Summer 2007Volume 2  |
CSO Tunnel Excavation Completed - Second Tunnel Boring Machine "Holes Through"
Atlanta achieved yet another water quality milestone on July 17 when the tunnel boring machine (TBM) known as Rocksanne holed-through near the North Avenue CSO Treatment Facility. The 27-foot-diameter TBM began its 4.5-mile journey in January 2005 in a construction shaft under the R.M. Clayton Water Reclamation Center on Bolton Road; since then Rocksanne has weathered a 52-day shut-down to replace the TBM’s main bearing and slow tunneling through solid granite.
The $300 million tunnel project also includes design and construction of a pump station and a new dedicated treatment facility set up to treat the combined stormwater and sewage that will pass through the completed tunnel.
"This tunnel will help dramatically reduce the number of combined sewer overflows in our system," said Commissioner Rob Hunter, who observed the hole-through with Mayor Shirley Franklin and George Barnes, Deputy Commissioner for the Bureau of Engineering Services.
Hunter also thanked the Mayor for her support of the project and the entire Clean Water Atlanta program. "Without Mayor Franklin's support and encouragement, these projects simply would not be possible" he said.
Water/sewer Rate Increase Less Than Projected
New water/sewer rates that are significantly lower than those proposed in 2003 took effect July 1. A five-year rate increase plan, approved by the City Council in 2003, would have necessitated an increase of more than 40 percent in 2008. The Water Rate Reduction Program (WRRP) that is financed by the Municipal Option Sales Tax (MOST), which Atlanta voters supported overwhelmingly in 2004, means that the increase will be about 10 percent.
The City continues to have graduated water/sewer rates that reward conservation. The more water a customer uses, the more that customer pays per CCF (a CCF is 100 cubic feet or about 750 gallons). Thus, the less you use, the less your water/sewer service costs you.
The MOST, which also ensures that visitors and tourists pay a portion of the costs for infrastructure improvements, is a one-cent sales tax on goods and services. The four-year tax is aimed entirely at rolling back water/sewer rate increases. Thus far, it has generated $252 million in revenues. With revenues from the MOST, the bill for the typical Atlanta household will be $84.60. Without those revenues, the same bill would be $118.18. The tax is scheduled to end in October 2008. A referendum to reauthorize it will be on the February 2008 ballot.
Detailed rate information is available at www.atlantawatershed.org.
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City Plant Wins Compliance Award
The National Association of Clean Water Agencies, which represents more than 300 wastewater agencies nationwide, has bestowed a Platinum Peak Performance Award on the City’s Utoy Creek Water Reclamation Center, citing eight consecutive years of compliance with state and federal regulations. Deputy Commissioner George Barnes will accept the award during NACWA’s summer conference later in July.
“The City is proud of Utoy Creek, which is indicative of our commitment to Atlanta’s environment and the health of the Chattahoochee and South rivers,” Barnes said.
The Utoy Creek facility has also been named a “Green Building” by the U.S. Green Building Council under its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program.
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City Watering Restrictions Tightened
The ongoing drought has prompted Commissioner Rob Hunter to tighten the watering restrictions in the City of Atlanta. Customers can now water only on Saturday or Sunday, based on their addresses. Those at even-numbered addresses can water from 12:01 am to 10 am Saturday, while those at odd-numbered addresses can water from 12:01 am to 10 am Sunday. Click on chart for watering schedule.
Meteorologists suggest that the drought currently plaguing the City is a 50-year drought, meaning that conditions as dry as current conditions appear only once every 50 years, prompting many local water agencies to implement level 3 drought restrictions.
The drought has seriously affected stream and river levels throughout Georgia, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), which noted that, during May, state waterways were at the lowest levels ever recorded for the month. Climatologists and meteorologists have said they see no relief from the dry weather in the near future.
Newly planted landscaping and personal food gardens are exempt from the watering restrictions, as are commercial entities like car washes and landscaping companies. A complete list of exemptions, as well as conservation tips, is posted at www.atlantawatershed.org/WaterRestrictions.htm.
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City Celebrates Reopening of Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard
Local business owners, residents, City Council members and City of Atlanta employees came together on Saturday, April 28, to celebrate the reopening of Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard after a three-month closure necessitated by the Greensferry Sewer Separation Project.
