Blue Ridge’s Mayor Donna Whitener met with Fannin County Water Authority on August 19^th.  The purpose of the meeting was to discuss coordination between the Water Authority and the City of Blue Ridge in order to reduce the costs of laying new water lines and building pumping stations.

Specifically, Mayor Whitener wanted to find out where the Water Authority will be laying lines from Blue Ridge city limits towards McCaysville along the Hwy. 60 axis.  Mayor Whitener says that Blue Ridge needs to find a way to exchange water with McCaysville in the event of an emergency.  She also believes that Georgia’s Environmental Protection Department (EPD) will soon ask for that.  She said that EPD is starting to push the issue that Blue Ridge isn’t working through the Fannin’s Water Authority and will eventually want to see all three Fannin municipal water providers, McCaysville, Morganton and Blue Ridge, work through the Water Authority.

Currently, Blue Ridge is under a lot of pressure to repair its water and sewer infrastructure.  There are complaints from downtown businesses.  The Orchard Blvd. area still does not have the proper piping for full fire service, though this project is underwork.  The city upgraded its sewer facilities, but it anticipates it will have to spend much more to buy a system to cool the discharge before it goes back into the water supply.  “Our water budget is as much as our general fund,” said the Mayor.

Mayor Whitener also said that the city will soon need to pull water from Lake Blue Ridge.  Currently, the city draws all of its water from the Toccoa.  The city has a permit for 1.2 million gallons per day.  The city has an average daily draw of 1 million gallons.  After reaching 1.2 million gallons per day, it must start drawing from the lake.  Ellijay has also approached Blue Ridge about drawing water from the lake in the near future.

Mayor Whitener said new businesses and residences coming to the city will quickly increase the average draw.  New apartments, two new housing complexes with two more on the way, and Blue Ridge Assisted Living, and potential restaurant, hotel and condos at the marina will push the average draw to its limits.

Mayor Whitener also wanted to make sure that the city and the Water Authority use the upcoming expansion of Hwy. 5 to increase water lines and potentially lay sewer lines along Hwy. 5.  Mercier Orchards’ has approached the city about getting a sewer line to its Hwy. 5 property, especially since Mercier is looking to build a hotel and restaurant on its property.

Mayor Whitener wants to see stricter regulations regarding rules that weren’t put into place when subdivisions were developed.  The city is spending much money and time fixing lines in Mountain Tops that were improperly constructed by the developer.

Larry Chapman, Vice-Chair of the Water Authority also wants stricter regulations.  Mr. Chapman stated that right now Fannin County has 31 private systems permitted by the EPD and he doesn’t want to see anymore.  Mr. Chapman is a Georgia-licensed engineer with 46 years of engineering experience with wastewater treatment and distribution.  He was appointed to the Water Authority in March.

Blue Ridge’s meeting with the Water Authority marks the first time a city water authority has had an expansion planning strategy meeting with the Water Authority.  Board member Stan Helton invited Blue Ridge to attend future Water Authority meetings and hopes to see representatives from McCaysville and Morganton there as well.  Until this summer, Mr. Helton was Chair of the Water Authority.  He stepped down after becoming Fannin County Board of Commissioners Chairman-Elect.