Hard Labor Creek Reservoir Project On Track

With the permit to proceed finally in hand, members of the Hard Labor Creek Regional Reservoir Project Management Board were able to take stock of the project's status at the annual joint meeting with the Walton County Water and Sewerage Authority Tuesday.

One of the first orders of business for Oconee County Commissioner Jim Luke, who chairs the project board, was to assure everyone that - despite the need for additional funding - the project was not in any danger of collapsing.

“I can dispel any rumors this project is dead. It is alive and well and will serve north Georgia well,” Luke said. “I sleep well. I could not be happier.”

Luke said all the required benchmarks had been met and the project was proceeding on schedule.

“We will finish all the necessary land acquisitions and will be ready to do more when the economy moves,” Luke said.

Walton County first began working on the Hard Labor Creek Reservoir in 1994 with Oconee County getting on board in 1999. Jimmy Parker, vice president of Precision Planner and manager of the project, said being so far ahead of the game would be an advantage in seeking funding to complete the project.

Once land acquisitions are complete, the projected $7 million remaining is about $32 million short of funding required to complete the roads, dam and reservoir and $91 million short if the new water treatment plant is included. Gov. Nathan Deal has pledged $300 million in state funds to help local authorities find ways to ensure adequate water resources for their own communities. Parker said the Hard Labor Creek Reservoir project is well positioned to take advantage of some of the funding, but not everybody is happy with the state getting involved. Local resident Herman McCart spoke out against any state involvement at all.

“They’ll just take it over and ruin it,” he said. “I’m asking that you keep it at the local level.”

McCart also asked that if the taxpayers were going to have to contribute to funding to complete the project in any way, be it in taxes or higher water rates, that those contributing be compensated in some way once the reservoir is complete and operational.

“We’re going to attempt to not go to the taxpayers,” Luke said, adding, however, that when the project was first started it was before the downturn in the economy. “I can’t speak for Walton County but I can for Oconee County and without some risk this there wouldn't be this project, but without this project there is going to be some thirst.”

Luke said water is going to cost everybody more in the future. However, he believed any bond issuances necessary could be handled by Walton and Oconee counties.

“Again I can’t speak for Walton County, but Oconee revenues can cover the bonds at the moment,” he said, adding "We have been carrying it for 15 years but then it did change in the middle."

The board agreed to up the fees to Neal Jackson for land acquisitions, from $1,800 to $2,400 per parcel closed, for a total cost of $43,200 on the remaining 42 parcels under negotiation. It was the third increase in fees since land acquisition began, but board members approved it based on the fact that the easy acquisitions were those already completed and the remaining deals would likely take much longer and ran the risk of litigation.

Officials said the project is on track to stay within the boundaries of the permit, which gives until Nov. 1, 2012 for construction to begin on the dam and until March 31, 2013 for its completion.

“If we need to we can apply for an extension,” Parker said. “That’s standard practice and extensions are granted all the time.”

However, he said at this point he doesn’t believe an extension will be necessary.