Moody Air Force Base and Lowndes County recently earned an $861K grant through a Defense Community Infrastructure Pilot Program (DCIP) that will contribute to Moody Air Force Base water resilience.

The DCIP is a competitive program for communities to undertake infrastructure enhancements to reinforce community and military connections, enhance military value, installation resilience, and military family quality of life.

"Moody plays a crucial role in protecting our nation's security and freedoms,” said Bill Slaughter, chairman of the Lowndes County Board of Commissioners. “It is extremely important that Lowndes County support Moody Air Force Base in every way possible, including ensuring a safe and reliable water supply. By connecting the base to Lowndes County's public drinking water system, we can provide a redundant water supply and expand capacity to meet the needs of both the base and the surrounding community."

This grant represents one of 17 grants awarded throughout the DoD and is the first local government in Georgia to receive funding through the DCIP. The grant will help Lowndes County Board of Commissioners undertake a project in support of Moody and its connection to the County's public drinking water system, providing a more reliable water supply and expanding adequate water capacity to support modern firefighting systems implemented by the Air Force.

"We're honored to be one of the seventeen recipients of the Defense Community Infrastructure Pilot Program grants – the only one in the state of Georgia,” said Col. Paul Sheets, 23rd Wing commander.  “The project to connect the Lowndes County and Moody water systems is just another way our community partners demonstrate their support to the Airmen and families of Team Moody.”

The $861,025 grant awarded through the DCIP program is a testament to the program's commitment to fortifying military installations and their local communities.

“This layer of water sustainability and resiliency is vital to our readiness in case of a base water emergency, and it is a testament of Lowndes County's support of national defense,” Sheed said. “Our partnership is second to none.”

These awards derive from Fiscal Year 2023 appropriated funding and leverage an additional $39.8 million in non-federal and other federal funding for a total investment of $139.5 million. Groundbreaking on these projects may commence once all environmental requirements have been met.  

This project exemplifies how coordinated efforts between military installations and neighboring communities can result in substantial infrastructure improvements benefiting both installations and communities who are always there to support the mission.