Pluris has now been providing safe drinking water to families in Lauderdale County for over eight years. Tony Cosby, long time Rogersville resident and water expert commented recently,
“It is satisfying that with all the recent national news on the new potential cancer causing chemicals known as PFAs being found in rivers from industrial chemical companies, that Pluris’ water derived from inland wells is free of this concern.”
Pluris has several water wells in Lauderdale County that provide water to over 3,000 homes in this relatively rural area. The company’s managing member and principal engineer, Maurice Gallarda believes that rural areas are often overlooked when it comes to infrastructure needs in water and sewer and has made these areas a focus. In a recent interview, Mr. Gallarda, a professional civil engineer in Alabama recently commented,
“it’s important that rural America is not overlooked when it comes to providing safe drinking water, when there is so much focus on major metropolitan areas in the US. These areas are made up of some of America’s finest people and yet are at times, left behind because the money is directed to higher populated cities on the west and east coasts.”
Pluris’ municipal water wells are located in eastern Lauderdale County and the combined wells can produce over 2 million gallons per day of high quality drinking water. Pictures of the most recent completed source are featured below.
750,000 gallon Water Storage Tank and Treatment Plant
Water Well, Pump House and Emergency Power Generator
Tony Cosby sits on his own Town of Rogersville’s water board and said one of the really great benefits is that unlike other water purveyors, Pluris provides water from subsurface groundwater from deep wells and springs. Water from these sources reduces treatment costs when compared with water being drawn from rivers and having to address new chemicals hazards such as PFAs. In addition, with Pluris’ water sources being close to the customers in east Lauderdale County, disinfectant by-products which occur when using chlorine do not pose the challenges associated with water from sources many miles away from customers. Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) and Haloacetic acids (HAA5s) are formed in water delivery pipelines as chlorine breaks down over long distances. TTHM and HAA5 are regulated by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) and utilities have to test for TTHM and HAA5 as part of their permit to provide drinking water to the public.
Cosby believes Pluris is a great partner to water districts and cities and towns because Pluris will invest in the infrastructure necessary to help get water to the existing pipelines that service customers. In some cases, this requires constructing water distribution pipelines. Ronnie Golden, an Alabama native who owns Golden Construction Company in Muscle Shoals has constructed water and sewer infrastructure for numerous towns and clients for nearly 40 years including all of Pluris’ water projects in Alabama.
Ronnie recently commented,
“As an Alabama General Contractor specializing in utility construction for 37 years it has been a real honor and pleasure for myself and my company to have been involved with all the construction and maintenance from the first Pluris Alabama project in North Alabama nine years ago up until this date.
Pluris Alabama is a company with management that believes in the same values as my company believes in – abiding by strict engineering standards, not cutting any corners and constructing water facilities that are second to none and Pluris produces some of the purist, safest and best tasting water for their customers in North Alabama.
I would encourage any of the rural water systems management or individual customers that are not currently being supplied with water from a Pluris Alabama facility and are located in a Pluris Alabama service area - if you are concerned with the quality of your present water supply or concerned with all the new chemicals being discovered in water coming from rivers and/or struggling to achieve full ADEM compliance with clean water standards - to contact Pluris, to discuss any issues and see if Pluris Alabama would be a good fit for your water supply.” (Ronnie Golden, January 2020).
Cosby believes Pluris is different than typical water companies because Pluris owners and managers are comprised of professional Civil Engineers and construction veterans, not investment bankers. The culture at Pluris is one of serving the people and not just making a profit. Pluris’s water rates in Alabama are lower than rates charged by other providers.
Pluris also believes that longer term agreements help in keeping more stable water rates for customers. Cosby believes Pluris’ leadership understands the needs of smaller communities and he thinks Pluris will continue to invest and build water systems in rural Alabama and customers will benefit in not just rates but also in receiving high quality drinking water from a company that has been a good neighbor.
If readers would like to find out if their water is provided through Pluris or want more information on this article they are encouraged to contact Tony Cosby by email at [email protected] and Ronnie Golden at Golden Construction Company at [email protected].
