Clayton County Water Authority and Clayton County Government Receive WaterFirst Designation
April 5, 2021 – (Morrow, GA) – Clayton County Water Authority (CCWA) and the Clayton County Government are proud new members of the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority’s (GEFA) WaterFirst program.
The designation was presented by GEFA WaterFirst Program Manager Ansley Jones during the CCWA Board Meeting on April 1. Jones noted that Clayton County is the 40th community in Georgia to earn this designation. According to a GEFA media release, WaterFirst Communities are committed to excellence in watershed assessment, stormwater master planning, wastewater treatment and management, water supply planning and protection, water conservation, water reclamation and reuse, educational outreach, and regional planning.
“It is indeed an honor to be recognized as a WaterFirst Community,” adds CCWA General Manager H. Bernard Franks.
GEFA’s media release goes on to include, ‘Receiving this designation demonstrates a commitment to the stewardship of water resources for environmental and economic benefits. Clayton County and CCWA’s notable accomplishments include:
- Clayton County and the CCWA have zoning controls in place to protect water resources such as buffer requirements that exceed the minimum state requirements.
- The CCWA has extensive community outreach programs about the importance of water resources, water quality, water conservation, and water supply.
- The CCWA is in the planning process for building a larger pelletizing facility that will be able to process biosolids from all its wastewater facilities.
- Clayton County’s Office of Resiliency and Sustainability is implementing a proactive approach to hazard mitigation and floodplain protection.
- The CCWA has financial discount programs for customers experiencing hardships or customers that are veterans or senior citizens.
WaterFirst Communities are eligible for financial and other benefits from the state, including a 1% interest rate reduction on Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA) loans, annual eligibility for water-related Community Development Block Grants administered by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, and priority status for the 319(h) Grant Program administered by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division.’
For more information about the WaterFirst Program, visit gefa.georgia.gov/waterfirst. For a link to GEFA’s media release, click here.
For more information about CCWA, visit ccwa.us.
For more information about Clayton County Government, visit claytoncountyga.gov.