A deejay played funk tunes while people danced in the streets, ate Krispy Kreme doughnuts, watched Capoeira demonstrations and waited for Noon – when the barricades at Lee Street and Joseph Lowery Boulevard were officially removed.
“After four months, RDA is now open for business,” said Department of Watershed Management Commissioner Robert Hunter. “And it’s two days ahead of schedule.”
The segment of RDA between Lee Street and Joseph Lowery had been closed since January so the Department of Watershed Management could install a new sewer line in the area. The project falls under the $3.9 Billion Clean Water Atlanta Program.
“The sewer separation projects are some of the most disruptive work the City has ever taken on,” said William Horton, Public Information Officer. “To separate the sewers, we have to dig up the streets because that’s the only way you can install new sewer lines. Plus, in
Most business owners and residents, however, understood that the project was necessary to support future development. Installing a second pipe for sanitary sewage will ensure that needed capacity exists to support growth. The existing pipe, which now carries sanitary sewage and stormwater flow, will handle only stormwater once the project is complete
Although he describes the road closure as “a necessary evil for the city,” Richard Dent, Vice President/Manager of the Mall at West End, said, "Opening up this segment will make a big difference in vehicle and pedestrian traffic.”
Most local businesses and residents of West End have been willing to put up with the inconvenience because of the benefits. As District 4 Councilperson Cleta Winslow said, “This $100 million project is a big infusion of capital into West Atlanta.”
Councilperson-at-large Ceasar Mitchell echoed her comments. “The price of progress and long-term prosperity called for us to buckle down for a while, but these [local] businesses mean so much to us, and we thank the Department of Watershed Management and these businesses for sticking with us,” he said.
The basin-wide project will be completed in September 2007. Restoration work, such as paving and landscaping, will take place shortly thereafter. For more information about this project, please contact the Greensferry Public Information Office at 404-753-1646 or access the website at www.atlantawatershed.org.
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St. Pierre Named Wastewater Deputy Commissioner
Commissioner Rob Hunter has named David St. Pierre, the former director of operations for the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer Water District in St. Louis, Mo., Deputy Commissioner for Wastewater Treatment and Collection. St. Pierre assumed his duties in Atlanta on July 1.
St. Pierre worked for the St. Louis Sewer Water District since 1992 in various capacities from instrument technician to pump station manager to operations director. In his former position, he was responsible for managing the City’s collection system and wastewater treatment facilities, interacting with its Board of Directors, and developing and carrying out the district’s strategic business and operating plans.
St. Pierre has a bachelor’s degree from Eugene Bible College in Eugene, Ore., and a BS in electrical engineering from Southern Illinois University. Pierre and his wife, Jane, have three sons. He is originally from New Orleans.
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DWM Does Its Part on Earth Day…And The Day Before
DWM volunteers showed the Earth a little love on April 21 and 22 at the City’s first Arms Around Atlanta Earth Day Festival. Though technically, Earth Day is April 22, the City opted for two days of cleanups, informational booths, and other Earth-friendly activities for adults and kids.
At two booths near the stage, DWM volunteers explained the recently completed Greenway Acquisition Program and shared useful tips on conserving water. “Everybody was looking for the shower timers,” says volunteer Pat Vaughn, an Administrative Analyst in the Customer Service Division. “Whoever came up with the idea of monitoring how long [people] stay in the shower – that was brilliant.”
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A DVD featuring the winners of DWM’s water conservation poetry contest played continuously so visitors could hear the young people read their own work. In the children’s area, kids at the DWM booth played water bingo and made clothespin dragonflies.
In addition, more than 30 residents and volunteers labored in Kirkwood’s Sugar Creek, a popular illegal dumping ground, on Saturday morning. Together, they fished, tugged and dragged tons of trash and debris and unxpected items from the much-abused creek.
On the south side of the City, volunteers picked up trash and trimmed branches/underbrush along Browns Mill Rd.
DWM provided waterproof boots to volunteers at the Kirkwood stream cleanup and the Browns Mill neighborhood cleanup.
