Chattooga County residents will have an opportunity next month to learn more about a $1 million water improvement project planned for the Welcome Hill Road area near Trion.

Chattooga County has scheduled a public hearing for Thursday, October 15, concerning the county’s 2026 Community Development Block Grant project. The hearing will focus on the approved activities associated with the Welcome Hill Road water improvements.

As WZQZ News previously reported, Chattooga County was awarded $1 million in CDBG funding for improvements to the water system in the Welcome Hill Road target area.

Welcome Hill is one of the older sections of the Chattooga County water system, making the project part of the county’s continuing effort to replace and improve aging water infrastructure.

According to information released with this year’s CDBG awards, the Welcome Hill project is expected to benefit 118 residents. Of those, 91 residents — just over 77 percent — are classified as low-to-moderate income.

The entire project is estimated to cost approximately $1.344 million. In addition to the $1 million federal grant, approximately $344,000 in matching and leveraged funds will be used for the project.

Community Development Block Grant money originates with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and is administered in Georgia by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs. The competitive program is aimed primarily at helping smaller and rural communities pay for infrastructure, housing and public-facility projects that substantially benefit low- and moderate-income residents.

The Welcome Hill work follows another major CDBG-funded improvement to the county water system.

Chattooga County recently completed its Old Highway 27 Target Area Phase II water project. County records show that project served 131 people and used approximately $912,156 in CDBG funding along with $204,900 in local matching funds.

The upcoming Welcome Hill project will continue that effort to address older sections of the county’s water infrastructure.

The public hearing will be held Thursday, October 15, at the Chattooga County Commissioner’s Office, 10102 Commerce Street in Summerville. The county says the purpose of the hearing is to discuss the approved activities associated with the grant-funded project.

Additional details concerning the scope and timetable for construction are expected as the project moves through the grant and engineering process.