Miles SmithCommissioners in Fulton County, Georgia, have approved a roadmap detailing $278 million in capital improvements to increase water and sewer capacity over the next 25 years.
Fulton County Public Works Director David Clark said the North Fulton Water Distribution Master Plan and a separate rate study will help determine which projects and funds are necessary to maintain the system.
Commissioners will have an opportunity to discuss and vote on the rate study in the next one to two months, Clark said.
The improvements are being made to accommodate expected growth. While the county owns all sewer collections north of Atlanta, its water distribution pipes only service Johns Creek, Mountain Park, Alpharetta, Milton and most of Roswell.
By 2050, the county projects peak demand could grow by 34% to around 63 million gallons a day.
The North Fulton water distribution system serves around 285,000 with more than 1,200 miles of pipe.
Most of the projected population growth is centered around major highways, including Holcomb Bridge Road (Ga. 140), Medlock Bridge Road (Ga. 141) and Ga. 400.
Projects in the Capital Improvement Program are spread out over five phases, including 46 projects to complete the transmission main, smaller distribution pipes and storage capacity.
Major goals include:
- Completing the transmission main, which serves as the treatment facility’s main artery for water transport, to more efficiently serve the northwest portion of the system, which includes most of Milton and the western parts of Roswell and Alpharetta.
- Connecting distribution lines where larger pipes cross or abut smaller ones. The first phase of the project was completed last year with more scheduled for the second phase, for which completion is estimated in 2030.
- Increasing storage and capacity levels to meet 2050 growth expectations with six projects planned over the next 25 years, including additional tanks to supply the Johns Creek Town Center that has plans for a $560 million mixed-use development, Medley, which will surround City Hall and Creekside Park.
