Franklin County Moving Forward with Updated Water Master Plan

Franklin County Commissioners have approved a preliminary updated Master Plan for the County water system.

At their work session earlier this week, the Board heard from Peoples & Quigley vice president Christopher D. Quigley on their recommendations for what needs to be done to the system over the next 20 years.

Under Phase 1, Quigley listed a number of issues that need to be addressed based on the county’s needs and input from staff on what they think the top priorities are.

“There are repairs to wells, there’s some equipment that is needed,” he said. “Number two is to develop additional wells. The demands in the system are going up. We need additional water. There’s a booster pump station between Lavonia and Franklin County. That needs to be replaced.  And we’re recommending that there’s an agreement between Royston and Franklin County to purchase water. On the storage tanks, there are some repairs needed to one of the storage tanks. And then there are some water mains that we want to put in that are loops. Anytime you can loop a water main instead of a dead end is in your best interest. It improves water quality and it allows you to get more water there. So it improves fire protection. The more loops you have the better off you are.”

The budget for the repairs is $2.5 million and the County will be applying for various grants to help pay for all of the projects Quigley listed.

County Manager Derrick Thomas recommended both the tentative approval of the plan as well as the go-ahead to begin the grant application process.

No vote on the updated water system Master Plan. Only a consensus from the Board was needed.

After hearing from Quigley and Turner the Board agreed to have Turner pursue funding.