HCWSA Drinking Water System
Raw Water Supply/Sources
Planning and constructing the HCWSA reservoir network
The Henry County Water & Sewerage Authority (HCWSA) owns and operates five drinking water reservoirs within its reservoir network. The HCWSA is what is referred to as a "surface water system" because its raw water supply is collected primarily from rainfall that runs off the earth's surface and eventually into in its drinking water reservoirs.
The HCWSA reservoir network includes:
- the 1,466-acre Tussahaw Reservoir,
- the 1,100-acre Upper Towaliga or Ed L. Cole Reservoir,
- the 121-acre Lower Towaliga or Robert W. Strickland, Jr. Reservoir,
- the 277-acre Long Branch or James H. Roland Reservoir, and
- the 209-acre Indian Creek or Gardner Reservoir.
Public drinking water reservoirs take years of advanced planning, permitting, construction, and filling, before they are able to serve as raw water sources for drinking water production. As an example, the planning and construction of the newest HCWSA reservoir - The Tussahaw - dates back several decades. The Authority began locating the site and acquiring the property for the Tussahaw more than 10 years before construction began in 2004. The gates to the dam were closed in October of 2005, when the reservoir began to fill according to the pace of seasonal rains. Finally, the Tussahaw Reservoir began operation in 2007, when the HCWSA first withdrew its raw water for drinking water production at the Authority's Tussahaw Water Treatment Plant, which had a similar timetable for design, construction, and operation.
Building public reservoirs - and water treatment facilities that often accompany them - requires extensive permitting as well, obtained only through cooperation with a number of federal and state regulatory agencies, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the state of Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Environmental Protection Division (EPD), and others.
Raw Water Storage Capacity at the Reservoirs
Preparing for unprecedented growth and drought management
The five raw water reservoirs of the HCWSA have a total storage capacity of more than 18 billion gallons. This equates to more than a year's worth of raw water supply for drinking water production, even in the unlikely event that the system does not receive any rainfall.
The collective raw water storage capacity among the Authority's five reservoirs breaks down as follows:
The Tussahaw Reservoir has a raw water storage capacity at full pool of approximately 30,000 acre-feet, or 9.78 billion gallons. Upon the opening of the Tussahaw Reservoir in 2007, the HCWSA more than doubled its raw water storage capacity, as the Tussahaw has more acre-feet than the Authority's other four reservoirs combined.
The Cole (Upper Towaliga) Reservoir has a potential raw water storage capacity of 18,300 acre-feet, or 6.0 billion gallons.
The Strickland (Lower Towaliga) Reservoir has a raw water storage capacity of approximately 425 acre-feet or 138 million gallons.
The Rowland (Long Branch) Reservoir has a raw water storage capacity of approximately 4,600 acre-feet or 1.5 billion gallons.
And the Gardner (Indian Creek) Reservoir has a raw water storage capacity of approximately 2,200 acre-feet or 717 million gallons.
Summary of HCWSA raw water storage:
| Reservoir | Gallons of storage |
|---|---|
| Tussahaw | 9.78 Billion |
| Cole | 6.00 Billion |
| Rowland | 1.50 Billion |
| Gardner | 717 Million |
| Strickland | 138 Million |
| Total: | 18.135 Billion |
Raw Water Intakes
The Henry County Water & Sewerage Authority utilizes the five reservoirs within its network system to deliver good, quality raw water necessary for producing clean, safe finished drinking water in its two water treatment facilities. Raw water from the reservoirs reaches the water treatment plants via Intake Pumping Stations capable of delivering a combined total of over 50 million gallons per day (MGD).
Monitored Flow at the Tussahaw Dam
Raw water quality is important to the HCWSA, so the following table is being included on this Web site to provide real time data of the quantity and quality of the water being released to flow downstream from the Tussahaw Reservoir.
| Reservoir Flow | 16.0 | Million Gallons per Day |
| Reservoir pH | 7.0 | |
| Reservoir Temperature | 48 | F |
| Reservoir Dissolved Oxygen | 12.760 | Parts per Million |
Water Treatment
Producing clean, safe drinking water for HCWSA customers
The HCWSA owns two drinking water treatment facilities – the Tussahaw and Towaliga Plants.
The Tussahaw Water Treatment Plant has a production capacity of 13 million gallons per day (MGD), with infrastructure in place to expand capacity another 13 MGD if necessary in the future.
In fact, the Authority has already designed the Phase II expansion of the Tussahaw Plant, so plans for construction are in place when such additional production capacity is needed. Phase II expansion at Tussahaw also features plans for the construction of a solids handling facility at the plant, which will improve the means of de-watering sediments (by-products) produced in the treatment of finished drinking water.
