By Marla Jones, Managing Editor • marla@southerntorch.com

RAINSVILLE, Ala. — Recent rains have caused a sewer manhole in Rainsville to overflow.

The manhole, which is located just off George Wallace Drive flows into Piney Creek, covers a sanitary sewer, which is an underground pipe or tunnel system for transporting sewage from residential and commercial properties to treatment facilities or disposal.

Brad Willingham, the current Chief Operator of the Rainsville Wastewater Treatment Plant, stated that fixing sanitary sewer overflows were a top priority for his department.

“We’ve had large amount of rain in the last few days and due to the age in our system and dilapidation over the years and just things that needed to be done not getting done, we have a huge problem with inflow and infiltration which causes an SSO in an event like this,” stated Willingham.

Willingham took over as the Rainsville Wastewater Treatment Plant's Chief Operating Officer in December 2020 after the previous director, Allen Maurice Stiefel, was arrested for operating an illegal winery at the facility. Stiefel was charged with unlawful possession of an illegally manufactured alcoholic beverage and use of official position for personal gain.