Friday, March 23, 2001
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Friday, March 23, 2001 |
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New water source will be ready in 2003 By JOHN
THOMPSON
Coweta County's newest water source will be up and running by 2003. County Water System director Harry Hughes told the Coweta County Commission Tuesday that the B.T. Brown Reservoir is on track to open in the northern part of the county in two years. Officials are still working with the state Environmental Protection Division to get all the necessary permits, but Hughes does not anticipate any delays. Later this year, the design portion of the $11 million project will be completed and grading will start, he added. In order to get a withdrawal permit, one of the criteria is working together with other jurisdictions on water sources. Since the county is already purchasing water from the city of Newnan, and has deals with Griffin and Atlanta, the permit should be granted later this year, Hughes said. "All data also indicates the water is treatable," Hughes said. The county has come under fire in recent months by residents who feel the county has not had an adequate water resource plan in place to deal with the area's explosive growth. The issue exploded last summer when tensions surfaced between the county and Newnan Utilities. Commissioner Jim McGuffey took exception to statements by Newnan Utilities director Dennis McEntire about the county's reluctance to work together on joint water projects. McGuffey said the county explored the option of drawing water from West Point Lake in 1997 as a way to increase the county's water capacity to 20 million gallons a day. When Newnan Utilities didn't pursue the efforts, the county started seeking additional water resources from Spalding and Fayette counties, he added. "The only progress on obtaining additional water has been through the efforts of the Coweta County Commission," McGuffey said. With water becoming a more precious resource, governments are scrambling to find additional sources. Officials say the new reservoir, coupled with water from Atlanta, will serve the county's growth.
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