Gwinnett Daily Post

LAWRENCEVILLE - Mayor Rex Millsaps knocked down the first tree himself last week, to make room for a water plant and begin using long-defunct city wells.

The city closed on a deal last week to accept 31/2 acres on Winer Industrial Way, donated by Raco for the plant.

The original plan was to build a treatment plant on Johnson Road, but Millsaps said the donation saved the city about $365,000.

"It's a better location because it's more centralized to where the wells are," he said.

Millsaps said contractors would begin working to prepare the land for the plant and a storage tank this week, and residents could begin drinking water from one of the wells by the end of July.

That well could produce 180,000 gallons a day, with all 15 of the closed wells expected to produce 1.6 million gallons a day, which is equal to the city's winter usage. The wells, in various states of treatment needs, could take up to a year and a half to go online, he said.

Officials have plans to drill additional wells to increase the amount from 2 to 2.5 million gallons a day, the city's summer usage.

The well project will reduce the city's dependency on Gwinnett County for water, which comes primarily from Lake Lanier, Millsaps said.