Waynesboro public works outlines infrastructure capacity, projects and development review process

Waynesboro Public Works gave the Planning Commission an overview of the department's operations, current projects and how new development ties into city utilities and streets. Britt, a Public Works Department representative, said the department manages water, wastewater, stormwater, streets, refuse and fleet programs and reviews and inspects public improvements for new subdivisions.

The presentation centered on how growth affects the distribution infrastructure that delivers service rather than the treatment plants. Britt said the city serves roughly 9,000 water and sewer customers and maintains about 410 miles of public infrastructure. "The raw water tank will help ease some of the strain" on source wells and treatment during high demand and drought, Britt said, and the tank at Coiner Springs is scheduled for completion March 25. He added that the water and wastewater treatment plants are operating at roughly 50 to 60 percent of capacity, and that distribution constraints'including long pump run times at booster stations'are a key concern as development grows.

Why it matters: commissioners and staff said the city is seeing a surge of residential subdivision activity, and Public Works emphasized that the city must ensure new streets and utilities are built to standards that the city can maintain after acceptance. That affects long-term maintenance budgets, emergency access and the timing of upgrades to mains and pumps.

Water and sewer details: Britt described the water system as fed from the Coiner Springs plant…