GEFA NEWS QUARTERLY MARCH 2015 VOLUME XVIII TABLE OF CONTENTS Updated Georgia Water 1 Toolkit Available Infrastructure Projects 2 Approved by GEFA Long-time GEFA Staff Member Retires 3 GEFA Welcomes New Staff 3 GEFA Around Georgia 4 LOCAL GOVERNMENTS PROVIDED WITH CRITICAL WATER PLANNING RESOURCE By Leigh Askew Elkins, the Carl Vinson Institute of Government For more than a decade, Georgia's state and local leaders have worked together to connect local governments and others to critical information about Georgia's water resources. Proper water planning helps communities prosper, and with the launch of a new online resource--the Georgia Water Toolkit-- communities now have easy access to information about water issues impacting them. The new website www.gawatertoolkit.org links users to information that can expand their knowledge of water resource issues throughout Georgia. The website, made possible with the help of a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in partnership with the Environmental Protection Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, officially launched in December 2014. Work first began on what was initially known as the Water Resources Toolkit for Local Governments in 2002, when the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA), the Association County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG) and the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA), joined forces to produce a three-CD collection of water-related information and watershed maps. The toolkit was a broad assortment of resources gathered from local, state and federal entities engaged in water planning, permitting, protection and funding. The toolkit was redesigned and launched online in 2004 and remained essentially unchanged for the next 10 years. In 2013, the Institute of Government brought together representatives from several agencies and organizations to develop a new and improved online toolkit. The new design includes case studies highlighting water successes across Georgia, provides for a peer-to-peer exchange of ideas and information, and offers materials and thirdparty resources necessary for informed decision-making. With the help of GEFA, ACCG, DCA, GMA, the Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission, and Keep Georgia Beautiful, the Institute of Government developed a brand-new website. The 13-month project included a survey to determine the types of information most beneficial to local governments, an inventory and assessment of resources included in previous toolkits, and a catalogue of new materials necessary to meet today's water planning needs. The website is organized into six categories: water supply and protection, stormwater, water conservation and reuse, regional water planning, funding, and wastewater. Visit www.gawatertoolkit.org to explore what the site has to offer. For questions regarding the Georgia Water Toolkit, contact Deatre Denton, DCA, at deatre.denion@dca.ga.gov or 912-704-4136. WWW.GEFA.ORG GEFA NEWS QUARTERLY MARCH 2015 VOLUME XVIII INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS APPROVED BY GEFA BOARD OF DIRECTORS The GEFA board of directors awarded 11 Georgia communities financing totaling more than $12 million for water, water supply, sewer and wastewater infrastructure improvements during its recent meeting in January. Some of the projects funded include: The city of Thomasville was awarded a $665,000 Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) loan to finance rehabilitating the city's existing sewer system in its Stevens Street Urban Redevelopment Area. The project includes repairing existing sewer lines and manholes, and will address inflow and infiltration issues in the collection system, reducing peak flows and energy use at the wastewater treatment plant. Thomasville will pay 1.03 percent interest on the 20-year loan. This loan qualifies for an interest rate reduction because it's an eligible energy conservation project, and includes principal forgiveness of up to $99,750, if all loan funds are drawn. The city of McRae-Helena was awarded a $1,802,616 Georgia Fund loan to finance constructing a 700 gallon-per-minute pump station at the site of the existing Helena wastewater treatment plant, replacing pumps in the McRae pump station, installing bar screens at both the McRae and Helena plants, and adding approximately 7,900 linear feet of 10-inch force main. The cities of Helena and McRae merged into one city on January 1, 2015, and additional wastewater treatment capacity is needed to serve Helena. The Helena wastewater treatment plant will be converted into a pump station to pump waste from the Helena wastewater treatment plant to the McRae wastewater treatment plant, which currently has excess capacity for this additional flow. McRae-Helena will pay 3.03 percent interest on the 20-year loan. The Fort Valley Utility Commission was awarded a $1,500,000 Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) loan to finance replacing approximately four miles of asbestos cement (AC) water mains with new PVC lines, eliminating all known AC lines from the commission's water distribution system. The project will eliminate AC lines at high risk for structural failure and water loss. Fort Valley Utility Commission will pay 1.03 percent interest on the 20-year loan, which includes principal forgiveness of up to $500,000, if all loan funds are drawn. The loan qualifies for a reduced interest rate because it's an eligible water conservation project. GEFA provides loans through state and federal programs to fund water, solid waste and wastewater infrastructure, and water pollution control and conservation projects. GEFA also provides loan financing at a reduced interest rate to local governments and authorities for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects at water and wastewater treatment plants, landfills, and municipal solid waste facilities, in addition to infrastructure improvements. For more information, visit www.gefa.org. 2 WWW.GEFA.ORG GEFA NEWS QUARTERLY MARCH 2015 VOLUME XVIII DAN CLARKE RETIRES GEFA WELCOMES NEW STAFF GEFA has nothing but well-wishes for long-time staff member Dan Clarke, who retired last month after 28 years with GEFA. As the external affairs manager in GEFA's Public Affairs Division, Dan served as an ambassador for GEFA's brand and programs, helping communities throughout the state. Dan started his career with the state at the Georgia Department of Community Affairs as a community affairs manager. GEFA and the state of Georgia thank Dan for his contributions and service to the state. GEFA has welcomed several new staff members over the last few months. Russ Pennington was named deputy director at GEFA, and will lead the Governor's Water Supply Program, working closely with Judson H. Turner, the state's Environmental Protection Division director. Gerald Wade joined the Fiscal Services Division as a financial analyst. Environmental engineers Casey Majewski and Lauren Dickerson joined GEFA's Construction Management Unit. Ben Cowart is now a part of the Public Affairs Division as the external affairs manager. 233 Peachtree Street NE Harris Tower, Suite 900 Atlanta, Georgia 30303 404-584-1000 (Main) 404-584-1069 (Fax) www.gefa.org If you wish to add or remove yourself from this newsletter distribution, please email publicaffairs@gefa.ga.gov 3 GEFA AROUND GEORGIA GEFA will be at several conferences throughout the state throughout 2015. Stop by and visit if you'll be at one of the events listed below. Association County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG) Annual Conference - The Savannah International Trade & Convention Center, Savannah, Ga., April 17 - 20, 2015 Georgia Rural Water Association (GRWA) Annual Conference - The Jekyll Island Convention Center, Jekyll Island, Ga., May 12 - 14, 2015 Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) Annual Conference - The Savannah International Trade & Convention Center, Savannah, Ga., June 26 - 30, 2015 Georgia Association of Water Professionals (GAWP) Annual Conference - The Savannah International Trade & Convention Center, Savannah, Ga., July 12 - 15, 2015 Georgia Environmental Conference - The Jekyll Island Convention Center, Jekyll Island, Ga., August 26 - 28, 2015 Georgia Economic Developers Association (GEDA) Annual Conference - Savannah, Ga., September 16 -18, 2015 The Georgia Government Finance Officers Association (GGFOA) Annual Conference - Location TBD, October 2015 Georgia Rural Water Association (GRWA) Fall Conference Location TBD, October 2015 The Georgia Association of Water Professionals (GAWP) Location TBD, November 2015 The Georgia Association of Regional Commissions (GARC) Training Conference - St. Simons Island, Ga., November 2015 WWW.GEFA.ORG