Within the next 20 years, Coweta's residents will be a thirsty lot.

Water director Harry Hughes delivered a report to the county commissioners Tuesday night that shows the county will need 30 million gallons of water a day.

This past Sunday, residents used 11 million gallons, which was a record. But that's only a drop in the bucket compared to their future needs.

Hughes and the engineering firm of Stevenson Palmer outlined a plan to meet the county's future needs. Included in the plan is the county's new B.T. Brown reservoir, which will supply four million gallons a day.

Other water sources include:

” One million gallons a day obtained from Fayette County. The county hopes to finalize an agreement soon that will enable it to tap on to a Fayette County line on Ga. Highway 74.

” Pumping nearly five to 10 million gallons of water from Griffin and Spalding County when their new pump station is up and running in 2004.

” Building a one-million-gallon storage tank across from the familiar golf ball water tank at Canongate on Interstate 85.

” Building another storage tank at Ga. Highway 154 and Interstate 85. This would be the county's biggest tank and contain 1.5 million gallons of water.

The county also plans to try groundwater recharging on 300 acres it owns near the proposed reservoir and also extend contracts with Newnan Utilities to keep the water pumping.

Commission Chairman Vernon “Mutt” Hunter was generally complimentary of the report, but said the commissioners have known this day was coming and have told the water system to prepare for a massive expansion of the system.

The commission unanimously approved county attorney Mitch Powell examining engineering contracts for the proposals and making a recommendation back to the commission. 

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