Security experts

are looking at Fayette County's water system to make sure the county's

water supply is as safe from sabotage as possible.

"They'll

look at the camera package to monitor the plants internally and externally

and look into things like guards, lighting, et cetera, and get the whole

thing together," said Jim Mallett, the county's engineering consultant.

Mallett said

the firm of Brewer and Scala, the same company that is consulting on security

for the new Fayette County Jail, under construction in Fayetteville, will

conduct the study.

The study is

in response to concerns raised by the county Water Committee last month.

One item under consideration, erecting a 10-foot fence around the new

South Fayette Water Plant, will be postponed while the consultants look

at the all the security concerns at once, Mallett said.

Committee members

had questioned whether the fence, costing an estimated $110,000, is truly

needed, since muc of the plant property is surrounded by swamp. Also,

officials said, pollution of the water supply by attacking the raw water

going into the plant would be fruitless, because the treatment process

would take care of that.

"I don't

see anybody carrying a 55-gallon drum back through the woods and dropping

it in our lagoon," said committee Chairman Chuck Watkins.

And the supply

of finished water at the plant is underground and inaccessible, said system

director Tony Parrott.

Mallett said

the consultants will "get a price in case that's what the board [of

commissioners] wants to do."