Selma is scheduled to get a facelift. We won’t see the results, but they will affect 86 homes, a school and a number of businesses.

The facelift involves almost 1.5 miles of new sewer line in the East Selma area. It also involves a $500,000 grant awarded to the city by Gov. Bob Riley.

And we are glad Alabama’s administration sees the project as being worthwhile.

Elizabeth Driggers, director of Selma’s community development office, said the city has been working on corrections to the sewer line for years and that the almost 1.5 miles of sewer line was the next step in those repairs.

This grant ensures the repairs will occur.

Sometimes we overlook the things we can’t see such as sewers because other things command our attention. Conflict in government or a police story may involve more excitement, emotion and interest than Selma getting a portion of its sewer system reworked.

But that doesn’t make it any less important.

Our state government has recognized Selma has a need and it has met that need with $500,000. Selma will provide $50,000 in matching funds to the project.

According to the governor’s office, our city was one of 13 in Alabama to receive a grant under the large city category. The competitive program is designed to assist communities with basic infrastructure needs.

Our sewers crowd the top of the need list and we thank both our city government and Alabama’s government for working toward improving it.

Driggers said the process leading up to construction takes as long as the construction itself. She estimated that repairs will take 18 months.

We understand that the gears turn slowly. &uot;I’s&uot; must be dotted; &uot;T’s&uot; must be crossed. But the process has begun, and that’s something every Selmian can be happy about.