Sunday, May 5, 2002
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Sunday, May 5, 2002 |
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Fayette's septage will likely be treated through Peachtree City sewer system
By JOHN
MUNFORD
Though the final agreement hasn't been inked yet, the Peachtree City Water and Sewerage Authority plans to help the Fayette County Commission out of a bind by agreeing to treat the county's septage. Attorneys for both entities are putting the finishing touches on a contract for the service, which has the county paying an estimated $150,000 to install special septage-treating facilities at WASA's Rockaway treatment plant. Septage is the residue waste pumped out of septic tanks. Currently, Fayette's septage is taken to Clayton County for treatment, but Clayton officials have said they don't wish to do so in the future, WASA General Manager Larry Turner told the authority at its meeting Tuesday night. Another option is for haulers to take it to Meriwether County for disposal, but that is costly to septic haulers, Turner said. And sometimes, septage is dumped into WASA's sewer system illegally by waste haulers, Turner said. Fayette County does not have its own sewer system, creating the need to partner with an entity that does. Under the agreement, WASA would only accept septage from Fayette County ... not from other counties, Turner added. Plans call for WASA to charge septic waste haulers for the service and tack on an additional $25 fee which will be paid to the county to offset the cost of the structure. Such fees per load in the metro Atlanta area range from $120 to $200, Turner said. The service won't actually begin for about two years once the sewer system expansion project is complete, noted Turner. Although WASA member Steve Bradley had some concerns about the billing system, he was reminded that the Fayette County Water System performs WASA's billing. And Turner added that there would only be about five or six companies WASA would be billing for the service. "This puts no burden on the authority or any of its employees," Turner said. "But the good will it creates is priceless." The authority tabled the matter until its next meeting so it may review a finalized version of the contract.
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