Money from the U.S. government’s post-coronavirus pandemic recovery bills is being used throughout Alabama to make much-needed infrastructure improvements, but some Baldwin County officials say their growing water and sewer infrastructure needs are being ignored.

Last month, several Alabama state senators expressed concern that the Alabama Department of Environmental Management—tasked with distributing about $225 million in funding from the American Rescue Plan Act for water and sewer projects—was going to be unable to get the money distributed and spent by 2026, the deadline set by the federal government.

Now, some officials in Baldwin County have expressed concern about losing out on ADEM’s ARPA distribution —which they say is much-needed in in their fast-growing community.

“We continue to have significant growth, we continue to have need based on that growth, we continue to have routine sewage overflows, despite improvements the sewer utilities made,” said state Sen. Chris Elliott, who represents south Baldwin County.

Last year, municipal governments, utilities and the Baldwin County government sent in grant applications for over 30 drinking water and wastewater projects that would be eligible for ARPA funding, totaling over $145 million, according to the ADEM website.