BO DOROUGH: Stormwater issue impacts Dougherty County as well as Albany

Sewage and runoff, primarily stormwater, is transported to the Wastewater Treatment Plant in the same pipes. The city of Albany, for many years, held a permit authorizing discharge into the Flint River, following heavy rainfalls, when the Wastewater Treatment Plant could not process the combined stormwater and sewage.

The city, some years ago, reduced funding for maintenance and repair of lift stations and other components of the sewer system. This was the primary cause of the spills that occurred at various locations in 2018 and 2019.

Environmental groups and concerned citizens petitioned the state Environmental Protection Division to deny any request to extend the city’s permit and further petitioned the EPD to compel the city to accomplish complete separation of its sewer and stormwater pipes. The city commissioned a study that projected the costs of achieving that objective within five years, to be $105 million. The 85% separation would be the first of three phases. The complete project will take 20 years, at an estimated cost of $300 million.

The Environmental Protection Division, on Sept. 21, 2020, notified the city of Albany that the city would have to obtain 85% separation of the combined sewer and stormwater pipes in its system by June 30, 2025.

There seems to be a fundamental misunderstanding as to the gravity of this directive. The city has been working tirelessly to secure state and federal grants. Many citizens were critical of the city commission’s decision to allocate the entire $10.2 million ARPA grant to this project. The city secured $12.2 million in CARES funding, awarded by the state Water and Sewer Infrastructure Committee. The city commission will, in all probability, allocate $4 to $5 million from the second ARPA grant to the project.

Some county representatives have correctly observed the city could have converted to a separate sewage system years ago. This assertion disregards the fact that the city was under no obligation to incur this expense. The city is now under a mandate.

The difference will have to be funded through bonded indebtedness, which will be secured by higher rates. SPLOST VIII would be an opportunity to finance much of that difference. Sales tax receipts have been declining for many years. The 1% sales tax for SPLOST generated $16.8 million in 2000, $16.7 million in 2010, and $16.2 million in 2020. The city’s Finance Department projects revenue of $16.6 million, for six years, should SPLOST be continued.

The city commission, in negotiations with the county commission, agreed to continue the current 64/36 split, if the county would agree to designate the first $20 million generated to the Combined Sewer Separation project. The city was prepared to allocate an additional $10 million to CSS. This, we felt, was quite reasonable, as it would minimize the financial hardship on those who have sewer service with the city, which includes approximately 900 households outside the city limits.

The debate has been irrational, to the extent that county commissioners represent this challenge as “a city problem.” The CSS should be a joint city/county project, as a substantial commitment of SPLOST dollars would limit the rate increases that will ultimately be paid by 85% of the constituents of the county commission, which includes all residents of the city of Albany. This project will benefit the entire community, and particularly our neighbors to the south, including many residents of Dougherty County, who have historically been exposed to the unpleasant results of tens of thousands of gallons of untreated stormwater and sewage being discharged into the Flint River.

I would hope that the county commission would reassess its refusal to contribute to the CSS, as the failure to provide additional funding will directly impact sewer fees in the future.

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