Robbins has won a $400,000 block development grant from the state Rural Economic Develop-ment Center.

It will require a 10.1 percent local match, according to Town Manager Brant Sikes.

"It is so great, because we could negotiate that low match," Sikes said. "This will mean we can replace half the meters in town, and that will help us with unaccounted water loss."

Studies show 48 percent of town water is lost, some to hidden leaks and some to bad meters. With this money, Robbins can make other badly needed improvements to its water system.

"We will install a pressure reducing valve that will allow our south tank -- that we have so much trouble with -- to be turned over quicker," Sikes said. "The water will taste better. It will also mean much needed repairs to Oak Street, the most repaired line in town. It leaks all the time, basically one big Band-Aid."

Mayor Theron Bell received word of the grant by phone during lunch.

"I was sitting in Jake's and got a phone call from Rep. Joe Boylan that Rural Economic Development Center just announced we had won the grant," Bell said. "I found Brant and said 'I want to tell you some good news -- we actually won the grant!' He was just beaming from ear to ear.

"This is a turning point for this wonderful town. This is a happy day for the town of Robbins. It will help with new water meters, other things. Some pipes here go back to the WPA. We are pretty happy up here in Robbins."