Begun in March of 2023, the Rabun County Water & Sewer Authority’s (RCWSA) new Greg Peters Tank project has wrapped up with the tank coming officially online as of September 25, 2023. The new 750,000 gallon concrete water storage tank located on the knoll behind the Rabun County Business Park off of Yorkhouse Road, will use the natural elevation of the location to provide water to the northern portion of the county, increasing the capacity of the RCWSA’s north system. The additional capacity will also be used to temporarily augment the water supply to the south while the Lake Rabun Water Treatment Plant undergoes a much needed filter rehabilitation process. After the filter rehabilitation, water will permanently be brought from the north to the south including Clayton and surrounding areas.

To modulate the flow of water from the north system to the south, a control valve and vault was installed between Old Highway 441 north of downtown Clayton and the newer 441. Coincident with the addition of the new tank, a new Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) System for both Water Treatment Plants (Lake Rabun WTP and Little Tennessee WTP) and new SCADA equipment for all the water system’s storage tanks was installed. The new SCADA equipment will allow the entire RCWSA system to be monitored, supervised and managed efficiently from either RCWSA water treatment facility. The tank is named in memory and in honor of long-time RCWSA board member and supporter, Greg Peters, who passed away in May of 2022.

As part of the new tank project, the RCWSA completed the following:

• Upgraded the South Tiger Booster Pump Station to four pumps with Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs).
• Upgraded the Raw Water Pumps at Little Tennessee Water Treatment Plant Raw Water Pump Station to increase flow.
• Upgraded the Filter Equipment at Little Tennessee Water Treatment Plant to improve treatment capacity.

Construction began on the concrete slab in May 2019 with the new steel building being erected in mid-July 2019 on the new 4800 sq. ft. building to house both the administrative offices and maintenance shop for the Rabun County Water and Sewer Authority (RCWSA). With 3000 sq. ft. dedicated to shop functions and 1800 sq. ft. for office and meeting space, this new facility allows the staff and crew of the RCWSA to be jointly situated and work more efficiently.

Shop functions, including equipment and vehicle maintenance and repair as well as supplies and inventory storage, are now able to be
managed on site, improving work flow and cost savings. General management and accounting operations, including bill payment, now have a dedicated space, allowing for greater responsiveness to customer needs.

January, 2020: The New Rabun County Water and Sewer Authority Administration and Shop Building is now complete! We are located next to the Rabun County Water Reclamation Facility and the Little Tennessee Water Treatment Plant on York House Road in Rabun Gap. Stop in for bill pay and accounting services, answers to questions or just to see what we’re up to. We’re available from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday.

The new Rabun County Building and Grounds Facility provides an up-to-date, dedicated local facility for the Rabun County Coroner as well as space for the County’s Building and Grounds Department. The new facility is located in Tiger on Old 441, south of Clayton. The Rabun County Water and Sewer Authority (RCWSA) provides both water and wastewater services to this new facility.

The sanitary sewer extension consists of the installation of approximately 4,400 linear feet of 8-inch PVC and ductile iron gravity sanitary sewer with 23 manholes. There are three jack and bore crossings planned. The new sanitary sewer serves the City of Tiger, the Rabun County Golf Course and the new Building and Grounds Facility.

The project was completed in July of 2019.

A new retaining wall has been installed at the Lake Rabun Water Treatment Plant. This step was necessary to stop the settling and creep that has been occurring, which eventually would have resulted in major structural damage to the facility. At the same time, a vault was also installed to house a backwash meter. The metered backwash water amount can be presented to Georgia Power to offset the cost of the withdrawn water. The benefits of this project will be seen in both immediate cost savings as well as long term saving by preventing future expenditures on extensive facility maintenance and repairs.

In October of 2015, ground was broken on our new 1.5 MGD water treatment plant, located off Kelly’s Creek Road. The new State-of-the-Art plant was completed in February 2017 and officially came online February 9, 2017. Paid for with SPLOST dollars, this new plant will service customers in the northern part of the county (the “North Loop System”) without having to pump water 15 miles through Clayton, from the Lake Rabun Plant, thereby saving money and reducing the potential for problems and losses in transmission. Having a second water treatment plant in the county also provides the back-up resources necessary for our system to allow routine maintenance, repairs and improvements to be completed without loss of service.

With it’s cutting edge technology, this plant will supply the capacity our community needs to provide current businesses and residents with the exceptional water quality and customer service they should expect. Additionally, the LTWTP will promote economic growth by offering the incentive of abundant, clean, affordable water that businesses today require when selecting new locales. All-in-all, our Little Tennessee Water Treatment Plant helps make Rabun County an ideal place to call home

As a result of access to water directly from the new LTWTP, “Unaccounted for Water” in the North Loop System for the April-May 2017 period was 3.92%. Industry standard is 10 to 15%. Congratulations to the RCWSA operators and field personnel!

Initiated in May 2015 and completed in October of 2016, the Parkdale Sewer Line project consisted of the installation of over 7000 linear feet of 12-inch PVC and Ductile Iron Pipe (DIP) sewer piping for the primary purpose of serving the Parkdale Mills facility in Rabun Gap. Parkdale Mills is the country’s largest manufacturer of spun yarn. Parkdale purchased the Hanes Brands facility in Rabun Gap in 2009 and produces fiber for use in high-end, quality active wear that is sold in sporting goods stores across the country. By agreeing to work with Parkdale Mills in meeting their needs for sewer services, the facility was expanded in 2014, resulting in over 200 jobs for our community.

“The decision to reinvest in Rabun Gap was easy thanks to the community that has given us a warm welcome and the many state and local organizations that have aided our growth,” said Lee Thomas, Vice President of Services with Parkdale. “An investment of this magnitude could not take place without their support.”

In late January and early February 2017, the Rabun County Water & Sewer Authority (RCWSA) completed the repair or replacement of 21 fire hydrants within the City of Clayton, many of which were inoperable. Paid for by the Rabun County Board of Commissioners, the project came in at $24,000, $1000 under the original budget of $25,000. The work was completed in less than 3 days and was entirely managed and overseen by the RCWSA. The improved condition of the fire hydrants translates to inestimable personal and financial benefits for our community including public safety and reduced insurance rates.

Additionally, as of July 2019, The RCWSA staff had conducted two fire hydrant operations instructional sessions for the members of the Rabun County Volunteer Fire Departments. 30-40 county fire fighters attended each session where they received training on the use and operations of the hydrants.