Planning for Growth: Crittenden-Livingston County Water District’s Next Generation of Water Treatment
For decades, Hussey Gay Bell has partnered with the Crittenden–Livingston County Water District (CLWD) in Salem, Kentucky, helping the District expand and modernize its water system as demand and infrastructure needs evolve.
The relationship began through Stigall Engineering and continued following its acquisition by Hussey Gay Bell. Today, Hussey Gay Bell serves as prime engineer for CLWD’s latest expansion, working alongside Gresham Smith and led by the firm’s Nashville office.
Building on Decades of Investment
CLWD’s current system reflects decades of strategic improvements, many funded through USDA Rural Development programs. Previous projects expanded the existing treatment facility, extended distribution piping, added an elevated storage tank and clearwell, and upgraded standby power systems.
Together, these improvements strengthened the District’s capacity, reliability, and resiliency. As demand continued to grow, however, CLWD needed a long-term solution for expanding its treatment capacity.
A New Plant for a Growing Community
Hussey Gay Bell was initially commissioned to design an expansion of the existing treatment facility. After evaluating projected demand, operational needs, existing infrastructure, and the cost of continued improvements, the team determined that a new plant would provide greater long-term value.
The new 4 million gallons per day (MGD) water treatment plant will be constructed on greenfield space just north of the existing facility. The location allows CLWD to leverage existing infrastructure, including clearwells and solids-handling ponds, while adding modern treatment technology and capacity for future growth.
The scale of the investment reflects the District’s changing needs. Earlier phases totaled approximately $6.7 million, while the current expansion is estimated at approximately $45 million, reflecting increased capacity and increasingly complex treatment and regulatory requirements.
Preparing for PFAS
The new facility will also incorporate treatment for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly known as “forever chemicals.”
Hussey Gay Bell’s Nashville-based team will design a Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) adsorption system to remove PFAS from the water supply. GAC is an established municipal treatment technology in which water passes through activated carbon media that adsorbs PFAS compounds. The system can also reduce certain disinfection byproduct precursors and trace metals.
Hussey Gay Bell assisted CLWD in securing grant funding that will fully fund the PFAS treatment component, helping the District address emerging water quality requirements while managing the financial impact on the community.
A Partnership Built for the Future
The CLWD expansion demonstrates the value of a long-term engineering partnership. Hussey Gay Bell’s decades of experience with the District provide an understanding of its infrastructure, operations, and priorities that helps inform decisions about future capacity, funding, and resiliency.
The project also reflects the growing role of Hussey Gay Bell’s Nashville office across Kentucky and the broader Mid-South, bringing multidisciplinary water infrastructure expertise to the communities we serve.
For Hussey Gay Bell, Shaping the Region means more than designing infrastructure. It means helping communities plan for growth, navigate evolving requirements, and make investments that serve future generations.
For CLWD, that means building on decades of progress with a new treatment facility designed to expand capacity, address emerging water quality challenges, and strengthen Salem’s water system for years to come.
