A favorable ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court on the “Tri-State Water Wars Litigation” between Alabama, Florida and Georgia has allowed Forsyth County to take steps forward on a return flow system that will convey highly treated water from the Fowler Water Reclamation Facility (WRF) to Lake Lanier. And work is well underway on the project. It will, however, impact traffic on a Forsyth County road for several weeks.
A county Facebook posting Monday noted that pipeline installation along segments of Sanders Road (between Buford Highway and Buford Dam Road) will begin June 2 and continue approximately through July. Expect a single-lane closure and delays.
PROJECT BACKGROUND
This project is critical to the success of the water supply plan for not only Forsyth County, Forsyth officials say, but Hall County as well along with Gwinnett, Dekalb, and Fulton counties, the state and the entire Southeast. It will, they say, ensure a secure, reliable and sustainable water infrastructure to support the quality of life of citizens and the area’s economic development.
The Fowler plant has historically provided reuse water to customers prior to discharging into a drip field at the Shakerag WRF or directly into the Chattahoochee River. While this works well for the existing facility and conveyance infrastructure, returning flow to Lake Lanier will become a requirement in the coming years. In order for the state of Georgia and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to come to an agreement on water management in Lake Lanier, wastewater effluent return flow requirements were established to ensure water availability.
Areas such as Gwinnett and Gainesville that already withdraw and return water to Lanier, will continue to do so in increasing volumes to balance their water needs. In order for Forsyth County to maintain its planned water withdrawal from the lqke, the effluent of the Fowler WRF must be conveyed back to the lake via a return flow pipeline.