Current Water Main Projects
August 2008
Operating Funds are being used to buy materials to extend water lines to roads that currently do not have water service. When public funds are used to bring water to an existing county road, property owners may connect to the system by purchasing a tap for just $350 during the construction period. Projects are ranked by the number of existing homes which can be served per mile.
Our crews are currently installing lines on Kinard Mill Road, Ridgeway Road, Towaliga Church Road, and Evans Road. Fox Drive (the unserved portion) has been approved for funding.
We are also replacing substandard water mains in the Pineview area. These mains were once part of a private system and were given to the Authority by the City of Jackson.
Construction is underway for a Twenty-inch Water Transmission Main which will run from Georgia Highway 36 West to Georgia Highway 16 West. This line, along with additional pumping capacity at the Hwy. 36 Booster Station, will help keep water supplied to western Butts County where significant growth is projected. Funding for this $1.3 million dollar project was recently approved by the Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority. This loan will be paid back with 2007-12 SPLOST funds and Water Capital Recovery Fees.
Check our current water line priority list for the status of existing county roads without water service. If you would like to submit a petition to update the need for water on your road we will be happy to accept it. Download the petition form by clicking here. Call Marcie Seleb, general manager, at (770) 775-0042 for more information.
Plant Projects
Construction on the expansion of the Bucksnort Ranch Wastewater Facility is complete. The new fields are now in operation with an additional 250,000 gallons per day capacity. Another 250,000 gallons can be added in the future by installation of piping on 5 future spray fields. Funding for this $3.3 million dollar project was provided by a loan from the Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority. This loan will be paid back with 2007-12 SPLOST funds and Sewer Capital Recovery Fees.
The Buck Stewart Water Plant on the Towaliga River has been back online since April 2007. This 1.0 MGD plant is owned by the City of Jackson and operated by the Authority. This plant gives us the added security of a second source of supply and can provide water directly to our largest water users located along Interstate 75.
The Authority will be expanding the Ocmulgee Water Treatment Plant from 4.0 MGD capacity to 10 MGD capacity within the next several years. This expansion is to be phased to keep ahead of customer demand.
Watershed Assessment Continues
August 2008
In 2007, the Authority completed a Watershed Assessment Program and Plan for the Towaliga River basin in Butts County. Water analysis from seven different streams showed that the area is experiencing little impact from pollution activity, especially within the service area. The plan is being implemented with long-term monitoring within streams conducted quarterly.
The Towaliga basin is particularly significant it is bisected by the Interstate 75 corridor and includes both the G.L. Stewart Water Treatment Plant and the Bucksnort Ranch Land Application System.
Awards
April 2008
Awards Presented to Plants The Ocmulgee River Water Treatment Plant and the Bucksnort Ranch Land Application System both were presented with platinum awards from the Georgia Association of Water Professionals (GAWP) for complete compliance with all State and Federal regulations in calendar year 2007. This is the eighth consecutive year that the Authority has won these awards, moving us to the "Triple Platinum" category. Also, Jackson's "Buck Stewart" Water Treatment Plant was honored with a Gold Award for complete compliance in 2007; this is the first year the Stewart plant has been operated since 1998. We applaud plant operators and all staff who have contributed to this consistency in excellence.
