Published Saturday, November 14, 2009

Heavy rains push wastewater treatment by Newnan Utilities

By Elizabeth Richardson

The Times-Herald

Unusually heavy rainfall has filled Newnan's reservoirs, but it also created some unforeseen complications.

Newnan Utilities Water Operations Director Brandon Lovett gave the monthly water report at the Newnan Water, Sewerage and Light Commission meeting Friday.

In October, Wahoo Creek Water Pollution Control Plant recorded 10.5 inches of rainfall, while the average for the month is 3.3 inches.

Lovett explained that the city is out of compliance with state regulations because of the unusually heavy water flow. The average daily flow is 750,000 gallons. Newnan Utilities has been out of compliance by approximately 31,000 gallons.

Also, phosphorous levels at both Mineral Springs -- the wastewater treatment plant located off Ishman Ballard Road -- and at Wahoo Creek were out of compliance -- but so was nearly 70 percent of the state, according to Lovett.

The levels in the wastewater discharge don't constitute a danger, he said.

Heavy rains compromised the city's collection system, according to Lovett. Wahoo usually processes an average of 2.4 million gallons of wastewater per day. During these last heavy rain events, it was taking on 11 million gallons per day.

"We have been able to control it," said Lovett.

Also due to the heavy rains, the city utility has been experiencing more water main breaks. Lovett believes the saturated soil shifts and breaks the water lines.

The water main break that recently occurred in the intersection of Bullsboro Drive and Newnan Crossing Bypass will cost the city an estimated $60,000-$65,000 in repairs.

Even though "it was a mess," according to General Manager Dennis McEntire, the city utility provider "turned it into a positive," according to Chairman Robert Lee.

Despite three main breaks in that same night, "our employees did a tremendous job out there and worked very hard," said McEntire.

McEntire said that Newnan Utilities plans to be more aggressive in finding infiltration problems in its water lines -- some of which date back to the late 1800s. He suspects that many of the problems will be on the customer end, meaning the cracks will be in the pipes leading into customers' homes and businesses.

When boil water advisories are issued, the information will be available on the Web, at www.newnanutilities.org .