Friday, January 19, 2001
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Friday, January 19, 2001 |
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Water contract with Atlanta approved The Coweta County Commission approved a water contract Tuesday night that could help the county if future water problems occur. The cooperative effort between Coweta County and the city of Atlanta has resulted in the Atlanta City Council approving a resolution to enter into a contract to provide Coweta with approximately 2.8 million gallons of drinking water per day beginning in May or June, according to a news release issued by Coweta County. The contract between Coweta County and Atlanta also calls for up to 15 million gallons of drinking water per day within five years based on improvements to the Atlanta Water System. "It is a milestone day for the water department," commented Water Department head Harry Hughes in the press release. "The next milestone will be when the water lines are connected." The water being purchased from the city of Atlanta will be priced at approximately 90 cents per thousand gallons under an agreed rebate program, which is designed to offer reduced water rates to Coweta County as a means to repay the county for the cost of needed water lines outside the county's borders. After the rebate, the water price is set to be $1.25 per thousand gallons. Newnan Utilities, currently the sole provider of water to the county system, charges $1.45 per thousand gallons. "Coweta County has acted quickly to provide a supplemental supplier of water to serve our residents," Coweta County Commission Chairman Robert Wood said in the press release. "We were given a deadline to provide supplemental water and we have met that deadline, assuring a more adequate water supply for everyone." Coweta County's water system currently uses an average of five million gallons of water per day and peaked at approximately nine million gallons during 2000. To continue the project on a "fast track," the commissioners approved contractors Tuesday night to begin installation of needed water lines. There will be two connections to the Atlanta system, one on the east side and one on the west side of the county. Mid-South Builders of Lithonia was low bidder on the west side connection at $1.8 million. Ronny D. Jones Enterprises Inc. of Newnan was low bidder on the east side connection at $2.5 million. The county is working toward a completion date of May 1. While the contract with the city of Atlanta provides an immediate boost to the county's available water supply, it is by no means the only avenue being worked on by the Board of Commissioners to provide additional water for the county's system, according to the county news release. Also in hand is a contract with the city of Griffin to provide up to 10 million gallons of water per day incrementally beginning in 2004-2005, based on completion of new treatment and storage facilities, the release states. Work also is progressing on a treatment facility at the B.T. Brown Reservoir in northwestern Coweta County that will provide between six and eight million gallons per day. Completion is scheduled for the end of 2003.
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