Sixteen Georgia communities were awarded financing totaling $178,615,778 for water, wastewater, sewer, and solid waste projects by the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA) board of directors.

Approved loans:

  • Bartow County awarded a $3,000,000 Georgia Fund loan
  • Brunswick-Glynn County Joint Water & Sewer Commission awarded a $10,700,000 Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) conservation loan increase
  • Bryan County Board of Commissioners awarded a $37,125,278 Georgia Fund loan
  • Clayton County Water Authority awarded a $50,000,000 Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) loan
  • Colquitt awarded a $295,000 DWSRF loan
  • Covington awarded a $26,239,000 CWSRF loan
  • Cumming awarded a $17,000,000 CWSRF loan
  • Dudley awarded a $475,000 DWSRF loan increase
  • Jefferson awarded a $11,580,000 CWSRF loan
  • Lookout Mountain awarded a $600,000 CWSRF conservation loan
  • Lumpkin County Water and Sewerage Authority awarded a $825,000 CWSRF loan
  • Sasser awarded a $162,500 DWSRF conservation loan
  • Senoia awarded a $3,000,000 CWSRF conservation loan
  • Temple awarded a $1,404,000 DWSRF conservation loan
  • Toccoa awarded a $9,137,000 CWSRF loan
  • Wrightsville awarded a $7,073,000 CWSRF conservation loan

Project and loan details:

Bartow County

The $3,000,000 Georgia Fund loan will finance the construction of a solid waste cell at the county’s landfill. The current landfill cell will be exhausted by May 2023. This project will provide additional capacity for solid waste disposal to accommodate the county’s future needs. The county will pay no interest on the 5-year loan, which is eligible for a reduced interest rate because the county is a WaterFirst Community.

Brunswick-Glynn County Joint Water & Sewer Commission

The $10,700,000 DWSRF conservation loan increase will finance the second phase of this project, which will replace manual-read water meters with an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) system. The replacement of the water meters will reduce leaks, increase billing accuracy, and improve meter reading efficiency. The commission 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 loan was originally a $7,500,000 DWSRF loan approved by the GEFA board of directors in November 2020.

Bryan County Board of Commissioners

The $37,125,278 Georgia Fund loan will finance the installation of new water and sewer infrastructure. Several large industrial manufacturing companies have shown interest in locating to the Interstate 16 Mega-Site. This project will serve anticipated industrial, commercial, and residential developments. The county will pay no interest on the 40-year loan.

Clayton County Water Authority

The $50,000,000 CWSRF loan will finance upgrading the biosolids management at the W.B. Casey Water Reclamation Facility. The facility is operating near capacity and is at the end of its useful life. This project will expand capacity from 24 to 32 million gallons per day. The authority will pay 0.13% on the 20-year loan, which is eligible for a reduced interest rate because Clayton County is a WaterFirst Community.

City of Colquitt

The $295,000 DWSRF loan will finance upgrading the city’s water distribution system. The city experienced extended power outages during Hurricane Michael. This project will increase system resiliency and reliability and prevent interruptions of the city’s water system in case of a natural disaster. The city will pay no interest on the 20-year loan. The city is eligible for principal forgiveness up to $132,750.

City of Covington

The $26,239,000 CWSRF loan will finance upgrading the city’s sewer collection system and the Covington Water Reclamation Facility. Components of the sewer system have reached the end of their useful life. This project will enhance system resiliency, reliability, and efficiency. The city will pay 0.13% interest on the 20-year loan, which is eligible for a reduced interest rate because the city is a WaterFirst Community.

City of Cumming

The $17,000,000 CWSRF loan will finance upgrading the Bethelview Road Advanced Water Reclamation Facility and installing sludge dryers. Due to the rising cost of landfill disposal and hauling, the city is seeking an alternative approach to landfilling. The project will reduce the liquid content of the sludge resulting in lower disposal fees. The city will pay 0.13% interest on the 20-year loan, which is eligible for a reduced interest rate because the city is a WaterFirst Community.

City of Dudley

The $475,000 DWSRF loan increase will finance the addition of an iron removal system to the project. The project will also construct an elevated storage tank, install a backup generator and a supervisory control and data acquisition system, and create an Emergency Response Plan. This project will increase system resiliency in case of water system disruptions and ensure an adequate water supply. The city will pay no interest on the 20-year loan. The city is eligible for principal forgiveness up to $200,000. The loan was originally a $725,650 DWSRF loan approved by the GEFA board of directors in November 2020.

