System Facilities – the HCWSA Drinking Water System
Raw Water Supply/Sources. - the river and reservoir network.
The County presently has four natural resources for obtaining raw water for water production: (1) Indian Creek, (2) Long Branch Creek, (3) the Upper Towaliga River, and (4) the Lower Towaliga River.
The HCWSA is currently constructing the Tussahaw Reservoir to add to the areas raw water supply. Please visit our construction page for more information on this project.
From these resources, the Authority maintains raw water storage capacity in the form of an extensive network of reservoirs. The reservoir system includes: (1) the 210-acre Gardner Reservoir (also known as Indian Creek), (2) the 230-acre Rowland Reservoir (also known as Long Branch), (3) the 89-acre Strickland Reservoir (also known as the Lower Towaliga), and (4) the 1,100-acre Cole Reservoir (also known as the Upper Towaliga).
Raw Water Intakes.
The County has three raw water intakes, one located at each of the Gardner, Strickland, and Rowland Reservoirs. The Authority alternately pumps raw water from pump stations located at each of these reservoirs, to the County's water treatment plant located at 1147 Indian Creek Road (Towaliga River facility). Raw water stored at the Authority's Cole Reservoir is released to the Lower Towaliga River, where it flows to the Strickland Reservoir and is then pumped to the water treatment plant.
Once raw water is treated at the Authority's Indian Creek Road Water Production Facility (Towaliga River facility), the finished drinking water is pumped to storage facilities and then distributed throughout the water distribution network, to the homes and businesses of Henry County.
Raw Water Storage Capacity at the Reservoirs.
The HCWSA has raw water storage capacity of approximately 2,200 acre-feet or 717 million gallons at its Gardner Reservoir. The Authority owns a raw water pump station located at its Gardner Reservoir, with a raw water pumping capacity of 12 million gallons per day (MGD). This raw water pump station was originally constructed in 1982 and was improved in 1992 and 1999.
The HCWSA also has raw water storage capacity of approximately 425 acre-feet or 138 million gallons at its Strickland Reservoir. The Authority owns a raw water pump station located at its Strickland Reservoir, with a raw water pumping capacity of 18 MGD. This raw water pump station was originally constructed in 1975, and improved in 1992 and 1999.
The HCWSA has raw water storage capacity of approximately 4,600 acre-feet or 1.5 billion gallons at its Rowland Reservoir. The Authority has the ability to release raw water from its Rowland Reservoir into its Strickland Reservoir, without the necessity of a raw water pump station. However, the Authority also owns a raw water pump station at its Rowland Reservoir, with raw water pumping capacity of 10 MGD.
Finally, the HCWSA has potential raw water storage capacity at its Cole Reservoir of 18,300 acre-feet, or 6.0 billion gallons. Water is released from the Cole Reservoir into the Lower Towaliga River, where it flows into the Strickland Reservoir and is then pumped to the water treatment plant.
Future water resources and production - the Tussahaw Reservoir and Treatment Facility.
The Authority is in the construction phase of an additional reservoir of approximately 1,500 acres, designed to increase the raw water storage and pumping capacity of the system. The Tussahaw Reservoir is necessary to accommodate the current unprecedented growth in Henry County, which according to some economic records is the fourth fastest growing county in the U.S.
The Tussahaw Reservoir will be located on Tussahaw Creek, at the confluence of Peeksville Creek and Malholms Creek, in Henry and Butts Counties. This reservoir is designed to provide a reliable raw water supply of 26 million gallons per day (MGD). The HCWSA purchased approximately 2,500 acres of land initially required for the proposed Tussahaw Reservoir. The Authority is also in the process of purchasing the remaining acreage necessary for the construction of the reservoir, as well as for wetlands mitigation, under the direction of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
You can track the process of the Tussahaw Reservoir project on our What's News link on this web site.
Water Treatment - producing the safest possible drinking water for the citizens of Henry County.
The County owns one water treatment plant - the Towaliga Water Treatment Facility - with a rated capacity for treatment of 24 MGD, and a (treated) water pumping rated capacity of 30 MGD. It is in the process of construction another plant, the Tussahaw Water Treatment Facility. It will initially provide 13 million gallons of finished drinking water per day (MGD) to HCWSA customers, though the plant is designed to expand to 26 MGD if necessary in the future.
The Authority's master plan, also referred to as "System Improvements" or "Capital Projects," includes plans for the construction of a solids handling facility at the water treatment plant, which will improve the means of de-watering sediments produced (by-products) in the treatment of water.
Storage Capacity.
The HCWSA owns four ground storage tanks with an aggregate storage capacity for treated water of 11.3 million gallons. The Authority also owns eight elevated storage tanks with an aggregate storage capacity for treated water of 5.7 million gallons. In addition, the HCWSA has 7.5 million gallons of clear well water storage capacity at water treatment plant. The Authority also has an additional ground storage tank and re-pumping station, with a storage capacity for treated water of 5 million gallons. Distribution System.
The HCWSA's water distribution network consists of approximately 1,458 miles of pipelines, ranging in size from 6 inches to 42 inches in diameter. Most of the transmission system pipelines are made of ductile iron, and most of the distribution system pipelines are made of C900 PVC. Approximately 25% of the pipelines have been in service for 14 years or more, with the oldest pipelines installed approximately 30 years ago.
