Jones County discusses sewer expansion, financing options and short-term repairs

Jones County officials spent a work-session hour on March 18 reviewing options to expand sewer service, pay for a new sewage treatment plant and prioritize short-term repairs where septic systems are failing.

The discussion centered on two tracks: long-term, high-cost infrastructure such as a regional sewage treatment plant to serve corridors and an industrial park; and near-term fixes for neighborhoods with failing septic systems and aging lift stations.

County staff and commissioners asked experts to produce targeted price analyses and a financial model. A staff member asked the engineering team to “run those numbers and bring it back to you and let you know what that would look like.” That model would estimate capital costs, phasing and the rate impacts needed to repay borrowing.

Why it matters: commissioners said sewer availability will determine where businesses locate and whether residential neighborhoods remain livable. One commissioner warned that neighborhoods with recurring septic failures risk “blighted neighborhoods” and a declining tax base, making repairs a priority.

Key points from the session

- Scale and cost: Participants recalled prior estimates in the tens of millions for a full system. One attendee said past figures near $50,000,000 had been discussed; staff noted borrowing could be done through JIFA but that “the repayment is still a concern.”

- Corridor versus countywide approach: Commissioners discussed focusing first on an industrial/commercial corridor along Grama (Gray) Highway—where density and potential commercial customers could improve payback—and separately building infrastructure to serve the industrial park. A county official said the Gray Highway corridor could be built in phases and listed potential pump stations and gravity sections needed to serve neighborhoods and businesses along the route.

- Short-term priorities: The group identified Shelby Court/Cole Drive and adjacent streets as an urgent priority because septic systems there are failing. An attendee reported a resident facing an anaerobic septic replacement estimated at about $15,000 and urged putting Shelby Court at the top of the list.

- Local examples and cost drivers: A consultant estimated trenching and pipe installation costs can be very high, saying, “I priced 1 for a travel center, 10 inch line, gravity. It's more than $300 a foot.” Panelists attributed much of the high cost to labor shortages compared with pre-2008 levels.

- Treatment location and discharge options: Participants discussed two main approaches for a new plant—discharging to Walnut Creek with advanced treatment to meet stringent limits, or land application (spray fields) that requires hundreds of acres and ongoing field maintenance. A consultant warned advanced treatment would be more expensive, noting a rough operating estimate of “$25 a gallon” for more advanced processing, while land application would reduce treatment cost but present neighbor-relations and agronomic management needs.

- Funding and legal limits on fees: Staff reported advice from ACCG that counties cannot lawfully charge water and sewer fees to parcels that are not connected to the system. The group also discussed “fire fees” as a local option in some jurisdictions but noted legal uncertainty: “The fire fee is currently under litigation in several counties,” a staff member said, and if a fee is challenged and deemed a tax, it would be illegal. Borrowing through JIFA and use of existing bond funds or project balances were discussed as available sources.

- Rate history and revenue: A staff member recalled the county’s water rate increase in 2023 from $3.76 to $4.44 per 1,000 gallons and said the rate structure was restructured and scheduled to remain in effect through 2027; county staff noted regular small annual adjustments also apply. Commissioners asked staff to provide a 10-year history of water rates and to run the rate model with multiple build/phase scenarios.

Discussion versus decisions

Much of the meeting was exploratory. Commissioners directed staff and consultants to prepare specific analyses: a corridor-focused cost estimate for Grama (Gray) Highway, a financial model showing payback and rate impacts, and prioritized cost estimates for Shelby Court and nearby lift-station upgrades. The board reiterated an earlier, informal commitment that Shelby Court upgrades would be funded from the identified (GForCW) construction balances if feasible, but no formal vote adopting a funding ordinance or bond was recorded in the transcript.

Costs and clarifying figures (from discussion)

- Basic local lift-station to serve Shelby/Cole area (staff estimate): approximately $4,000,000 (no generator included). - Pipe/trench pricing example from consultant: “more than $300 a foot” for a 10-inch gravity line. - Prior large-scale cost ballpark discussed: roughly $50,000,000 (mentioned as past figure). These numbers were presented as rough estimates and for planning only.

Next steps

County staff will return with a corridor pricing exercise for Grama (Gray) Highway, a financial model produced with the county’s rate consultant, a 10-year water-rate history, and a prioritized list of short-term repairs (Shelby Court and related lift-station upgrades) for board review.

Attribution of quotes and sources in this article comes from the meeting transcript; identified speakers during the sewer discussion are listed below.