The city of Rincon hopes to start work soon on a reuse and irrigation system after the Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority approved a $2.5 million loan.
The city bought the Lost Plantation Golf Course for around $2.5 million, with designs on using the approximately 300 acres as a disposal area for reuse water.
“The whole purpose of buying the Lost Plantation Golf Course was to get the sprayfield function in there,” Rincon City Manager Michael Phillips said. “On top of that, we now have the capability of using the fairways as a distribution system to reach out to Chimney Road and Highway 21 and Fort Howard Road. This will give us a chance to really make better use of that reuse water.”
Reuse water is treated to a level where it is safe for human contact and the more water that can be used for irrigation, such as at Lost Plantation, means less drinking water that is used for the same purpose.
It also will cut down on the amount of treated wastewater that is disposed of in nearby creeks and streams. Savannah Industrial and Domestic Water draws its surface water from the nearby Abercorn Creek.
“We’re trying to keep it from going back into the creeks and keep it from getting back into their water systems. The way to do that is to find another place to put it,” Phillips said. “The course itself is a good way because it will use the nutrients. And we can pipe it out to Springs Apartments and other places like that.”
The city’s current wastewater treatment plant can handle as much 1 million gallons per day, and it can generate approximately 750,000 gallons of reuse water a day, Phillips said. But the city can’t put that reuse on sprayfield now because it’s an old system.
“We’ll put in a new system that can handle more water,” Phillips said. “By the time we can get that in place, we should be able to handle 750,000 gallons a day right there and we still have the option of putting some of it in the distribution lines along the main roads to other communities.”
Phillips said they hope to start work in a month or two on the new system.
“As we get into the fall and things to start slowing down at Lost Plantation, that will be the perfect time to get in there. That will cause as little interference as possible out there,” he said.
Not only will it benefit the city in disposing of the reuse water, it also will help the course, which continues to be busy.
“They’re going to end up with a better round next year than they’ll have this year,” Phillips said.
It may provide other advantages for the city — Rincon can sell the reuse water to customers for irrigation, not to mention aiding its newly-purchased golf course. It also could go a long way in establishing good faith with the state Environmental Protection Division.
“We believe it’s going to pay for itself,” Phillips said.
The city of Rincon will pay a 3.81 percent interest rate on the 20-year loan of $2,500,000 and provide $110,000 in local funds. The total project cost is $2.61 million.
“Infrastructure improvements increase quality of life for Georgia citizens, and they help cities and counties create jobs and promote economic development,” said Gov. Sonny Perdue. “I’m pleased this investment is being made in water and wastewater system infrastructure.”
“The Georgia Fund loan program is a tangible commitment by Governor Perdue and the General Assembly to assist local governments across the state with their efforts to provide clean water and sewer improvements,” GEFA Executive Director Phil Foil said. “In addition to the public’s health and safety, these projects are critical to a community’s economic growth and prosperity.”
Foil expressed appreciation to Gov. Perdue, state Sen. Jack Hill and state Rep. Ann Purcell for their support. He credited Gov. Perdue’s commitment to helping Georgia cities and counties finance infrastructure development as one of the main contributors to GEFA’s success.
