By DAVE HAMRICK
dhamrick@thecitizennews.com

It will be more than a year before 2.5 million gallons of water will fill a planned new Fayette County tank at the intersection of Ga. Highway 92 and Lee's Mill Road.

The bidding process will take about three months, after which construction will take about a year, said county water director Tony Parrott. The county has budgeted $2 million for the project.

County commissioners last week decided to go forward with plans for the new water tower next to a half-million-gallon tank that's already there, and will remove the old one once the new one is built and they're satisfied that it will work properly.

Plans for the tank ignited a fire storm of controversy in 1998. David Williams, whose house is next to the current water tank, argued that the land involved in plans for a planned two-million-gallon tank next to it belonged to him, not the county. About 200 neighbors joined Williams in protesting the idea of two tanks at one location, saying it would give the area the appearance of an industrial park.

The courts settled the land ownership question in favor of the county, but commissioners put the tank on a back burner and studied alternative locations in the face of still-fierce neighborhood opposition.

Following a study of alternative locations, engineering consultants advised the county that the Lee's Mill location is simply the right location to fill the county's needs for water pressure to serve the growing northern part of the county.

Commissioners last week decided to build a larger tank so the old one can be removed.

“I think the board has shown a little bit of concern for the people in that area,” said Commissioner Greg Dunn. “This is the best positon to put a water tank in that area, period,” he added.

Water officials say the tank is needed to provide enough water pressure and to store treated water to serve the area, and to serve needs in the city of Fayetteville in case the city's supply falls short of demand.