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Demorest council reviews water-system costs, recommends higher SCADA quote and equipment purchases
Summary
At a Sept. 3 work session, Demorest officials reviewed YTD financials and several water-system items: two SCADA upgrade quotes (staff recommended the higher quote, to be paid from ARPA), an unbudgeted GDOT Panther Creek project with immediate costs and an Oct. 25 deadline, and equipment purchases tied to a GEFA grant.
Demorest City Council and staff spent much of their Sept. 3 work session reviewing water-system finances and infrastructure needs, including a recommended SCADA upgrade, an unexpected Georgia Department of Transportation project at Panther Creek with immediate cost implications, and proposed equipment purchases tied to a GEFA grant.
Alan Burton presented a seven-month financial review for the city, and staff reported that the water department faces rising costs and operational pressures. City Manager Mark Musselwhite and consultant Mr. Holliday presented a financial analysis of water system zones and concluded that, if the city continues relying on the City of Toccoa connection to offset peak demand, the city will likely need a systemwide water rate increase and/or a reduction in general fund transfers to support water operations. They urged reducing water loss and bringing the Garrison Road well into consistent service.
Musselwhite and Michael Duren presented two quotes to upgrade the water system SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) system: one for $133,000 and a higher proposal recorded in the transcript as $148,945. Mr. Popham recommended the higher quote; Musselwhite said staff would use American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds if council approved the purchase. The staff presentation noted the higher quote did not include a possible Toccoa addition.
Musselwhite also reported that a GDOT project at Panther Creek was let in July earlier than anticipated and was not budgeted. He said Bryan and his crew would need to move ductile iron pipes under Panther Creek and provided cost estimates: pipe materials $72,000; boring $21,000; backhoe rental $7,200; and a rock clause that could add about $20,000. Musselwhite said those costs would come from the Water/Sewer SPLOST account and that the project must be completed by Oct. 25.
On grant-funded work, Musselwhite said that performing the lead-and-copper inventory in-house could save substantial grant costs. Mr. Popham requested using up to $50,000 of GEFA-eligible funds (the grant covers 50% of equipment costs) toward a ground-penetrating radar priced at $33,995 and a Bobcat listed at $88,298.34; staff plan to trade in the existing Bobcat and use ARPA funds for any remainder.
No formal votes on the SCADA purchase, rate changes, or the Panther Creek cost allocation were recorded in the transcript. Staff presented recommendations and cost figures for council consideration; the transcript records presentations and staff recommendations but does not capture a motion, second, or final council action on these items.
The city manager recommended Alternative A, Part 2 from EMI as a way to cut costs from the 2024 budget; staff said they would return with next steps as part of budget and service planning.
What’s next: council has the information to consider capital spending from ARPA and SPLOST and to weigh rate or transfer changes following the financial analysis. The transcript does not record a date for any formal vote on these recommendations.
