County now offering 'reuse' water for irrigation

FLOWERY BRANCH - Hall County is now in the "reuse water conservation" business.

A ribbon-cutting was held Thursday morning at Sterling on the Lake in Flowery Branch to mark the start of the new program at the community.

Hall County Commission Chairman Tom Oliver said the water used for irrigation at Sterling comes from a plant the county bought roughly 18 months ago.

"Rather than spraying it on fields it's treated to the highest levels and we send it back into the landscaping areas," he said.

County public utilities director Ken Rearden said said "The program will save county taxpayers and allow for irrigation even in times of drought and water restrictions."

Installation of the system cost $126,578 in SPLOST funding. User fees are 85 cents per 1,000 gallons. County officials say with the capability of producing about 140,000 gallons per day, the system could earn $3,500 a month for the county.

Hall County schools, the library system, and Sterling on the Lake are the first users of the new system. Other large residential communities and businesses in the South Hall area have, according to county officials, expressed an interest in reuse water, and the county intends to work to meet their needs.

"Conserving water is critical to the future of Hall County and this region," Oliver said, "and this commission is dedicated to preserving that resource for future generations."