Citizens Continue To Protest Apalachee River Intake Facility

After initially trying to cut off discussion of the proposed Apalachee River intake facility, Oconee County Board of Commissioners Chair John Daniell relented Tuesday night and allowed 12 citizens from Oconee and Morgan counties to state their opposition to the project.

As was the case a week ago, those who spoke focused primarily on the water levels in the Apalachee, arguing that the river does not have sufficient flow to sustain pumping to the Hard Labor Creek Regional Reservoir in southeastern Walton County.

The citizens want the Commission to oppose re-issuance of a permit to withdraw water from the Apalachee River that is now being reviewed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Oconee County is a partner with Walton County in the regional reservoir project, and, so far, the Commission has given little indication that it is ready to reconsider its support for the intake facility.

At the end of the meeting, after most of those who had come to speak against the intake facility had left, the Board did take one action that makes it unlikely the county will need any water from the Hard Labor Creek Region reservoir in the near term.

The Board agreed to lease 6.25 percent of Barrow County's capacity of the Water Treatment Facility at the Bear Creek Reservoir in Jackson County, bringing Oconee County’s share of water from that facility to 4.5 million gallons per day.

For more on this story, with a video of the meeting itself, go to Oconee County Observations.

Pictured: Citizen at Commission meeting.