WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Lycoming County is getting some help from the federal government to protect itself from flooding.
A $5.6 million federal grant will help repair a major levee system in central Pennsylvania.
A part of the Greater Williamsport Levee that runs along Lycoming Creek will soon be getting some much-needed repairs thanks to the federal government.
The Lycoming County Commissioners said the county received the federal grant that will replace and improve several drainage pipes in the levee.
This news was happily received in the city.
"It's very important, my mother went through the flood of '36, she went through the flood of '46, we did '72," said Georgea Thomas. "My husband's family lives in Muncy. We had all the way up into the first floor."
"It makes me very happy. They're going to help, grateful," said Tammy Welch.
"If you go farther to the creek road, it's flooded out there back in what, '96? I think," said Chuck Ulmar.
The county says the levee needs those repairs in order to be recertified.
Without it, those living along it could be subject to higher flood insurance rates.
"You can't pay a $100,000 in flood insurance," said Thomas. "Flood insurance! Have you checked the prices of flood insurance?"
According to county officials, the Greater Williamsport Levee was built by the Army Corp of Engineers back in the 1950s.
It's the second-largest flood control system of its kind in Pennsylvania.
According to the Army Corp of Engineers, the levee protects $4 billion of economic assets and thousands of jobs in north-central Pennsylvania.
"That's a beautiful thing because without businesses, we don't have jobs," said Louis Cruz.
The county says this is step one in a two-phase process to improve the levee, bring it up to code and acquire FEMA's continued certification.
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