The South Fulton

Municipal Water Authority, which meets on a monthly basis, took a few

steps forward in some areas and a few steps backward in others. The group

concentrated primarily on wastewater treatment issues at its regular meeting.

The Authority,

formed in April 2000, is working together to address wastewater and water

issues for the tri-city area. While each city is working independently

on identifying their areas water needs, the group is sharing information

and taking a regional approach to solving water and sewage issues.

Fairburn has

identified 450-650 acres between Deep Creek and Line Creek for a proposed

wastewater treatment plant. Fairburn has negotiated an agreement to treat

effluence from Tyrone in Fayette County at the plant and is moving forward

in discussing a similar arrangement with Palmetto. Recently Union City

is tentatively pursuing the possibility with Fairburn regarding the treatment

of their excess wastewater.

If negotiations

are successful, Palmetto's wastewater will be sent to Fairburn, treated

and then returned to Palmetto to be discharged into Bear Creek. The Bear

Creek facility, which currently treats Palmetto's sewage, will be closed.

According to Charles Corbin, who serves as a consultant to the Authority

and City Engineer for Union City and Fairburn and Assistant Engineer for

Palmetto, the wastewater will be "right below drinking water,"

suitable for mixing concrete, watering golf courses and similar.

As a result

of the ongoing negotiations with Union City and Palmetto, the Fairburn

treatment center is asking for state approval to increase the capacity

from one million gallons per day to two million. Members of the Authority

stressed that increasing the treatment capacity would not result in an

increase in the amount of plant acreage or the spray area, although the

actual facility size may increase.

A change in

the state's outlook regarding water needs and wastewater treatment has

resulted in a delay in determining whether Fairburn and the Authority

will need the 450-650 acres originally identified or may be able to scale

back the project to only 50 acres.

Until recently,

the EPD has advocated using the Land Application System (LAS) to treat

wastewater. Effluence is sprayed over a large area and slowly seeps into

nearby creeks and waterways. Negotiations between the state, Florida and

Alabama have the EPD looking more favorably again at direct stream discharge.

Direct stream

discharge utilizes less land and augments the flow of water into waterways,

in particular the Chattahoochee River which provides water to Georgia,

Florida and Alabama. However the costs to treat wastewater, which must

be at near drinking quality at a minimum, may be substantially higher.

With the potential

to save substantially on the costs associated with the wastewater plant,

the Authority is working with the EPD and U.S. Corps of Army Engineers

to determine the acceptable waste load application for Deep Creek.

Unfortunately

for local landowners, who have been on hold since their property was identified

as the potential home for the new treatment plant, the discovery process

could take an additional four months. Landowners expressed concern regarding

delays in decision-making which has resulted in their inability to sell

or improve their property.

Union City

Mayor Ralph Moore, chairman of the Authority, said he is not insensitive

to the needs and concerns of local landowners. Giving the example of the

Clayton County Authority and others, he addressed the delays stating,

"It is not unusual for authorities to experience delays. The tenacious

approval process required by state and Federal authorities is time intensive."

He continued,

"Our community is better served by looking at future water needs."

He indicated the entire South Fulton area would benefit and stressed the

need to be proactive in handling natural resources.

Corbin took

it one step further, praising the group for their foresight. "Atlanta

is running out of water. These three cities recognized the problem in

the 90s and began moving forward to solve their little piece. It takes

leadership and vision to try and tackle tough issues."

One landowner,

who preferred not to be named, grilled the Authority regarding cost increases

resulting from continuing delays. In answer to his questions regarding

increases in costs, Bill Johnson with Bank of America, the bond underwriter

for the project, admitted an increase of 30 basis points since the group

first began working on the project. The Authority is looking at $40 to

$50 million in bonds to build a water reservoir and processing plant.

Fairburn approved the issuance of $14.3 million in bonds to build a sewage

plant in December 2000.