Quick References

Outdoor Watering Restrictions
View current restrictions.

Wetlands Center
View information about the Authority's unique educational center.

Toilet Rebate Program
Learn more about this program for residential customers.

HISTORY

1955 - The Georgia General Assembly established the Clayton County Water Authority (CCWA). J.A. "Red" Garner was selected as first Chairman of the CCWA Board and Robert and Company was hired as engineering firm of record. Bonds totaling $1.1 million were sold to finance the initial construction of the water system. Ed Kemp doubles as both the Clayton County and CCWA attorney. Robert McMullen served in the capacity of what would be referred to as general manager.

1956 - With initial financing secured, the Authority completed the Little Cotton Indian Creek Water Production Plant (W.J. Hooper), supplying 2.0 million gallons of drinking water capacity per day (MGD). The Mountain View elevated tank was built, with 250,000 gallons of storage. The CCWA organization at this time features:

CCWA serves 450-475 customers
CCWA employs 8
CCWA owns and operates 5 pieces of equipment
CCWA supplies 250,000 gallons of water on an average day

1957 - General obligation bonds totaling $950,000 financed the beginning of construction of the sewer system. The CCWA also received a Public Service health grant of $250,000 to support this initial construction. T.J. Elliott served in the capacity of what would be referred to as general manager.

1958 - The Flint River Plant (W.B. Casey) was completed, with the capability of treating 1.0 MGD of wastewater.

1959 - Revenue bonds of $750,000 were sold to finance further construction of the system.

1960 - Edward L. "Ed" Huie, Jr. was hired as General Manager.

1961 - Pumping stations and a 500,000 gallon storage tank were built in and around areas of Morrow. Revenue bonds of $350,000 were sold to finance construction of the system.

1962 - The Little Cotton Indian Creek Plant was expanded to 4.0 MGD. Revenue bonds of $650,000 were sold to finance further construction of the system.

1964 - The CCWA pursued major expansion of the water system. General obligation bonds of $975,000 and revenue bonds of $1.16 million were sold to finance construction of the system. Elevated tanks at Lovejoy and Crystal Lake were built, with a capacity of 500,000 gallons each. The 170-acre Little Cotton Indian Creek (W. J. Hooper) Reservoir filled with 300 million gallons of capacity. Charles Crawley was selected as Chairman of the CCWA Board.

1965 - The Morrow pumping station was expanded, with an 8.0 MGD pump added. Revenue Bonds of $2.12 million were sold to finance construction of system.

1966 - The Little Cotton Indian Creek (W. J. Hooper) Water Production Plant expanded from 4.0 to 10.0 MGD. An elevated tank at Conley Road was built, with 500,000 gallons of storage capacity. The Flint River Plant (W.B. Casey) expanded from 1.0 to 6.0 MGD.

1967 - Revenue bonds of $1.795 million were sold to finance construction of the system. The CCWA completed construction on its headquarters building located off of Lake Harbin Road in Morrow.

1970 - The Northeast Clayton County Water Reclamation Facility opened, with 800,000 gallons of treatment capacity per day.

1971 - The Little Cotton Indian Creek (W. J. Hooper) Plant expanded from 10.0 to 14.0 MGD. Revenue bonds of $4 million were sold to finance construction of the system. Bob Oliver was retained to provide legal counsel for the CCWA.

1972 - The Flint River (W.B. Casey) Water Reclamation Facility expanded from 6.0 to 9.0 MGD. The R.L. Jackson Water Reclamation Facility opened, with 1.0 MGD treatment capacity. Revenue bonds of $4.5 million helped finance system construction.

1973 - The CCWA refinanced its 1971 bonds in the amount of $3.76 million to finance construction of the system.

1977 - Edgar Blalock, Jr. was selected as Chairman of the CCWA Board. Revenue bonds of $12 million were sold to finance construction of the system.

1978 - The CCWA acquires the property that includes Shamrock Lake.

1979 - The Little Cotton Indian Creek (W. J. Hooper) Plant expanded from 14.0 to 20.0 MGD of water production capacity, while the R.L. Jackson Plant expanded from 1.0 MGD to 4.5 MGD of wastewater treatment capacity.

1980 - The Flint River (W.B. Casey) Water Reclamation Facility expanded from 9.0 to 15.0 MGD of wastewater treatment capacity, and pelletization operations began. The E.L. Huie Land Treatment facility opened.

1981 - Lake Shamrock opened for fishing and picnicking.

1982 - The Shoal Creek Water Reclamation Facility opened, treating 1.1 MGD of wastewater. The 300-acre Shoal Creek land treatment facility also opened. The Irongate and Highlands Water Reclamation Facilities closed, each treating 500,000 MGD of wastewater. Revenue bonds of $12.5 million were sold to finance construction of the system.

1983 - E.L. "Ed" Huie, Jr. retired as General Manager and was replaced by Melvin Newman. Revenue bonds of $6 million were sold to finance system construction.

1984 - The original Mountain View Elevated Tank was dismantled to make way for Hartsfield International Airport expansion. The new Mountain View Tank was built to provide 1 million gallons of finished drinking water storage. The Grant Road Elevated Tank was also built, with a 1 million gallon capacity.