The Towaliga Water Treatment Facility has a rated capacity for treatment of 24 MGD, and a (treated) water pumping rated capacity of 30 MGD.
Once raw water is treated at either the Tussahaw or Towaliga Plants, the finished drinking water is pumped to storage facilities and then distributed throughout the water distribution network, into the homes and businesses of more than 50,000 HCWSA customers.
Drinking Water Storage
The network of elevated and ground storage tanks
The HCWSA owns four ground storage tanks with an aggregate storage capacity for treated water of 11.3 million gallons. The Authority also owns nine elevated storage tanks with an aggregate storage capacity for treated water of 6.7 million gallons. In addition, the HCWSA has 6.0 million gallons of water storage at the clear well of its Tussahaw Plant, and another 5.5 million gallons of total clear well water storage capacity at the Towaliga Facility.
Summary of Storage Tank Capacity:
| Tank Type | Capacity |
|---|---|
| 4 ground tanks | 11.3 Million |
| 9 elevated tanks | 6.7 Million |
| Tussahaw Clear Well | 6.0 Million |
| Towaliga Clear Well | 5.5 Million |
| Total: | 29.5 Million |
Drinking Water Distribution
The vast underground water mains and lines of the HCWSA system
The HCWSA's water distribution network consists of approximately 1,300 miles of pipelines, ranging in size from 6 inches to 48 inches in diameter. Most of the transmission and distribution system pipelines are made of ductile iron. Approximately 25% of the pipelines have been in service for nearly 20 years, with the oldest pipelines installed more than 30 years ago.
Water Quality Lab
Assuring safe, clean drinking water for HCWSA customers
The HCWSA Tussahaw and Towaliga Water Treatment Plants are operational 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, and 365 days per year, by trained and state-certified plant operators. In addition, the Authority's Tussahaw Water Treatment Plant houses the HCWSA Water Quality Lab, which features the latest technology in monitoring equipment, to assure customers that their water has been treated to the highest standards for quality and safety in the industry.
Maintaining the HCWSA drinking water distribution system involves routine sampling, flushing of water lines, and ongoing maintenance of water storage tanks. The Authority staff takes a minimum of 120 samples per month from throughout the distribution system, which in turn are tested in the state-certified, bacteriological Water Quality Lab.
The HCWSA Water Quality Lab was runner-up in 2008 for the Water Lab of the Year Award, as presented by the Georgia Association of Water Professionals (GAWP).
Capital Improvements
Planned upgrades to the award-winning HCWSA system
Over the last few years, the HCWSA has implemented several capital improvements according to the master plan of its water system. Some of those highlights include:
- Designing the Phase II expansion of the Tussahaw Water Treatment Plant.
- Upgrading the Towaliga Water Treatment Plant, through renovation of 7 basins and flocculators.
- Completing approximately 50 miles of water distribution line extensions.
- Addressing approximately 12 projects of water main and water line rehabilitation.
- Monitoring both chemical and biological constituents and parameters of water bodies, as part of the Watershed Assessment and Stormwater Phase II project.
- Constructing additional boat ramps at the Tussahaw and Cole (Upper Towaliga) Reservoirs for public access.
- Construction additional water storage tanks to increase system storage capacity.
Finally, the HCWSA celebrated a watershed event on May 13, 2008, when the Tussahaw Reservoir reached full pool for the first time since construction was completed in August of 2005.
An Award-Winning Water System
HCWSA recognized as a water industry leader
Over the last few years, the HCWSA has been recognized by the Georgia Association of Water Professionals (GAWP) and others as an award winning system. Some of those industry awards and accolades include:
- The 2008 Southeast Region "Award of Merit" for HCWSA General Manager Lindy Farmer, as presented by the Association of State Dams Safety Officials (ASDSO).
- The GAWP 2008 Water Distribution System of the Year Award in the state of Georgia, for the "large system" category.
- The GAWP 2008 Runner-up for Wastewater Collection System of the Year Award in the state of Georgia, for the "large system" category.
- The GAWP 2008 Runner-up for Water Lab of the Year Award in the state of Georgia, for the "large system" category.
- The GAWP 2007 Public Education Program of the Year Award in the state of Georgia, for the "large system" category.
- The GAWP Gold Awards for 100% Permit Compliance at both the Towaliga and Tussahaw Water Treatment Facilities.
- The GAWP "Golden Wrench Award" for Joe Wisniski, which rated him as the best mechanic in the water industry in Georgia.
- The GAWP "Top Op" Award, both in District 3 and the entire state, for Andy Young, which rated him as the best water plant operator in Georgia.
- The "Honor Award" from the Georgia Engineering Alliance for the design and construction of the Tussahaw Water Treatment Plant.
