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DeKalb CEO unveils $4.7 billion water-infrastructure plan and outreach program
Summary
DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran Johnson announced a $4.7 billion water-infrastructure plan launched within the administration's first 90 days, coupled with a Water Rate Assistance Program and broad outreach to residents amid ongoing drought concerns.
Lorraine Cochran Johnson, DeKalb County chief executive officer, announced a $4.7 billion water‑infrastructure plan that the administration launched in its first 90 days, calling it the largest infrastructure investment in county history.
“This is not incremental change. That is transformation,” Johnson said, describing the plan as a funded, multi‑year effort to repair and replace the county’s water and sewer systems and to create a “clear funded path forward.” She also said the county raised water rates to support the program and established a Water Rate Assistance Program (RAP) to help households who need relief.
Why it matters: DeKalb’s infrastructure investments affect daily services, public health and long‑term growth. Officials said the RAP has been paired with an extensive outreach effort — more than 250,000 residents reached via direct mail, billing statements and the DeKalb Dispatch newsletter — to connect eligible households with assistance.
Context and specifics: Johnson said projects are moving from planning into construction and emphasized the importance of acting before critical systems fail. The address noted the county’s decade‑long, historic commitment to water remediation and referenced regional drought conditions; Danny Johnson of the Atlanta Regional Commission reminded the audience the region remains in a Level 1 statewide drought and that more rainfall is needed to recover.
What’s next: County leaders said specific project timelines and neighborhoods served will be released as contracts are awarded and shovel‑ready projects are confirmed. The county framed the program as a multi‑year transformation rather than a short, incremental fix.
