Bullock County hears detailed plan for Southeast water and sewer: wells, permit limits and revenue model explained

Consultants to Bullock County on Thursday presented a multi-year plan for the proposed Southeast Bullock water and sewer system and walked the Board of Commissioners through permit limits, a phased ramp-up of water production, projected revenue and long-term options if a surface-water supply becomes available.

The presentation, led by Tony Rojas of TPR Consulting Services and engineer Carl Hofstetter of Hofstetter & Associates, summarized technical, financial and contractual features the board will face as wells and mains are brought online.

The plan matters because the county’s four permitted wells are tied to a groundwater withdrawal permit that allows up to 6.65 million gallons per day (MGD). The consultants said the plant as designed is expected to ramp to roughly 3.92 MGD by January 2028 under current forecasts, and that production will be staged as demand grows.

“No wells are gonna come online until probably June of this year,” Tony Rojas said, describing the schedule for bringing the first wells and plant components into service.

Why it matters: the capacity and the permit shape what the county can sell wholesale, what Bryan County might supply and how the county plans for future growth or an alternate surface-water source. Rojas and Hofstetter emphasized that the contract terms, meter placement and a groundwater sustainability program are as important as the pipes and pumps.

Key facts from the presentation

- Permit and ramp-up: Four wells are permitted at a combined 6.65 MGD. The system’s initial operational forecast shows incremental use, with consultants estimating about 3.92 MGD under the current plant design in a multi-year ramp-up rather than immediate full production.

- Interim supply and operations: Bryan County will supply water from a Bry an County well onsite while additional wells are brought online. Under the agreement the county and Bryan County agreed Bryan County will operate and pay routine operating and maintenance costs for the Bullock County wells up to $21,000 per month for the first five years.

- Revenue model and rates: The business plan presented projects wholesale revenue from two components: a water consumption charge and a transportation charge (for use of Bullock County mains). The contract structures both as $1.00 per 1,000 gallons for the first five years, rising to $1.25 at year six and then increasing 2.5% annually thereafter. Consultants projected approximately $1.43 million in annual revenue in one modeled scenario when throughput reaches roughly 3.92 MGD; a full-permit scenario (6.6 MGD) would raise revenue further but was presented as a higher-capacity possibility rather than the conservative forecast.

- Metering and accounting: A metering station will be installed near the county line for most flow and a separate metering arrangement will measure one eastward well directly. Meters will be calibrated at least annually; the contract includes procedures for calibration checks and allocation of costs when re-testing is requested.

- Sewer capacity options: The agreement allows Bullock County to purchase initial wastewater treatment capacity (250,000 gallons per day) from Bryan County within six months after the new plant is operational, with options to acquire up to 1.0 MGD in increments. Consultants noted that buying capacity is often less expensive than building and operating a standalone treatment plant.

- Future alternate water source: Special permit language requires planning for an alternate surface-water supply; if such a surface-water source is developed and used, the special conditions expect the groundwater withdrawals to be reduced or supplanted. The contract includes a right for Bullock County to seek permit modifications and to adjust rates if regulatory changes reduce permitted pumping.

Board questions and clarifications

Commissioners asked about ownership of wells if surface water supplants groundwater; Rojas said he had not seen precedent for the state taking privately owned wells and that wells typically remain the property of the owner but may need to be capped if permanently taken out of service. Commissioner Ray Davis asked whether bringing in surface water would reduce pumping “gallon by gallon”; Rojas replied that if surface water supplanted well withdrawals, the county could pursue permit modifications or serve other areas to retain revenue.

Public-safety and operational notes

Consultants recommended a water storage tank for improved fire protection and pressure stability. They also recommended contracting an on-call utility contractor to respond quickly to main breaks, and establishing as-built mapping and geographical information system (GIS) records for valves, hydrants and mains.

Next steps and forum planning

Rojas and Hofstetter proposed a list of action items for the ground-water sustainability program: create a joint mitigation fund, appoint or hire a mitigation manager, prepare public-facing materials and a well-registration form, publish program information, and issue a request for proposals for third-party well-drillers and system contractors. The board later moved to form an advisory committee (see separate article on selection process).

Ending

The presentation left commissioners with a clearer schedule, a conservative revenue forecast and a set of technical and governance choices the county must resolve before full build-out. Consultants said they will supply additional cost breakdowns (well O&M, calibration and capital-recovery scenarios) and support the county as it implements the groundwater sustainability steps.