Fourteen Georgia communities and two conservation groups were awarded financing totaling $38,792,060 for water, sewer, wastewater, and land conservation projects by the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA) board of directors.

Approved loans:

  • Bowman awarded a $1,000,000 Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) conservation loan
  • Byromville awarded a $950,000 DWSRF loan
  • Camak awarded a $161,460 Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) conservation loan
  • The Conservation Fund awarded a $8,000,000 CWSRF conservation loan
  • Eastman awarded a $2,070,000 CWSRF conservation loan
  • Gray awarded a $9,000,000 CWSRF loan
  • Greenville awarded a $315,000 DWSRF conservation loan
  • Leary awarded a $670,000 CWSRF loan
  • McCaysville awarded a $1,115,000 DWSRF conservation loan
  • Metter awarded a $1,130,000 CWSRF conservation loan
  • Midway awarded a $1,217,000 DWSRF conservation loan
  • The Nature Conservancy awarded a $4,600,000 CWSRF conservation loan
  • Pooler awarded a $6,600,000 CWSRF loan
  • Sardis awarded a $325,000 DWSRF conservation loan
  • Swainsboro awarded a $1,261,000 DWSRF loan
  • Tennille awarded a $377,600 DWSRF loan

Project and loan details:

City of Bowman

The $1,000,000 DWSRF conservation loan will finance replacing aging components of the city’s water distribution system and rehabilitating wells. This project will improve water quality, system reliability, and maintain regulatory compliance. The city will pay 0.78% interest on the 20-year loan. The loan qualifies for a reduced interest rate because a portion of the project is a conservation activity. The city is eligible for principal forgiveness up to $550,000.

Town of Byromville

The $950,000 DWSRF loan will finance installing two emergency generators, constructing an elevated storage tank, and upgrading the water distribution system. During Hurricane Michael, the town experienced extended power outages. This project will increase system resiliency and reliability in the event of a natural disaster. The town will pay no interest on the 20-year loan. The city is eligible for principal forgiveness up to $380,000.

Town of Camak

The $161,460 CWSRF conservation loan will finance the installation of gravity sewer. The town is in the final phase of transitioning from septic to sewer. This project will bring the town’s residents onto the public sewer system. The town will pay 0.86% interest on the 30-year loan. The loan will finance a conservation project, which qualifies for a reduced interest rate.

The Conservation Fund

The $8,000,000 CWSRF conservation loan will finance the purchase of 8,845 acres of land known as the Suwannee River Forest property for permanent conservation. This project will permanently preserve a valuable ecosystem, protect the Suwannee River watershed, and control nonpoint source pollution. The Conservation Fund will pay no interest on the 5-year loan. The loan will finance a conservation project, which qualifies for a reduced interest rate.

City of Eastman

The $2,070,000 CWSRF conservation loan will finance the rehabilitation of the city’s sewer collection system. The city was issued a notice of violation for continued spills from the Legion Drive lift station. This project will reduce inflow and infiltration and help prevent future spills. The city will pay 0.13% interest on the 20-year loan. The loan will finance a conservation project, which qualifies for a reduced interest rate. The city is eligible for principal forgiveness up to $900,000.

City of Gray

The $9,000,000 CWSRF loan will finance expanding and upgrading the Wolf Creek Water Pollution Control Plant. The plant will expand from 0.4 million gallons per day (MGD) to 0.8 MGD. The city will pay 1.86% interest on the 30-year loan.

City of Greenville

The $315,000 DWSRF conservation loan will finance replacing manual-read water meters with an automatic meter reading (AMR) system. This project will reduce leaks, increase billing accuracy, and improve meter reading efficiency. The city will pay 0.13% interest on the 20-year loan. The loan will finance a conservation project, which qualifies for a reduced interest rate. The city is eligible for principal forgiveness up to $157,500.

