The city of Perry received its WaterFirst designation on November 3, 2020, during the city council meeting.

WaterFirst Communities are committed to excellence in watershed assessment, stormwater master planning, wastewater treatment and management, water supply planning and protection, water conservation, water reclamation and reuse, educational outreach, and regional planning.

Receiving this designation demonstrates the city of Perry’s commitment to the stewardship of water resources for environmental and economic benefits. The city’s notable accomplishments include:

  • The city’s water conservation efforts have saved more than 215 million gallons per year, or 1.7 billion gallons since adopting the Water Conservation Plan.
  • The newly constructed 2 million gallons-per-day water treatment plant went online at the end of September. The treatment plant removes iron and manganese present in the groundwater supply.
  • The city is in the early stages of planning how to expand its sewer system and build a wastewater treatment plant to service the eastern part of the city.

WaterFirst Communities are eligible for financial and other benefits from the state, including a 1% interest rate reduction on Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA) loans, annual eligibility for water-related Community Development Block Grants administered by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, and priority status for the 319(h) Grant Program administered by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division.

For more information about the WaterFirst Program, visit gefa.georgia.gov/waterfirst.