead.
Water and Sewer Fund budget revision no. 1
Amendment No. 5 to the fiscal year 2026 water and sewer reserve for future improvements fund was slated for action — this fund pays for utility system upgrades customers ultimately fund through rates.
WRRF check valve installation
A small but critical repair: a new check valve at the raw sewage pump station keeps sewage flowing the right way at the treatment plant.
Lift Station 3 parking lot lighting repair
The parking lot near the Lampigator train trestle lost power service early last month. The city is paying Premier Service Company $12,405.35 to fix it, funded through facility renewal.
Mercedes sewer force main expansion
Phase 3 of the Mercedes Force Main is a $1.75 million sewer capacity project awaiting final state sign-off before construction starts late this year.
Subdivision infrastructure acceptance — Cloverdale at Hackberry and Bryant at 15th
The city was set to take over maintenance of completed streets and infrastructure in Highgrove Phase 4 and the sanitary sewer lines in Tartan Cove Phases 1, 2, and 6 — a routine but lasting commitment of public maintenance.
Academy Drive drainage improvements
One of the drainage 2.0 projects: undersized culverts and pipes flood Stone River Road near Indian Hills Country Club, and Schoel Engineering will design fixes.
Northern Sewer Expansion Project Phase II
The city took over sewer lines for two new subdivisions and is securing appraisals on 29 tracts for the Northern Sewer Expansion Phase II — keeping capacity ahead of growth.
Drainage improvement easements — Eastover and Cypress Point
Several drainage-related items were scheduled: a change order on the waterfall roadway drainage project, an engineering contract for 10th Avenue at 19th Street, and Lincoln Park drainage improvements. Flooding and stormwater concerns in these areas would be addressed if approved.
Coaling Water Authority sewer connection
An agreement spelling out the Coaling Water Authority's use of Tuscaloosa's sewer system. It affects how regional sewer service is shared and paid for.
Water Distribution & Meter Shop Improvements
The city is nearly 70% done converting to smart meters and is creating job classifications so meter staff have career paths — without adding new positions. It's a workforce reorganization, not expansion.
Tartan Cove sanitary sewer acceptance
The city is taking over the sewer system serving a new subdivision off Bobby Miller Parkway. The developer built it at no cost to the city, and inspection found nothing notable.
Water and sewer project fund transfers
Two budget amendments move leftover money from closed water/sewer projects into active ones, including the Taylorville/McFarland booster pump station upgrade.
36th Avenue East drainage improvements
Erosion behind the CarMax on Skyland Boulevard has exposed parts of a sanitary sewer line; the city is moving to buy a storm drainage easement to fix it.
Lake patrol shoreline erosion improvements
The city's water and sewer reserve would shift $30,000 to fix shoreline erosion, funded through the lake patrol budget. It's a maintenance issue tied to protecting the lake shoreline.
Lake Tuscaloosa shoreline erosion at TPD facility
The shoreline at the police department's lake patrol facility has been slowly eroding, tilting the building's asphalt approach toward the water. The city will armor it with riprap before a new storage building goes in, at about $30,000 for materials.
Private Lateral Assistance Program contractor change
The city dropped One Call Service of Alabama as its lateral assistance contractor after it failed to respond to the last request. The program continues this year in piecemeal fashion with about $45,000 left, and a new on-call contract is planned next fiscal year.
Restricting out-of-region septic and grease hauling
Tanker trucks have been hauling septic waste and restaurant grease from as far as Mobile to dump at Tuscaloosa's plant. New rules limit acceptance to haulers from counties touching Tuscaloosa plus Shelby County.
MLK sewer and WRRF improvements
Engineering contracts for MLK Boulevard sewer improvements and wastewater treatment lagoon upgrades were on the agenda — the unglamorous work that keeps sewers functioning.
Woolsey Finnell Bridge water line relocation
Instead of boring a new water main under the Black Warrior River, the line will be installed on the new bridge by the state's contractor — and the state reimburses the city for all of it. Water service in the area won't be interrupted.
Timberlane drainage project
A tentative $98,680.50 contract with Cornerstone Civil Contractors was scheduled to address drainage problems in the Timberlane area.
Drainage improvement projects
Several drainage-related items were scheduled: a change order on the waterfall roadway drainage project, an engineering contract for 10th Avenue at 19th Street, and Lincoln Park drainage improvements. Flooding and stormwater concerns in these areas would be addressed if approved.