The Peachtree

City Water and Sewer Authority is getting anxious to find out if the City

Council wants it to take over the city's stormwater program.

A new set of

federal regulations taking effect in 2003 will require cities to pay more

attention to its stormwater collection system. Council has formally asked

WASA to take over the stormwater management program since much of WASA's

current equipment could do the job.

However, council

hasn't taken any formal action on the matter yet. And for WASA, the clock

is ticking since the current design of its new administration building

does not include extra space for the stormwater management program.

At its retreat

Saturday morning, several WASA members expressed concern about not knowing

the city's official intentions by now. It was determined that WASA Chairman

John Gronner would author a letter to Mayor Bob Lenox explaining the situation.

In the letter,

Gronner said the authority was under the impression that the decision

about the stormwater management program would have been made by now.

"Our concern

is that we are proceeding forward with the construction of a new administration/maintenance

complex which will include new laboratory facilities," Gronner wrote.

"If it is concluded that the authority is best suited to manage the

stormwater program, we need to modify the design of our facilities."

WASA General

Manager Larry Turner said the city would also need to change WASA's enabling

legislation to indicate that it could take over the stormwater management

for the city.

The new regulations

call for the development of a stormwater management plan through an evaluation

of the current stormwater system. If it takes over stormwater management

in the city, WASA plans to hire a stormwater manager to guide the program.

"For this

to be implemented by 2003, we need to get running," Turner said.

It is likely

Peachtree City homeowners will pay a small monthly utility bill to fund

the stormwater management program.

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