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DWM Joins In To Celebrate AFCWTP Improvements
DWM Commissioner Rob Hunter joined City Councilmember Clair Mullter, Fulton County officials and the mayors of Johns Creek and Sandy Springs to celebrate the dedication of the Atlanta-Fulton County Water Treatment Plant expansion and reservoir. The $67 million project, which came in on time and under budget, involved the construction of a 490-million-gallon reservoir, and improvements that will ensure that the plant continues to meet its obligation of providing clean, safe drinking water to North Atlanta and North Fulton County.
Additionally, during the celebration, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration presented the plant with a Gold Star Award for the agency’s Voluntary Protection Program – the first such award to a publicly owned, privately operated water or wastewater treatment facility in Georgia. The award recognizes employee protection programs that go beyond the requirements of OSHA standards.
The plant is operated by joint venture partner Veolia Water/Khafra.
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“Our employees are our most important resource,” noted Commissioner Rob Hunter. “That’s why this award makes us especially proud. It recognizes our ongoing commitment to our workforce.”
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DWM Receives Award for U-Fix-It Workshops
Where water conservation is concerned, less really is more. DWM’s U-Fix-It Workshops demonstrate how customers can save water – and reduce water bills – by installing simple water-saving devices in their toilets, faucets and showers. This use-less-and-save approach impressed judges at the Georgia Association of Water Professionals (GAWP) conference so much they gave DWM an Honorable Mention in the 2006 Fox McCarthy Water Wise contest.
According to workshop creators Marilyn Johnson and Diane Badger, judges were particularly impressed with how “transferable” the workshops are. “Among other places, the City of Gainesville and Cobb County have begun conducting similar workshops,” said Badger, a Public Information Manager with the Department.
Although DWM had provided water-saver kits to customers by request, the kits alone weren’t filling the need. “It’s one thing to hand somebody a package with a low-flow shower head, a couple of sink aerators, and a toilet bladder; it’s another to show people how to use all these things,” Badger said.
Since 2004, DWM has conducted 18 U-Fix-It Workshops at senior centers, recreation centers and other facilities across Atlanta’s metro area. A recently hired Seniors Outreach Coordinator has taken over the responsibility to conduct these workshops.
DWM received its award on April 10 at the 2007 GAWP Spring Conference in Macon.
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Water Quality Report Available
The annual Consumer Confidence Report, mandated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as part of the City’s Consent Decree agreements is being mailed out with the June water/sewer bills. The report details testing conducted over the past year with information about the Atlanta water system and testing results. All results show no significant levels of the various contaminants the City tests for.
The City conducts more than 50,000 tests annually to screen for turbidity, as well as coliform bacteria, Cryptosporidium, lead, copper and more than 150 other organic and inorganic contaminants.
The report will also be available at public libraries, rec centers, senior facilities and City offices, and it is posted at www.atlantawatershed.org.
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The Security Surcharge: What is it?
Every month, City water customers pay a .15 security surcharge for each CCF of water used (one CCF is 100 cubic feet of water or about 750 gallons). So, if you use three CCF, you are assessed .45 cents.
The security surcharge was added to water/sewer bills in 2004 after City Council approval. The amount was based on 2003 estimates for security improvements deemed necessary after a federally mandated vulnerability assessment was conducted. DWM conducted a subsequent drinking water utility vulnerability assessment in 2004. These assessments and continued studies help determine how the revenue raised via the security surcharge should be spent.
As of May 26, 2007, the water security surcharge had generated $13.5 million. Click here for a list of improvements that the surcharge has funded.
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DWM Commissioner Appointed to Board of Directors for Water for People
Commissioner Rob Hunter was recently appointed to be the Association of
Metropolitan Water Agencies' representative on the Board of Directors
of Water for People, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting
local clean water initiatives around the world.
According to Water for People, lack of access to clean, safe water dooms
millions of people worldwide — particularly women — to lives
of chronic poverty.
The group helps local people in countries like Bolivia, Malawi, India,
Guatemala and Honduras improve their quality of life by supporting the
development of locally sustainable drinking water sources, sanitation
facilities and hygiene education. Since its inception in 1991,
it has funded and supported the development of more than 700 water and
sanitation projects worldwide. For more information about
Water for People, visit www.waterforpeople.org.
and www.CleanwaterAtlanta.org
55 Trinity Avenue, Suite 5400
Atlanta GA 30303
Tel: 404.330.6081 | Fax: 404.330.7194
Official E-newsletter for the City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management • © 2007