City of Jefferson

The $11,580,000 CWSRF loan will finance the construction of a new 1 million gallons per day water pollution control plant. This city has experienced significant population growth over the last 10 years. This project will help the city meet the projected demand for both residential and commercial development. The city will pay 0.13% on the 20-year loan, which is eligible for a reduced interest rate because the city is a WaterFirst Community.

City of Lookout Mountain

The $600,000 CWSRF conservation loan will finance upgrading the city’s sewer system. The sanitary sewer system was constructed in 1999 and it has reached the end of its useful life. This project will increase system reliability, improve transport capacity, and will help support future growth. The city will pay 0.73% on the 20-year loan. The loan qualifies for a reduced interest rate because a portion of the project is a conservation activity.

Lumpkin County Water and Sewerage Authority

The $825,000 CWSRF loan will finance upgrading the county’s sewer system and the planning, permitting, and designing of a new wastewater treatment plant. This project will ensure treatment efficiency and reliability and meet the requirements for Lake Lanier. The authority will pay 0.43% on the 10-year loan.

City of Sasser

The $162,500 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 0.07% 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 $73,125.

City of Senoia

The $3,000,000 CWSRF conservation loan will finance upgrading the city’s sewer system. The city is currently constructing a new 1 million gallons per day water pollution control plant. Upgrading the sewer system will accommodate the additional capacity. This project will ensure treatment resiliency and efficiency and increase treatment capacity. The city will pay 0.85% on the 20-year loan. The loan qualifies for a reduced interest rate because a portion of the project is a conservation activity.

City of Temple

The $1,404,000 DWSRF conservation loan will finance replacing manual-read water meters with an AMI 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.

City of Toccoa

The $9,137,000 CWSRF conservation loan will finance upgrading the Eastanollee Creek water pollution control plant. This is the second phase of this project, and the plant will be fully operational upon completion. This project will increase hydraulic capacity to handle peak flows during rainfall events. This project will improve the reliability and efficiency of the plant. The city will pay 1.36% interest on the 30-year loan, which is eligible for a reduced interest rate because the city is a PlanFirst Community. The city is eligible for principal forgiveness up to $900,000.

City of Wrightsville

The $7,073,000 CWSRF conservation loan will finance expanding and upgrading the city’s water pollution control plant. This project will expand the plant to 1 million gallons per day with a direct stream discharge to the Ohoopee River. This project will increase system reliability and efficiency of the plant. The city will pay 1.48% on the 25-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 $1,100,000.

Other GEFA board actions:

Executive Director Resolution

The board approved Governor Brian P. Kemp’s recommendation on appointing Hunter Hill as GEFA’s new executive director effective July 1, 2022.

Bond Resolution

The board adopted a bond resolution requesting the Georgia State Financing and Investment Commission issue $10,600,000 of State of Georgia General Obligation Bonds for GEFA’s loan programs.

City of Colquitt

The board approved a scope modification to a $266,000 DWSRF conservation loan approved in August 2020.

Coweta County Water and Sewerage Authority

The board approved a $1,400,000 increase to a DWSRF loan approved in January 2018.

City of Griffin

The board approved a $8,000,000 increase to a Georgia Fund loan originally approved in November 2020 and a previous increase in January 2021.

Town of Ochlocknee

The board approved a $805,000 increase to a DWSRF loan approved in November 2020.

Additional information:

The CWSRF provides low-interest loans for wastewater and water pollution control infrastructure. These projects conserve and improve water resources and facilitate economic development. The program is jointly funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the state of Georgia.

The DWSRF provides low-interest loans for infrastructure projects that deliver safe, affordable drinking water. These projects conserve and improve water resources and facilitate economic development. The program is jointly funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the state of Georgia.

The Georgia Fund, a state-funded program, provides low-interest loans for water, wastewater, water conservation, and solid waste infrastructure projects. Eligible projects include water and sewer lines, treatment plants, pumping stations, wells, water storage tanks, and water meters. These projects conserve and improve water resources and facilitate economic development.

GEFA offers a reduced interest rate for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects at water and wastewater treatment plants, landfills, and municipal solid waste facilities; water conservation projects in the areas of water loss and end-use water efficiency; and nonpoint source pollution control projects.

WaterFirst recognizes local governments for achieving excellence in water resources management. Becoming a WaterFirst Community demonstrates a local government's commitment to responsible water stewardship for environmental and economic benefits. Communities that earn the WaterFirst designation are eligible for an interest rate reduction.