Coweta’s leaders gathered Monday morning to celebrate the opening of the county’s newest reservoir in northwest Coweta county.

Neal Shepard speaks at Monday’s ceremony. Photo/Special.

The B.T. Brown Water Treatment facility is the county’s latest effort to make sure the county has enough water for its growing population. The facility was named for Bill Tillman “B. T.” Brown, who was a county extension agent from 1948-1954

After he retired, he went to work for Coweta Fayette EMC and in 1968 he ran for supervisor of the West Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Board and won

In 1977, Coweta County purchased more than roughly 1,250 acres for just over $750,000. Today the land would fetch about $18.75 million. In 1984, the county built the 339-acre reservoir for flood control and future water needs.

In 2007, the county finally obtained the permit for the plant after applying for it seven years earlier.

The water treatment facility currently produces over three million gallons of water a day, with the ability to produce up to 6 million gallons a day and cost $13 million.

County officials said that savings by producing over purchasing water from suppliers is over $2 million per year

The costs of producing water at this facility is $1.50 per 1,000 gallons.