The Peachtree City Water and

Sewer Authority will likely adopt its 2000-2001 budget at its meeting

Monday night.

The proposed WASA budget represents a 3.8 percent raise from the current

year's budget, remarked WASA General Manager Larry Turner. It calls for

operating funds totalling $2.6 million with another $700,000 earmarked

for new capital improvement projects.

The meeting, which was rescheduled from Labor Day, will be at 6:30 downstairs

in the Peachtree City Library, because Peachtree City's Planning Commission

will be using council chambers at the same time.

The replacement of the Wynnmeade area trunk sewer is the costliest capital

improvement item at over $400,000. An additional $1.75 million is budgeted

for capital improvements that haven't been made yet, though the money

has been budgeted for them.

WASA's proposed budget includes $60,000 to help battle tree roots that

typically invade older sewer lines, Turner said. The money will pay for

a chemical designed to help stem the problem, which has been cropping

up in the sewer system around Lake Peachtree.

Another priority for WASA this year is to continue to monitor the effectiveness

of odor control programs where there have been ongoing problems, Turner

said.

WASA also will likely increase its water quality monitoring efforts, Turner

added.

That includes testing water coming into Peachtree City as well as testing

the water that leaves Peachtree City headed elsewhere, he said.

Now that the City Council has made its decision on the West Village property,

WASA can proceed with its plans to expand the system, Turner added. The

numbers on projected growth are due from Peachtree City, and once those

are in hand Turner hopes to have an expansion proposal prepared for the

authority by its October meeting.