1985 - The J.W. Smith Water Production Plant opened, producing 6.0 MGD of drinking water. The Northeast Water Reclamation Facility expanded from 800,000 to 4.0 MGD. Jack Drew was selected as CCWA Chairman of the Board. Revenue bonds of $23.53 million were sold to finance construction of the system.

1986 - The CCWA refinanced part of the 1985 bonds in the amount of $23.975 million to finance construction of the system.

1987 - The Flint River Water Reclamation Facility was re-named for W.B. Casey, who served as a CCWA board member for approximately 30 years. The Highway 138 Elevated Tank was built, storing 1 million gallons of finished drinking water.

1988 - The J.W. Smith Reservoir was opened for fishing and picnicking. Clayton County Fire Station No. 10 was dedicated to former Chairman of the CCWA Board Charles Crawley. The Little Cotton Indian Water Production Plant and Reservoir are renamed for William J. "Billy" Hooper, longtime department manager.

1989 - The Pate's Creek Reservoir was completed, filled and renamed the Edgar Blalock, Jr. Reservoir, measuring 263 acres in size and holding 889 million gallons of water when full.

1990 - The J.W. Smith Water Production Plant expanded from 6.0 to 12.0 MGD.

1991 - The CCWA constructed a Community Use Building on Lake Shamrock/Blalock.

1992 - The Pate's Creek (Blalock) Reservoir opened for fishing and picnicking. Revenue bonds of $15.5 million were sold to finance system construction.

1993 - Revenue bonds of $31.6 million were sold to finance construction of the system.

1994 - The CCWA acquired the city of Forest Park Water System. The Authority also completed construction of its new headquarters building off of Battle Creek Road in Morrow, later re-named the Jack H. Drew, Sr. Water Authority Headquarters Complex.

1995 - The Melvin Newman Wetlands Center opened.

1996 - The CCWA acquired the city of Jonesboro Water System. The J.W. Smith Community Use Building opened. Melvin Newman retired as General Manager and was replaced by Richard Calhoun. Revenue bonds of $33.08 million were sold to finance construction of the system.

1997 - JWA was hired as public relations counsel to begin a structured public education program for the Authority.

1998 - CH2M HILL was retained by the CCWA as its engineering firm of record. Joe T. Lane was selected as Chairman of the CCWA Board and Wade Brannan was hired as General Manager of the CCWA. Revenue bonds of $24 million were sold to finance construction of the system. Steve Fincher of Fincher & Hecht, LLC was retained as legal counsel for the Authority.

1999 - The Freeman Road Water Production Complex, featuring the ClariCone process, opened with a capacity to treat 10.0 MGD of potable drinking water.

2000 - The CCWA adopted the Water Resources Initiative 2000, the most comprehensive master plan in the Authority's history, designed to upgrade the water, sewer, and administrative and technological capabilities of the system. The capital projects scheduled for the first 10 years of the master plan total approximately $250 million. Revenue bonds of $22.32 million were sold to finance continued construction of the system.

2001 - The CCWA purchased the city of Riverdale Water System. Pete McQueen was selected as Chairman of the CCWA Board. Revenue bonds of $93.55 million were sold to continue financing construction of the system according to the Water Resources Initiative.

2003 - The CCWA opened its first Constructed Wetlands facility on Panhandle Road, which includes 55 acres of treatment wetlands with a capacity of 3.3 MGD. Revenue bonds of $87.685 million were sold to finance capital projects.

2004 - The CCWA opened the new W.B. Casey Water Reclamation Facility with the capacity to treat 24.0 MGD. In doing so, the CCWA decommissioned the old W.B. Casey and R.L. Jackson Water Reclamation Facilities. The CCWA completed Phase I of the E.L. Huie Constructed Wetlands facility, which provides approximately 55 acres of wetland cells with 3.6 MGD of treatment capacity. The CCWA refinanced $59.085 million of revenue bonds.

2005 - The CCWA sold revenue bonds totaling $60.245 million to continue upgrading the system. The Authority also began Phase II of the Huie Constructed Wetlands site, as well as upgrades at the Northeast Water Reclamation Facility, to be completed in 2008, which will expand treatment capacity from 6.0 to 10.0 MGD. Features of the CCWA on its 50th Anniversary in 2005:

The CCWA serves a population of over 267,000 and over 75,800 customers.
The CCWA employs over 350 people.
The CCWA owns and operates over 500 pieces of equipment.
The CCWA supplies 25.77 million gallons of water on an average per day.
The CCWA has an operating budget of approximately $80 million.
The CCWA holds over $452 million dollars of public assets.

2006 - The CCWA unveils a redesigned, more customer friendly web site and begins providing telephone and credit card payment options. The $20 million rehabilitation and upgrade of the William J. Hooper Water Production Plant was completed. Phase II of the E.L. Huie Constructed Wetlands was put in operation, adding another 3.0 MGD of treatment capacity. The Freeman Road Water Production Complex was officially renamed in honor of retired Deputy Manager Terry R. Hicks. Wade Brannan retired as General Manager and was replaced by P. Michael Thomas. The CCWA implemented a new Hardship Assistance Program to provide financial assistance with water/sewer bills to eligible customers.