ATLANTA – November 9, 2023. Fourteen Georgia communities and The Nature Conservancy were awarded financing totaling $112,653,800 for water, sewer, wastewater, and land conservation projects by the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA) board of directors.

Approved loans:

  • Bowdon awarded a $2,180,000 Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) conservation loan
  • Broxton awarded a 790,000 Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) and a $1,065,000 DWSRF loan
  • Bryan County Board of Commissioners awarded a $60,000,000 CWSRF conservation loan
  • Cumming awarded a $6,440,000 CWSRF loan
  • Gibson awarded a $275,000 DWSRF loan
  • LaFayette awarded a $2,426,000 DWSRF loan
  • McDonough awarded a $9,671,000 DWSRF loan
  • The Nature Conservancy awarded a $330,000 CWSRF conservation loan
  • Oglethorpe was awarded a $1,593,800 CWSRF loan
  • Royston awarded a $3,000,000 CWSRF loan and a $2,500,000 DWSRF conservation loan
  • Social Circle awarded a $1,835,000 CWSRF and a $5,573,700 CWSRF loan
  • Sparta awarded a $2,800,000 CWSRF conservation loan and a $4,200,000 DWSRF loan
  • Talbot County Board of Commissioners awarded a $720,800 DWSRF conservation loan
  • Toccoa awarded a $1,253,500 DWSRF loan
  • Waycross awarded a $3,000,000 CWSRF loan and a $3,000,000 DWSRF loan

Project and loan details:

City of Bowdon

The $2,180,000 DWSRF conservation loan will finance upgrading the city’s water distribution system. In 2020, the city reported a 35.4% water loss to the Georgia Environmental Protection Division. This project will improve operational efficiency and reduce water loss. The city will pay 1.60% interest on the 20-year loan. The loan qualifies for a reduced interest rate due to GEFA’s affordability criteria and the project being a conservation activity. The city is eligible for principal forgiveness up to $763,000.

City of Broxton

The $790,000 CWSRF loan will finance upgrading the city’s sewer distribution system. The grinder pumps at six lift stations are not sized appropriately to maintain minimum velocity for self-cleaning. This project will prevent clogging and eliminate sewage spills. The city is eligible for principal forgiveness up to $790,000.

The $1,065,000 DWSRF loan will finance improving the city’s water distribution system, upgrading the water storage tanks, and rehabilitating the chemical feed buildings. This project will improve safety and reliability of the water system. The city is eligible for principal forgiveness up to $1,065,000.

Bryan County Board of Commissioners

The $60,000,000 CWSRF conservation loan will finance constructing a new wastewater treatment plant to support the Hyundai manufacturing plant and other commercial developments related to the I-16 megasite. This project will help the county meet the projected demand. The county will pay 3.39% interest on the 30-year loan. The loan qualifies for a reduced interest rate due to a portion of the project being a conservation activity.

City of Cumming

The $6,440,000 CWSRF loan will finance installing gravity sewer main to areas currently served by septic systems. This project will reduce nonpoint source pollution from failing septic tanks. The city will pay 1.90% on the 20-year loan. The loan qualifies for a reduced interest rate due to the city being a WaterFirst Community.

City of Gibson

The $275,000 DWSRF loan will finance installing a water softener and a backwash line to the city’s well number one. The city received a consent order for combined radium that exceeded the maximum contaminant level. This project will reduce radium levels in the source water and allow the city to meet the compliance levels. The city will pay 2.32% interest on the 20-year loan. The loan qualifies for a reduced interest rate due to GEFA’s affordability criteria. The city is eligible for principal forgiveness up to $137,500.

City of LaFayette

The $2,426,000 DWSRF loan will finance improving the city’s water treatment plant. The city’s current treatment plant was constructed with provisions for adding a second treatment process. This project will provide full redundancy for the plant and will improve safety and reliability of the water system. The city will pay 2.18% interest on the 20-year loan. The loan qualifies for a reduced interest rate due to GEFA’s affordability criteria.  The city is eligible for principal forgiveness up to $947,600.

City of McDonough

The $9,671,000 DWSRF loan will finance upgrading the city’s water treatment plant. The city lacks reserve capacity to reliably pump the permitted surface water withdrawal. This project will allow the city to utilize its permitted capacity, maintain the quality of its water supply, and provide pumping redundancy. The city will pay 2.90% interest on the 20-year loan.

The Nature Conservancy

The $330,000 CWSRF conservation loan will finance the purchase of 110 acres of land known as the Hurley Tract for permanent conservation. This project will permanently preserve a valuable ecosystem, protect the Coosa-Tallapoosa River watershed, and control nonpoint source pollution. The Nature Conservancy will pay 1.09% interest on the 10-year loan. The loan will finance a conservation project, which qualifies for a reduced interest rate.

