Marion water giveaway

Black Belt Women Rising's Portia Shepherd, right, organized a water giveaway for Marion residents without water amid major line break.

Marion organizations have organized a water giveaway Saturday to help residents without water during the city’s damaged water line issues that started Thursday and continue until repairs are made.

Black Belt Women Rising, along with the Drift Fund, Walmart Demopolis and Tennishna Mills picked up 4,400 bottles and jugs of water at Walmart and are giving them out at Providence Baptist Church in Marion on Highway 14. 

Those needing water can fill out this form: https://forms.gle/trd3BEjd3JSwp66D8

Organizer Portia Shepherd with Black Belt Women Rising asked residents picking up water to also consider elders over 65 who may not have transportation to take them water also.

The donation includes 132 cases of 16 oz bottled water and 52 cases of 1-gallon jugs of water.

Shepherd got delivery help from Emmanuel Jones, Antonius Carter, Evelyn Smith and Hub Wilson.

The City of Marion says it is planning water giveaways when supplies are delivered.

On Saturday, Marion reported it is battling two "critical issues" with the water system that happened at the same time. The first is "significant" damage to one of the primary pumps responsible for moving water from treatment facilities into the distribution system. The second is a major leak in the water distribution system. No timeframe was given for completion of the repairs.

Read more about that here.

Cindy Fisher is Publisher of the Black Belt News Network and Selma Sun. You can reach her by emailing cfisher@blackbeltnewsnetwork.com.

Want to write for the Black Belt News Network? Send a resume or stories to news@blackbeltnewsnetwork.com.

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