Commissioners Delay Decision On Adding $1 Million For Sewer Plant

Two weeks after asking Oconee County citizens if they want to include wastewater reuse in the county’s yet-to-be completed Water and Wastewater Master Plan, Oconee County Water Resources Department Director Wayne Haynie asked the Board of Commissioners Tuesday night to spend $1 million for that purpose.

The commissioners took the request under advisement, with Board Chair John Daniell saying it will be on the agenda at the meeting on Feb. 6 to allow for more citizen input on the request.

Haynie’s request was for approval of construction of a second aeration basin next to the one currently under construction at the Calls Creek wastewater treatment plant on the north side of Watkinsville.

Haynie said the county could use the stored water for internal needs of the plant, to sell for agricultural use, and to supply water to the county’s two parks on Hog Mountain Road, Veterans Park and Herman C. Michael Park.

The second aeration basin also could be used for expansion of the Calls Creek plant to 3 million gallons per day in the future, Haynie said.

At the beginning of the meeting, Board Chairman Daniell announced that Haynie will be leaving his position on March 5 to return to private business.

The Board also decided to go forward with consideration of revisions to its Landscaping and Buffers section of its Unified Development Code.

For more on the story, including a video of the BOC meeting, go to Oconee County Observations.

Pictured: Aeration Basin #1 From Haynie's Presentation To Board