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.

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