Friday, Apr. 29, 2005 | ||
Bad Links? | Brown to WASA: Dont jump the gun on Senoia sewer deal By JOHN MUNFORD In a recent e-mail to members of Peachtree Citys Water and Sewerage Authority, Mayor Steve Brown expressed disappointment about the commencement of negotiations for a proposed deal for treat up to 500,000 gallons a day of sewage from the city of Senoia. The authority has not yet been presented with the deal, but WASA General Manager Larry Turner plans to do just that Monday night at the boards regular 7 p.m. monthly meeting. Turner said the negotiations have been handled at the staff level up until now. While Brown said in the e-mail that he understands the anxiousness the authority must feel with the loss of its best sewer customer, Photocircuits, he warned them against making a series of impulsive decisions that could have serious long-term consequences for the sake of the immediate recovery of those lost revenues. Photocircuits, which is drastically ramping down its production, is also cutting way back on the amount of sewage it needs treated. The company accounted for about $400,000 a year in revenue for WASA, and the Senoia deal would help keep the system from having to raise sewer rates, Turner said. Turner has said he does not think WASA needs the citys approval for the deal, but Brown said in the e-mail that he strongly disagrees ... and he hopes WASA will work with the city on the issue. The 1997 contract that created WASA to oversee the newly-purchased sewer system states that WASA shall not extend the system or enter into any contract or commitment to extend the system outside the corporate limits of the city, unless such extension, contract or commitment is approved by resolution of the Council of Peachtree City. City Attorney Ted Meeker said council has the right to approve or disapprove the proposed Senoia sewer deal according to the contract. Peachtree City residents pay $4.39 for every 1,000 gallons of wastewater. Although Senoia would be charged $3.50 for every 1,000 gallons, WASA would not build, own or otherwise be responsible for the piping, lift station and other infrastructure for Senoias part of the project, Turner said. In addition to providing that infrastructure, Senoia would also pay WASA $3 million plus interest ... including a $500,000 payment upon execution of the contract. In his e-mail to WASA officials, Brown complimented the WASA board for providing quality service with financial accountability. He also noted that the council recently assisted the authority with its recent bond refinancing. I can assure you that our City Council is prepared to stand by you and assist you with drafting whatever appropriate measures are needed to sustain our sewer operations until service demands can be recaptured, Brown wrote. Even if the 500,000 gallons of sewage treatment capacity is sold to Senoia, there would still be an extra 570,000 gallons a day capacity for Peachtree City even after future industrial, commercial and residential build out, Turner said. WASA currently treats an average of 3.89 million gallons a day, Turner said. It has permits to treat up to 6 million gallons of sewage a day, most of which is pumped into Line Creek with the remainder discharged into Flat Creek.
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