Monday night's regular monthly meeting of the Peachtree City Water and Sewerage Authority began with an outdoor object lesson.

WASA general manager Larry Turner showed the authority members a large root system taken out of a local manhole recently to demonstrate the effects of dry weather on sewer systems throughout the area.

An average of one call per day comes in reporting blockages caused by roots, Turner said. When the weather is exceptionally dry, roots search even harder for water, and they will find any and every crack in a sewer line, he added.

A couple of lengths of pipe were also displayed to the authority members, showing how easily and quickly a root system can cause a complete blockage of a sewer line. It is not uncommon for a blockage to take only about six months, Turner said, although the larger example found in the manhole is an exception.

Other sewer systems are reporting that this has been the worst year ever for roots, Turner said.

Back inside City Hall for the remainder of the meeting, Turner gave out copies of a brochure addressing “fat-free sewers.” He said that grease has become a serious problem stopping up systems at times, especially in residential areas.

Ironically, restaurants do not have as much of a problem because they almost always use grease traps, Turner said.

A copy of the brochure will be distributed to every homeowner who is a WASA customer with the January sewer bills.

In other business:

” Turner reported that water consumption was mostly back to normal in October after record usage in September.

” The Watershed Advisory Committee is scheduled to meet Tuesday, Jan. 11, at City Hall.

” Michael Harman, who will become the newest member of the authority in January, was in attendance at Monday's meeting and welcomed aboard. He is replacing Ray Helton, whose term is expiring.

” A study of three pump stations concerning replacement authorization was approved Monday, as was authorization for a septic tank study.

” A capacity analysis authorization for the north area pump station was approved.

” Turner reported that a Georgia EPD proposed consent order has been delayed.

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