The Drought
March 2009
Butts County remains on a Level 2 Drought Declaration. This allows outdoor watering on an even/odd schedule. We are very fortunate in Butts County to have the Ocmulgee River as our main source of drinking water. Through much of 2007 and 2008, the flow on the river was only about one-fourth of average and below the level considered safe for aquatic plants and animals. Even at that low flow, the mighty Ocmulgee was still flowing with about 200 times the average daily local use. Thus far in 2009, river flow is much closer to the historic average.
See the Conservation tab on this site for more information.
We're always Looking for Water Projects
The Authority wants to hear from you if your road needs county water! We maintain a priority list for water main extensions, and ask citizens to keep us updated through petitions if the need for service has increased on their roads. We are looking for county roads where there will be active water customers at a density of at least ten services per mile.
The greatest thing about new water extensions on existing county roads is that you can sign up for water during the construction period with no capital recovery fee. For a standard customer, that means you can tie onto water for only $350, not $1425! Click here for the petition form.
Current Line Projects
March 2009
Operating Reserve Funds are being used to buy materials to continue water line extensions 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.
Construction has been approved for Hamm Road (unserved portion), Higgins Road (from Hwy. 16 to railroad near Flovilla), and West Ball Road (from Buttrill Road to West Butts Transmission Line).
Construction is near completion for a Twenty-inch West Butts Transmission Line which runs from Georgia Highway 36 West to High Falls Road near Georgia Highway 16 West. The contractor for this project is currently repairing leaks and doing right of way clean up. 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 provided 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.
Plans are being engineered to run gravity sewer to the Butts County Industrial Development Authority's expansion property near High Falls.
Plant Projects
Construction on the expansion of the Bucksnort Ranch Wastewater Facility is complete. The new fields are now in operation, giving us 550,000 gallons per day treatment capacity. We are hoping to use Federal stimulus money to put in six addtion spray fields that will add another 250,000 gallons per day capacity.
The Authority will be expanding the Ocmulgee Water Treatment Plant from 4 MGD capacity to 10 MGD capacity as needed. This expansion is to be phased to keep ahead of customer demand.
Watershed Assessment Continues
March 2009
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 2009
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 2008. This is the ninth consecutive year that the Authority has won these awards. Also, Jackson's "Buck Stewart" Water Treatment Plant was honored with its second Gold Award for complete compliance in 2008; this is the second year the Stewart plant has been operated since 1998. We applaud plant operators and all staff who have contributed to this consistency in excellence.
Master Plan
The Authority recently adopted its fifty-year plan for Water and Sewer. The planning document is the culmination of three years of work in analysis of projected growth and the options to meet water and wastewater needs. Click here to see the plan's executive summary. Contact the Authority at (770) 775-0042 if you'd like a copy of the entire plan.
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