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White City engineers recommend temporary hookup to Bartow County water as PFOS levels remain high
Summary
Engineering staff and the city engineer urged White City council to connect to Bartow County water after finding consistently high PFOS in local wells; the estimated Richards Road connection would cost about $350,000 and take roughly nine months, while drilling new wells could take up to two years and is uncertain.
City engineering staff told the White City Council on April 6 that elevated PFOS in the city’s wells makes a temporary connection to Bartow County water the most practical near-term option.
Engineering staff member Jay Renew said he “strongly recommends that the city go with Bartow County water even if on a short term basis due to the consistently high PFOS levels.” Renew estimated a wholesale rate of about $2.97 per 1,000 gallons and said a connection near Richards Road would cost roughly $350,000 with an expected nine-month turnaround. Renew cautioned that drilling for new wells could take up to two years and might not yield water free of PFOS.
Renew warned that some treatment options have high ongoing costs: granular activated carbon requires hiring a full-time water-treatment operator with a salary in the $80,000–$90,000 range plus benefits, and the spent carbon must be professionally disposed of. He also said federal funding and grants were not available for the proposed treatment approach and described reverse osmosis as “really expensive.”
Council discussion noted that Bartow County’s tested sources at this time showed PFOS levels that Renew said were not detectable. City Engineer John Sweitzer reinforced Renew’s recommendation, saying “the water is going to be this way for a very long time so the city should get connected to the Bartow County Water System,” and that while White City could keep its wells in place, the county connection could be permanent if suitable local sources are not found.
Mayor Curtis Powell and councilmembers discussed funding options. Sweitzer suggested using SPLOST funds to cover the connection cost to preserve grant money for exploration of alternative sources; Powell and others noted grant restrictions and reporting requirements could limit flexibility. Councilmember DJ Bennett asked whether the Bartow hookup would be reversible; Renew said it would.
Action and next steps: the council tabled formal action on an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with Bartow County until the next meeting to allow staff to return with detailed cost estimates. Sweitzer said staff would present costs for purchasing Bartow water at the next meeting.
The council’s discussion followed department reports and public comments. No formal vote was taken on adopting Bartow County water at the April 6 meeting.
