Dunwoody residents get details on DeKalb watershed issues

DeKalb officials told the Dunwoody Homeowners Association at its June 9 meeting that $520 million had been invested in the county’s water treatment system since 2017, but it was still antiquated and fragile.

Maria Houser, director of the county’s capital improvement and environmental compliance plan, said significant accomplishments over the past seven years include improvements to the plant itself, development and completion of the first phase of a master plan that will extend to 2050, and 91 miles of water mains rehabilitated or expanded. It is estimated that repairing the entire system will cost more than $4.4 billion.

The department also converted more than 87 percent of its water meters to Advanced Metering Infrastructure, an integrated fixed network system that allows two-way communication between utilities and customers.

However, she added, there are significant needs within the system, including replacing pipes buried since 1909, like Atlanta’s aging infrastructure that caused a water crisis on Last weekend. The last new water main was installed in the southwest Tucker area in 1974.

“The 1909 pipes should not be buried,” Houser said.

Another major concern involves a building containing vital electrical equipment at the Scott Candler Water Plant, which is currently supported by steel poles.

“Do you see all these poles against the building? They are not intended for decoration. They are literally blocking the building,” she said. “The building was modernized but was not built properly, which is why we are trying to work on it now. »

Projects on the horizon include replacing transfer pumps and addressing undersized, clogged and aging pipes, particularly those constructed of cast iron and cement.

Houser mentioned two major incidents of water main breaks – one in the Buford Highway area and another on McClendon Road earlier this year. The two pipes, she explained, provide about 35 percent of the water flow for the entire system.

“We’ve laid the foundation, but we need to go much further,” Houser said. “I tell my team that this (looking at the work ahead) can be very daunting, but we have the opportunity to be wastewater heroes.”

Separately, DeKalb CEO candidate Larry Johnson visited the meeting and asked for Dunwoody’s support in the upcoming June 18 runoff election.

“You need a CEO who cares about the bottom line,” Johnson said. “Remember, LJ to the end.”

Johnson is running against fellow commissioner Lorraine Cochran-Johnson. Yesterday, Dunwoody Mayor Lynn Deutsch endorsed his candidacy.

The DHA also heard from Matt Weber, co-chair of the July 4 Parade, who said more than 130 registrations had been received and sponsorships were on track to surpass last year’s totals.