VALDOSTA, Ga. – May 13, 2025. Fourteen Georgia communities were awarded financing totaling $81,990,800 for water, wastewater, and sewer projects by the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA) board of directors. 

Approved loans: 

  • Abbeville awarded a $2,000,000 Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) loan and a $2,000,000 Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) conservation loan
  • Arabi awarded a $2,464,500 Georgia Fund loan
  • Argyle awarded a $45,000 DWSRF lead service line loan
  • Blakely awarded a $1,880,000 DWSRF loan
  • Cadwell awarded a $830,000 DWSRF lead service line loan
  • Clayton County Water Authority awarded a $25,000,000 CWSRF loan and a $10,000,000 DWSRF loan
  • Colquitt awarded a $84,000 DWSRF lead service line loan
  • Cumming awarded a $5,100,000 Georgia Fund loan
  • Dawsonville awarded a $18,800,000 Georgia Fund loan
  • Lavonia awarded a $5,000,000 DWSRF conservation loan
  • Louisville awarded a $1,059,300 DWSRF conservation loan
  • Montezuma awarded a $3,300,000 DWSRF loan
  • Nicholls awarded a $1,928,000 CWSRF loan
  • Tybee Island awarded a $2,500,000 Georgia Fund loan

Project and loan details: 

City of Abbeville

The $2,000,000 CWSRF loan will finance installing a headworks screening system at the wastewater treatment plant. This project will improve the reliability and efficiency of the plant and ensure compliance with water quality standards. The city will pay 2.89% 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 $1,400,000.

The $2,000,000 DWSRF loan will finance installing water main. This project will increase water pressure, reduce water loss, and improve system reliability. The city will pay 1.89% interest on the 20-year loan. The loan qualifies for a reduced interest rate due to GEFA’s affordability criteria and the projecting being a conservation activity. The city is eligible for principal forgiveness up to $1,400,000.

City of Arabi

The $2,464,500 Georgia Fund will finance constructing a 100,000-gallon advanced wastewater treatment plant and installing septic tank effluent pumping tanks to connect homeowners to a central sewer system. The city will pay 3.80% interest on the 25-year loan. The city is eligible for principal forgiveness up to $2,218,050.

Town of Argyle

The $45,000 DWSRF lead service line loan will finance an inventory and replacement of lead service lines in the water system. The town is eligible for principal forgiveness up to $45,000.

City of Blakely

The $1,880,000 DWSRF loan will finance improvements to the city’s elevated water storage tanks. The city will pay 2.89% 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 $940,000.

Town of Cadwell

The $830,000 DWSRF lead service line loan will finance an inventory and replacement of lead service lines in the water system. The town will pay 2.89% interest on the 20-year loan. The town is eligible for principal forgiveness up to $539,500.

Clayton County Water Authority 

The $25,000,000 CWSRF loan will finance replacing sewer main. This project will reduce the amount of groundwater and stormwater entering the sewer system and decrease pumping costs. The authority will pay 2.39% interest on the 20-year loan. The loan qualifies for a reduced interest rate due to the county being a WaterFirst Community.

The $10,000,000 DWSRF loan will finance installing an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) system. This project will reduce leaks, increase billing accuracy, and improve water quality. The authority will pay 2.39% interest on the 20-year loan. The loan qualifies for a reduced interest rate due to the county being a WaterFirst Community.

City of Colquitt

The $84,000 DWSRF lead service line loan will finance an inventory and replacement of lead service lines in the water system. The city is eligible for principal forgiveness up to $84,000.

City of Cumming

The $5,100,000 Georgia Fund will constructing a new pump station and gravity sewer main, which will reduce septic tanks in the watershed and improve water quality.  The city will pay 2.49% interest on the 20-year loan. This loan qualifies for a reduced interest rate due to the city being a WaterFirst Community.

City of Dawsonville

The $18,800,000 Georgia Fund loan will finance constructing a water pollution control plant and improving the sewer system. This project will help ensure compliance with water quality standards. The city will pay 3.49% interest on the 20-year loan. The city is eligible for principal forgiveness up to $5,000,000.

City of Lavonia

The $5,000,000 DWSRF conservation loan will finance improvements to the water treatment plant and treatment systems. This project will increase energy efficiency, enhance treatment processes, and improve reliability throughout the water distribution system. The city will pay 2.79% 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 $4,000,000. 

City of Louisville

The $1,059,300 DWSRF conservation loan will finance installing an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) system. This project will reduce leaks, increase billing accuracy, and improve water quality. The city will pay 1.73% interest on the 15-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 $529,663. 

City of Montezuma

The $1,059,300 DWSRF loan will finance constructing a 750,000-gallon elevated water storage tank and improving the water distribution system. The city will pay 2.89% 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 $825,000. 

City of Nicholls

The $1,928,000 DWSRF loan will finance improvements to the wastewater treatment plant sewer main and pump stations. This project will allow the treatment plant to operate more efficiently. The city will pay 3.14% 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 $965,000.

City of Tybee Island

The $2,500,000 Georgia Fund loan will finance constructing sewer lines within the right-of-way to help improve maintenance access. The city will pay 2.49% interest on the 20-year loan. This loan qualifies for a reduced interest rate due to the city being a WaterFirst Community.

Other GEFA Board Actions:

Annual Operating Budget

The GEFA board approved the GEFA annual operating budget for fiscal year 2026.

Annual Program Limits

The GEFA board approved annual loan program limits for fiscal year 2026 for the Georgia Fund ($275 million), CWSRF ($120 million), and DWSRF ($90 million).

Loan Program Policy

The board approved an update to the loan program policy for the Georgia Fund to increase its per project limit to $15 million.

Resolution

The GEFA board approved a resolution requesting the Georgia State Financing and Investment Commission increase the total multiyear Guaranteed Energy Savings Performance Contracting value authority for fiscal years 2025 and 2026 to $36,900,000.

Resolution

The board approved a resolution to establish a local government investment pool account for the purpose of managing appropriated funds designated for the coastal region and other specified water and sewer projects in the state.

City Auburn

The board approved a scope modification to a $4,198,000 Georgia Fund loan originally approved in November 2024. 

City of Bainbridge

The board approved an interest rate update to a $1,500,000 CWSRF loan originally approved in January 2025.

City of Cochran

The board approved a scope modification to a $2,500,000 CWSRF loan originally approved in November 2015.

City of Dawson

The board approved a scope modification to a $2,200,000 CWSRF loan originally approved in January 2024.

City of Sparta

The board approved a scope modification to a $2,800,000 CWSRF conservation loan originally approved in November 2023.

City of Warrenton

Due to increased construction costs, the board approved a $919,047 Georgia Fund loan to supplement a $791,100 DWSRF loan approved in February 2024.