Annual utility improvement plan includes north mainland sewer plant

May 30—A capital improvement project budget for the Brunswick-Glynn County Joint Water and Sewer Commission's 2023 fiscal year includes, among other things, the groundwork for a new sewer treatment plant for the north mainland.

The $15.5 million list covers a range of JWSC priorities from running new sewer infrastructure to part of the Arco neighborhood to improving existing infrastructure to upgrading software used to remotely monitor equipment. Utility commissioners unanimously approved the plan in April.

Among them is a $1.65 million line item to design a new wastewater treatment plant for the north mainland area of Glynn County and acquire the property on which to build it.

It would primarily serve Ga. 99 and parts north, said JWSC Executive Director Andrew Burroughs.

"Long-term it could also serve the areas north of Harry Driggers Boulevard along Highway 17, the Sterling area, and the areas along Greenswamp Road just to name a few areas," Burroughs added.

It's likely that water would be released into the Altamaha River after the treatment process, Burroughs said.

The new plant has been the subject of internal discussions for a while, he said, and has in the past year come up a few times at utility commission meetings and made its way into multiple iterations of the JWSC's master plan. It took the back burner when growth slowed in the last several year, but Burroughs said the utility now sees development in the region picking up again.

By building the plant, he explained that the utility is looking to be proactive by being ready for both residential and economic growth it anticipates in areas along and north of Ga. 99.

"The majority of current residential and commercial growth in our county is and has been occurring in the north mainland district," Burroughs said. "There's also major economic development potential in the north mainland with the Tradewinds and Gateway (industrial park) tracts."

Currently, nearly all sewage on the mainland is treated at the Academy Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant. Some of the infrastructure in the north mainland would be rerouted to the new plant, once it is complete.

There' no solid deadline for construction, Burrroughs said, as the property acquisition process largely depends on the seller. Once construction begins, he expects it would take two to three years to complete.

Another major expense on the list is a $2.75 million expansion of sewer lines into the Brunswick Villas neighborhood in the Arco area. The area already has public water access, he said.

The utility has priorities filling in the holes in the system when it comes to expansion, Burroughs said. Brunswick Villas is one such hole. Neighborhoods in every direction have access to sewer, but this area was never tied in. Improvements are already ongoing in Arco, he continued, and infill projects on Community Road and between Hambersham Street and Altama Avenue are in the engineering design process.

Brunswick Villas will add around 190 parcels to the utility's customer base of roughly 30,000.

Other projects on the annual capital improvements plan include:

—Georgia Environmental Finance Authority loan payments — $1.21 million

Debt Service on GEFA Loan for Academy Creek Rehab/CIPP Work and Meters.

—Academy Creek improvements — $1.5 million

Replace existing RAS pumps, piping, and electrical with chopper style pumps.

—Water production software upgrades — $750,000

Convert existing water production SCADA to new VTSCADA system.

—Pump Station 4105 force main reroute — $1.25 million

Install new force main from PS 4105 to Hwy 341

—Elevated storage tank rehabilitation — $1 million

Rehab Glynn Place Mall and Oglethorpe water towers.

—Pump Station 2056 improvements — $700,000

Install new pumps, discharge piping, and parallel force main.

—Pump Station 2033/2034 rehabilitation — $1.4 million

Rehab PS 2033 and 2034 due to condition.

—Pump Station 3114 reroute — $400,000

Separate force main and reroute to head of plant.

—Ocean Boulevard water improvements — $1.75 million

Replace existing water main from East Beach to Pier Village.

—Wesley Oaks Circle water main improvements $450,000

Replace existing 2" galvanized water main loop with 6" and 8" sections.

—Galvanized replacements — $250,000

Annual allotment to remove galvanized lines.

—JWSC facilities improvements — $450,000

Admin building site improvements, painting, HVAC, Academy and Harrington warehouse improvements.