Friday, June 22, 2001
Friday, June 22, 2001 |
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WASA wants to know: Is stormwater program a go? By JOHN
MUNFORD
The Peachtree City Water and Sewer Authority is getting anxious to find out if the City Council wants it to take over the city's stormwater program. A new set of federal regulations taking effect in 2003 will require cities to pay more attention to its stormwater collection system. Council has formally asked WASA to take over the stormwater management program since much of WASA's current equipment could do the job. However, council hasn't taken any formal action on the matter yet. And for WASA, the clock is ticking since the current design of its new administration building does not include extra space for the stormwater management program. At its retreat Saturday morning, several WASA members expressed concern about not knowing the city's official intentions by now. It was determined that WASA Chairman John Gronner would author a letter to Mayor Bob Lenox explaining the situation. In the letter, Gronner said the authority was under the impression that the decision about the stormwater management program would have been made by now. "Our concern is that we are proceeding forward with the construction of a new administration/maintenance complex which will include new laboratory facilities," Gronner wrote. "If it is concluded that the authority is best suited to manage the stormwater program, we need to modify the design of our facilities." WASA General Manager Larry Turner said the city would also need to change WASA's enabling legislation to indicate that it could take over the stormwater management for the city. The new regulations call for the development of a stormwater management plan through an evaluation of the current stormwater system. If it takes over stormwater management in the city, WASA plans to hire a stormwater manager to guide the program. "For this to be implemented by 2003, we need to get running," Turner said. It is likely Peachtree City homeowners will pay a small monthly utility bill to fund the stormwater management program.
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