Commissioner Charlie Jones took the offensive Tuesday morning at the Coweta County Commission meeting and asked the commission to take another look at privately owned water systems.

Jones once again brought up the plight of the residents in the Pointe Comfort subdivision who are continuing to have problems with their water supply. Back in May, Pointe Comfort residents made it clear to the Coweta County Board of Commissioners that they want their water woes solved.

The commissioners first heard about the problem late last spring when Commissioner Charlie Jones said he had been inundated with calls about the quality and cost of the water in the Newnan subdivision.

Harold Jewel, who developed the subdivision, supplies the 57 residents with water through a private firm, Rappahannock Water Company.

Earlier this year, residents were told to either boil their water or buy water, because there was a danger of E-coli contamination.

At the beginning of May, residents received a letter from Jewel that said he would now be purchasing water from the county to supply to the subdivision. The residents would face an increase in their water bills and also would have to pay a $450 tap-on fee for the county water.

Commission Chairman Lawrence Nelms told the residents that the county had not committed to providing the residents with water, but was currently considering different options to help the residents with their water problems.

Eric Lambert, who lives at 55 Brook Place, said the residents did not have a problem with the county supplying the water at an increased cost, but said the residents did have one problem with any potential solution.

“We're adamant about not having [Jewel] as a middle man,” he said.

Other residents said they had received nothing but misinformation about their water system, while others voiced their concern about possible problems in Jewel's water system.

“I'm concerned about the health considerations for me and my family,” said resident Elaine Davis.

County administrator Theron Gay said he had talked earlier in the year with Jewel about buying water from the county.

Gay told Jewel it would cost him approximately $20,000 to hook up to the county, but never heard back from the developer, he said.

During Tuesday's meeting, Jones said the county may eventually have to condemn the water system and provide water to the residents.

Outside of condemnation, there's not a whole lot the county can do, Jones said.

“We really do have our hands tied with these private systems,” he said.

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