City of Lavonia Completes Gateway Industrial Park Sewer Line Project

A major sewer line project in Lavonia is finally completed.

After almost 12 years of planning, securing funding, and construction, the long-awaited sewer line from the Gateway Industrial Park on Highway 77 to the Lavonia water sewer treatment plant is complete.

At their meeting Monday evening, the Lavonia City Council and Mayor Courtney Umbehant heard from City Manager Charles Cawthon.

Cawthon requested the Council approve a credit line with Northeast Georgia Bank for $1.5 million as a backup as the City waits for the approved funding to come in.

Known as the Gateway Industrial Project, plans for the sewer project began forming in 2013 when then-City Manager Gary Fesperman brought the idea before the City Council to expand the sewer line from the Gateway Industrial Park at the corner of Highways 59 and 77 because of expected growth.

At the time, Fesperman told the then-city council the existing sewer line could not handle any additional growth at the industrial park.

In March of this year, Cawthon pointed out that since the original project was developed twelve years ago, it has undergone a number of changes to make it even more efficient.

Cawthon said now that the project is completed, an open house reception is being planned once the Gateway Industrial Park Sewer Project goes online – officially.

Working in partnership with Hart County, both the City of Lavonia and Hart County began seeking funding in the form of grants and GEFA loans to pay for what was thought in 2013 would be a $1.3 million project.

However, Cawthon said that since then, the project evolved into two separate projects.

Total cost for the Wastewater Treatment Facility Project – $1,877,991.
And for the Collection System Improvements – $4,765,962.

Today there are three sections of the Gateway Industrial Park. Since 2013 three major industries that support the BMW plant in Greenville have been added to the park.