Hard Labor Creek Well Placed for State Funding

With Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal’s approval this week of low-interest loans to help ensure the state has an adequate and sustainable water supply for the future, local officials working on the are keeping a close eye on developments.

Walton County has been working on the Hard Labor Creek Reservoir since 1994 and Oconee County joined in on the project in 1999.  Although it has stayed on track, once land acquisitions have been completed the project will be about $32 million short of funding required to complete the dam and reservoir. If the new water treatment plant is included, it is likely to come up more than $90 million short. Deal’s plan encourages the state to offer loans to projects such as this in an effort to expand Georgia’s water supply. He has pledged $300 million to help sure up the states water resources.

“The Hard Labor Creek Reservoir Management Board has closely monitored the progress of the Governor’s Water Supply Program, and has met with Task Force representatives and the Governor’s staff during the past six months to provide a local perspective on water supply development,” said Jimmy Parker, vice president of Precision Planner and manager of the Hard Labor Creek Reservoir project.

Parker said the final program includes a very thorough list of project selection criteria that will allow state officials to prioritize and select projects that will have the most significant and immediate impact on state and regional water supplies. 

“These criteria evaluate key factors such as the status of permitting and design, ultimate water supply yield, regional project benefits, local investment, schedule and overall ‘project readiness,’” Parker said, adding that the Hard Labor Creek Project will score very well in all categories. “Permitting and design is 100 percent complete, stream and wetland mitigation is 98 percent complete and 65 percent of the land required for the reservoir has already been acquired.”

Parker said the governor’s Water Supply Program will provide funding through either low interest loans or grant funding, which is termed as “direct state investment.” 

“The Hard Labor Creek Reservoir Management Board is presently evaluating all funding options and will discuss the application process further at their Jan. 17 meeting,” Parker said.