City of Oglethorpe

The $1,593,800 CWSRF loan will finance upgrading the city’s wastewater treatment plant and the treatment pond. The city’s wastewater treatment has reached the end of its useful life. This project will enhance water quality and improve redundancy and reliability. The city will pay 1.60% interest on the 20-year loan. The loan qualifies for a reduced interest rate due to GEFA’s affordability criteria. The city is eligible for principal forgiveness up to $796,900.

City of Royston

The $3,000,000 CWSRF loan will finance the construction of a tertiary treatment system and sludge handling system. The city received a notice of violation from the Georgia Environmental Protection Division to reduce the amount of ammonia effluent it discharges into the Hannah Creek Tributary. This project will improve the city’s sewage treatment plant to meet new regulations. The city will pay 1.31% interest on the 20-year loan. The loan qualifies for a reduced interest rate due to GEFA’s affordability criteria. The city is eligible for principal forgiveness up to $1,500,000.

The $2,500,000 DWSRF conservation loan will finance improving and renovating the city’s raw water withdrawal system, the water treatment plant, and critical water segments. This project will improve water quality and efficiency of the treatment process. The city will pay 1.29% interest on the 20-year loan. The loan qualifies for a reduced interest rate due to GEFA’s affordability criteria and a portion of the project being a conservation activity. The city is eligible for principal forgiveness up to $1,250,000.

City of Social Circle

The $1,835,000 CWSRF loan will finance the permitting, engineering, and design of the city’s new wastewater treatment facility. This project will improve water quality and operational efficiency to better serve the city’s customers. The city will pay 2.90% interest on the 20-year loan.

The $5,573,700 CWSRF loan will finance improvements to the sewer system and the installation of force main and SCADA equipment. The city’s clay sewer lines have deteriorated over the years resulting in leaks and corrosion. This project will improve the reliability and efficiency of the city’s sewer system. The city will pay 2.90% interest on the 20-year loan.

City of Sparta

The $2,800,000 CWSRF conservation loan will finance rehabilitating the city’s sewer system. Components of the city’s wastewater collection system have reached the end of their service life. This project will improve efficiency and reduced inflow and infiltration. The city will pay 0.29% interest on the 20-year loan. The city is eligible for principal forgiveness up to $2,700,000. The loan qualifies for a reduced interest rate due to GEFA’s affordability criteria and the project being a conservation activity.

The $4,200,000 DWSRF loan will finance upgrading the city’s water treatment plant and constructing a new elevated storage tank. This project will improve water quality and treatment efficiency. The city will pay 0.44% interest on the 20-year loan which qualifies for a reduced interest rate due to GEFA’s affordability criteria. The city is eligible for principal forgiveness up to $4,100,000.

Talbot County Board of Commissioners

The $720,800 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 county will pay 1.52% interest on the 20-year loan. The loan qualifies for a reduced interest rate due to GEFA’s affordability criteria and the project is a conservation activity. The county is eligible for principal forgiveness up to $360,420.

City of Toccoa

The $1,253,500 DWSRF loan will finance improving the city’s water treatment plant. This project will replace failing components in the plant and help with compliance related to residual chlorine limits. The city will pay 2.21% interest on the 20-year loan. The loan qualifies for a reduced interest rate due to GEFA’s affordability criteria and the city being a PlanFirst Community. The city is eligible for principal forgiveness up to $626,750.

City of Waycross

The $3,000,000 CWSRF loan will finance rehabilitating and improving the Waycross Wastewater Treatment Plant. The existing equipment, piping, valves are original to the plant and have reached the end of their useful life. This project will increase reliability and efficiency at the plant. The city will pay 1.08% interest on the 20-year loan. The loan qualifies for a reduced interest rate due to GEFA’s affordability criteria and the city being a PlanFirst Community. The city is eligible for principal forgiveness up to $1,400,000.

The $3,000,000 DWSRF loan will finance the installation of water main to interconnect the city’s industrial park water system to the city’s primary water system to provide an emergency connection. The city’s existing water system is experiencing low water pressure and lacks redundancy. This project will enhance water system reliability and redundancy. The city will pay 1.08% interest on the 20-year loan. The loan qualifies for a reduced interest rate due to GEFA’s affordability criteria and the city being a PlanFirst Community. The city is eligible for principal forgiveness up to $1,500,000.

Other GEFA Board Actions:

City of Blue Ridge

The board approved $300,000 in principal forgiveness to a DWSRF loan originally approved in August 2022.

City of Culloden

The board approved a scope modification to a $750,000 DWSRF loan approved in August 2022.

City of Dallas

The board approved a $2,583,800 increase to a CWSRF loan approved in January 2021. The increase will have an interest rate of 1.90% for 20 years.

Jones County

The board approved a $4,288,500 increase to a CWSRF loan approved in January 2017. The increase will have an interest rate of 2.40% for 20 years.

City of LaFayette

The board approved a $506,000 increase to a DWSRF loan originally approved in May 2020.

City of Thomson

The board approved a $3,400,000 increase to a CWSRF conservation loan approved in January 2021. The increase will have an interest rate of 2% for 20 years.