Seven Georgia communities were awarded financing totaling $38,632,500 for water, wastewater, sewer, and stormwater projects by the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA) board of directors.

Approved loans:

  • Clayton County Water Authority awarded a $10,000,000 Clear Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) loan
  • Cumming awarded a $960,000 CWSRF loan
  • DeKalb County awarded a $10,000,000 CWSRF loan
  • Etowah Water and Sewerage Authority awarded a $10,000,000 CWSRF loan
  • LaFayette awarded a $2,409,000 CWSRF conservation loan
  • Temple awarded a $4,472,400 CWSRF loan
  • Warrenton awarded a $791,100 Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) loan

Project and loan details:

Clayton County Water Authority

The $10,000,000 CWSRF loan will finance replacing the outfall sewers. This project will reduce the inflow and infiltration in the sewer collection system and reduce operating costs. The authority 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 Cumming

The $960,000 CWSRF loan will finance purchasing a street sweeper and a vacuum truck. This project will help prevent sewer spills and protect impaired and threatened streams. The city will pay 1.24% on the 5-year loan. The loan qualifies for a reduced interest rate due to the city being a WaterFirst Community.

DeKalb County

The $10,000,000 CWSRF loan will finance improvements to the storm drainage system. This project will reduce flooding and stormwater pollution, increase system reliability, and improve water quality. The county will pay 2.90% on the 20-year loan. 

Etowah Water and Sewer Authority

The $10,000,000 CWSRF loan will finance the upgrading and expanding of the city’s Dawson Forest Water Reclamation Facility. This project will expand the capacity to 1.25 million gallons-per-day and improve effluent quality. The authority will pay 2.90% on the 20-year loan. 

City of LaFayette

The $2,409,000 CSWRF conservation loan will finance replacing sewer lines and manholes. The city’s current sewer lines produce significant inflow and infiltration. This project will increase system reliability and efficiency. The city will pay 1.43% interest on the 20-year loan. The loan qualifies for a reduced interest rate due to GEFA’s affordability scoring criteria and a portion of the project is a conservation activity. The city is eligible for principal forgiveness up to $1,108,000.

City of Temple

The $4,472,400 CWSRF loan will finance replacing the existing undersized Williams Mill Creek outfall sanitary sewer system. The existing 10-inch sewer system will be replaced with 24-inch outfall sewer. This project will adequately manage the city’s existing sewerage capacity by redirecting the sewer to a new sewer lift station that is presently under construction. The city will pay 2.90% interest on the 20-year loan.

City of Warrenton

The $791,100 DWSRF loan will finance rehabilitating pump stations and upgrading the telemetry equipment. The city received a notice of violation from the Georgia Environmental Protection Division to reduce the chemical pollutants and disinfectants throughout the treatment system. This project will improve the city’s public water system to meet regulatory standards. The city will pay 0.44% 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 $711,990.

Other GEFA Board Actions:

Bartow County

The board approved a scope modification to a $25,000,000 CWSRF loan approved in August 2022.

City of Blairsville

The board approved updated terms to a $700,000 DWSRF loan approved in January 2024.

Clayton County Water Authority

The board approved a $10,000,000 increase to a DWSRF loan approved in January 2023.

Coweta County Water and Sewerage Authority

The board approved a $10,000,000 increase to a CWSRF loan approved in November 2021.

City of Griffin

The board approved a $2,500,000 increase to a Georgia Fund loan originally approved in November 2020, a previous increase in January 2021, and a previous increase in May 2022.

Henry County Water Authority

The board approved a $25,000,000 increase to a CWSRF loan originally approved in November 2022.

Loan Program Policy

The board approved updates to the loan program policy for the Georgia Fund, Georgia Reservoir Fund, CWSRF, and the DWSRF.