City of Leary

The $670,000 CWSRF loan will finance rehabilitating and replacing gravity sewer. During Hurricane Michael, the city’s sanitary sewer system experienced heavy inflow and infiltration. This project will improve capacity and mitigate inflow and infiltration. The city will pay no interest on the 20-year loan. The city is eligible for principal forgiveness up to $100,500.

City of McCaysville

The $1,115,000 DWSRF conservation loan will finance replacing manual-read water meters with an automatic meter reading (AMR) system. The project will reduce water loss, increase billing accuracy, and improve meter reading efficiency. The city will pay 0.13% interest on the 20-year loan. The loan will finance a conservation project, which qualifies for a reduced interest rate. The city is eligible for principal forgiveness up to $501,750.

City of Metter

The $1,130,000 CWSRF conservation loan will finance rehabilitating the city’s sewer main. The project will ensure structural integrity of the pipes, reduce sewage overflows, and address environmental health concerns. The city will pay 0.86% interest on the 30-year loan. The loan will finance a conservation project, which qualifies for a reduced interest rate.

City of Midway

The $1,217,500 DWSRF conservation loan will finance the construction of a new well. The city’s current water supply consists of one well that is 40-years old. This project will alleviate low pressure problems and provide reliability and redundancy. The city will pay 1.04% interest on the 20-year loan. The loan qualifies for a reduced interest rate because a portion of this project is a conservation activity.

The Nature Conservancy

The $4,600,000 CWSRF conservation loan will finance the purchase of 2,351 acres of land known as the Dugdown Corridor property for permanent conservation. This project will permanently preserve a valuable ecosystem, protect the Etowah and Tallapoosa River watersheds, and control nonpoint source pollution. The Nature Conservancy will pay 0.04% interest on the 10-year loan. The loan will finance a conservation project, which qualifies for a reduced interest rate.

City of Pooler

The $6,600,000 CWSRF loan will finance upgrading the Savannah Quarters lift station and installing force main. Over the past several years, the city has experienced significant residential growth. The project will ensure permitting compliance, prevent sewage overflows, and increase system reliability. The city will pay 0.07% interest on the 15-year loan, which is eligible for a reduced interest rate because Pooler is a WaterFirst Community.

City of Sardis

The $325,000 DWSRF loan will finance replacing manual-read water meters with an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) system. The project will reduce water loss and increase billing accuracy and meter reading efficiency. The city will pay 0.07% interest on the 15-year loan. The loan will finance a conservation project, which qualifies for a reduced interest rate. The city is eligible for principal forgiveness up to $162,500.

City of Swainsboro

The $1,261,000 DWSRF loan will finance constructing a new elevated storage tank. The city’s current tank has fallen into disrepair and is no longer capable of rehabilitation. This project will improve the city’s water quality and maintain regulatory compliance. The city will pay 1.13% interest on the 20-year loan. The city is eligible for principal forgiveness up to $630,500.

City of Tennille

The $377,600 DWSRF loan will finance installing valves and a well filtration system. The city received a consent order from the Georgia Environmental Protection Division. This project will ensure compliance with water quality standards and provide safe drinking water to its customers. The city will pay 1.13% interest on the 20-year loan. The city is eligible for principal forgiveness up to $169,920.

Other GEFA board actions:

City of Byron

The board approved a $475,000 increase to a CWSRF loan approved in November 2018.

City of Griffin

The board approved a $2,130,000 increase to a CWSRF loan approved in November 2020.

The board approved a $870,000 increase to a DWSRF loan approved in November 2020.

City of Lexington

The board ratified an emergency loan authorized by the GEFA executive director on June 9, 2021. The city received a $75,000 Georgia Fund loan to install water treatment equipment at well number five. The town will pay 0.52% interest on the 10-year loan.

City of Lincolnton

The board approved a $513,000 increase to a DWSRF loan approved in August 2020.

City of Thomson

The board approved a scope modification and a $500,000 increase to a DWSRF loan approved in January 2019.

City of Toccoa

The board approved a scope modification and a $2,003,000 increase to a CWSRF loan approved in August 2020.