By JOHN THOMPSON
Coweta Editor

By Oct. 1, the city of Senoia should know if it's going to get back into the water production business.

Since the city's primary water supply, Hutchinson's Lake, was destroyed in the floods of 1994, the city has been grappling with the idea of restarting the dormant water plant.

The city has been purchasing water from the county and is getting pressure from the Environmental Protection Division to decide the fate of the water plant.

At Tuesday's water committee meeting, Public Works Director Leonard Thompson said he should receive a report Sept. 16 from Turnipseed Engineering on the cost of starting up the water plant.

Since 1994, the EPD and EPA have enacted more stringent standards governing municipal water systems and the city would have to abide by the new standards. If the city doesn't want to get back in the water business, Thompson said he's hopeful the city can renegotiate with Coweta County to receive a better deal on water purchases.

The city is one of the fastest growing municipalities in the county. City leaders have pointed out that having a sufficient supply of water is key to controlling and monitoring the growth in the city.

At a water committee meeting earlier this year, County Commissioner Vernon "Mutt" Hunter told city officials that Fayette County was proceeding with efforts to build Lake McIntosh on the Fayette-Coweta border, and he would push for the county to strike a deal with Fayette to provide water to the fast-growing eastern side of Coweta.

Hunter is also in negotiations with Spalding County to provide water to the area immediately south and east of Senoia that is growing rapidly and needs water.

Thompson told the water committee members Tuesday that he would forward a copy of Turnipseed Engineering's study to them as soon as he received it. He suggested the committee meet on Sept. 17 to discuss the report so the committee could report back to the city council as soon as possible.

Committee member Ed Roberts said the committee needed to study the report thoroughly to plan for the city's future.

"We've really got to look at the big picture," he said.