NEWTON COUNTY - The Newton County Board of Commissioners (County) hereby gives notice that a public meeting will be held to discuss a water improvements project funded by Georgia’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) on Aug. 14, 2024 at 6 p.m. in the Cornish Creek Water Treatment Plant, 11905 Alcovy Road, Covington, Georgia 30014. The proposed project includes the following:
• The Cornish Creek Water Treatment Plant (WTP) Improvements will expand the capacity of the WTP from 25 million gallons per day (MGD) to 39.5 MGD and include the addition to, expansion of, or demolition of the following systems: ozone system and contactor, rapid mix/flocculation basins, sedimentation basins, filtration basins, clearwell, high service pumping station, recycle pump station, chemical addition systems, powdered activated carbon system, control building, and miscellaneous site improvements.
• Demolition of the Williams Street WTP. The Williams Street WTP has exceeded its useful life and needs significant improvements to remain online. To reduce the operational costs of running two water treatment plants, the Williams Street WTP will be decommissioned.
Rapid growth in the region is anticipated due to several sites that are being marketed by the City of Covington, Newton County, and the State of Georgia for industries. Newton County seeks to expand the capacity of the existing Cornish Creek WTP while centralizing the system so that the county is served solely by one treatment plant. Centralizing the water supply will save energy that would accompany operation of two water treatment plants. The anticipated cost of the project is $142,000,000.
The purposes of the public meeting are to:
1) Inform the public of the need for improvements to the County’s water system.
2) Comply with the requirements of Georgia’s Rules for Safe Drinking Water and with the public participation requirements of Georgia’s DWSRF Environmental Review Process.
3) Encourage public involvement in the development of a plan to improve the County’s water system.
During the public meeting the County will attempt to identify public preferences for alternative methods of improving the County’s water facilities. These alternatives will be evaluated and included in the County’s Environmental Information Document, the major planning document covering the water system. This document will be available for public inspection through the date of the public meeting at Cornish Creek Water Treatment Plant, 11905 Alcovy Road, Covington, Georgia 30014.
Your participation is encouraged and considered essential to the selection and development of the final plan to be adopted prior to its approval by the State of Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
For additional information, contact James Brown, Water Resources Director at 770/784-2125.
