Quick References

Establish New Service
Learn how to establish a new account at CCWA.

Online Account Acess
Check your account balance, view billing history or make a payment 24/7.

Toilet Rebate Program
Residential customers can save money and water by replacing their old toilets.

Wetlands Center
View information about the Authority's unique educational center.

Community Use Buildings
Rent one of CCWA's facilities for social or business gatherings.

Stormwater Management

With the addition of a new Stormwater Managment Program, the Clayton County Water Authority (CCWA) is now the county's one stop shop for all water issues. The Clayton County Government, its Cities and the Water Authority worked together to implement a Stormwater Management Program that provides residents and businesses with an improved level of service. The CCWA took full responsibility of all stormwater services on July 1, 2007.

While stormwater utilities are popping up all over Metro Atlanta, Clayton County is one of the first jurisdictions to have a unified utility that includes unincorporated areas and local cities. The Clayton County Board of Commissioners and the city councils of Forest Park, Jonesboro, Lake City, Lovejoy, Morrow and Riverdale adopted the Clayton County Stormwater Utility Ordinance in 2006, placing the new countywide utility under the management of the Water Authority.

Why is a Stormwater Utility needed?

Clayton County and its municipalities are required by federal and state regulatory agencies to manage stormwater runoff, protect water quality and provide safe drinking water. The creation of a new stormwater utility is needed for Clayton County to meet stricter federal and state water quality standards, which become harder to meet as our county continues to grow. The Clayton County Stormwater Utility is the fairest way to provide a dedicated funding source for countywide stormwater management.

Impervious surfaces (such as driveways, parking lots and rooftops) can cause stormwater to ‘runoff’ into ditches, storm drains and other stormwater infrastructure. Stormwater runoff picks up trash, chemicals, dirt, yard waste, animal waste and other pollutants that get into our lakes, streams, rivers and eventually our raw water reservoirs. This in turn can reduce water quality, create potential hazardous health conditions and make it more expensive to provide safe drinking water. The more polluted the water is going into our reservoirs, the more costly it is to treat.

Increasing the amount of stormwater runoff in ditches and storm drains can cause them to overflow, resulting in flooding of roadways, yards, homes and businesses. Flooded roadways can impact emergency service operations and be dangerous to drivers and cause vehicle accidents.

A large portion of Clayton County has stormwater pipes and drains that are at least 30 years old and are reaching the end of their lifespan. Pipe failures can cause sink holes in the roads and on properties that often cost more than $100,000 to repair.

Improving pipes and drains alleviates sink holes, flooding and drainage problems that damage our roadways and local properties. A comprehensive inventory of existing stormwater structures will allow the CCWA to determine where problems are before failures occur.

The Clayton County Stormwater Utility will:

COMPLY with stormwater management regulations in the Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act.
MAINTAIN and IMPROVE stormwater infrastructure in Clayton County which will help to minimize flooding.
SAFEGUARD water quality by reducing pollution entering the water resources that provide us with our drinking water.
PROTECT local streams, rivers, and lakes, so future generations can continue to benefit from healthy natural resources.
SUPPORT sound, long-term planning of local infrastructure needs and capital improvements, to enhance the economic viability and quality of life in our community.
PROVIDE a fair and equitable means for distributing the financial responsibility of proper stormwater management in our community.