City Rejects Forsyth County's Water Proposal

On May 26, the 25-year-old water contract that dictates the terms by which the city supplies the county's water will expire. As the clock ticks the city of Cumming and Forsyth County have yet to strike a deal.

Mayor H. Ford Gravitt said on May 7 the city sent a binding proposal in reference to raw water and treated water to Forysth County and in response that offer was rejected by the Board of Commissioners. Then on May 9 Gravitt said he and council received the county's counter proposal.

At Tuesday's meeting, the council rejected the county's latest nonbinding proposal in a 5-0 vote.

The mayor said to maintain quality water for homes and businesses in the city and county, furnished by a "state of the art facility" at the recently completed intake at Lake Lanier and the additional water treatment plant, that these facilities have to be paid for.

"It's my understanding, looking at the county's budget that the water that the city sold the county last year at the current rate, the county profited $16 million," said Gravitt.

He went on to say that the city's budget is only $12 million and that the county made more money off the water the city sold the county than what the city has in its budget.

"So who's making all the money," Gravitt asked.

What followed was the mayor's recommendation to the council to reject the proposal in its entirety and the current water contract that is set to expire in one week, not be extended.

Commission Chairman Jim Boff told Cumming Patch that he was not surprised by the decision.

Commissioner Patrick Bell agreed and said he was not surprised a bit about the counter proposal.

"The mayor and council have made one request of us – any proposal you sent over make it binding so we can accept it or decline it," Bell said. "But if we choose to accept it we can accept it at the meeting and we're done."

The mayor said the city and county have been working on the water contract for the last six years and doesn't believe in extending the current contract for another 25 days.

"I just think we're playing games," he said. "The county has a proposal from the city of Cumming which was sent over on May 7 and it's binding, the county sends the city a contract which is nonbinding."

The mayor also suggested to the county, "if you all can't get your act together as commissioners," to turn it over, put it on the ballot and ask the people to vote on whether or not they want the city to furnish Forsyth County with water.

But the mayor assured everyone that come May 26, "your water is not going to get turned off."

He also added that the $11.4 million invoice is still outstanding and needs to be paid to the city for the county's share of a raw water intake facility.

As far as next steps are concerned, Bell said he would be getting together with Commissioner Brian Tam to put another proposal together to present to the board.

"But I'm not sure we're going to get there," said Bell. "Well frankly it seems that Commissioner Boff wants the courts to decide instead of us to decide and that puts us all in jeopardy."

Current Contract (expires May 26)

• 10 cents per 1,000 gallons of raw water.

• $2.43 per 1,000 gallons of treated water.

Latest County Proposal (May 9)

Treated Water

• 5-year nonbinding contract to purchase 1.2 billion gallons of water annually at a rate of $2.25 per 1,000 gallons. This would include a 5-year extension of the current contract for treated water with a five-year option to renew.

Raw Water

• 15-year contract to purchase the untreated water at $.30 per 1,000 gallons with a 15-year option to renew at $.20 per 1,000 gallons.

Standing City Proposal (approved by City Council May 7)

Treated Water

• 5-year contract with tiered price structure.

• 1.2 billion gallons of water annually, up to 3.33 million gallons per day, at a rate of $2.25 per 1,000 gallons.

• Once the 3.33 million gallons of water per day peaks, the price would go up to $2.40 per 1,000 gallons for the next 3.33 million gallons of water used per day.

• After 6.66 million gallons in a single day, the rate increases to $3.60 per 1,000 gallons.

Raw Water

• 10-year contract with tiered price structure.

• 3.25 billion gallons of water a year at $.50 per 1,000 gallons used per day.

• After 3.25 billion gallons, the price would increase to $.75 per 1,000 gallons per day.