City officials discussed the likely growth at a meeting earlier in the week, focusing in particular on the need for an upgrade in the water and sewer system. That upgrade will accomodate increased water flow for the additional residents and businesses that are likely to come to the area.
Lavonia City Manager Gary Fesperman said there are two main factors that have prompted the city to call for additional water allotments from Lake Hartwell: the opening of a new $70 million regional medical center and increased growth along Interstate 85 through Franklin County.
"Right now, I think probably over the next five to seven years we'll need at least an additional two, two-and-a-half million gallons worth of water in addition to what we're currently using," said Fesperman. "At peak times now we're using about 2.3 to 2.4 million gallons per day. So our overall anticipated need...is going to be in the four to four-and-a-half million gallon range."
Currently, Lavonia pulls water from the Crawford Creek Reservoir and Lake Hartwell.
Fesperman said the city has already notified the Army Corps of Engineers that it needs an allocation study to make sure the additional water will be available when the growth does come.
"We notified the Corps in October 2011 of our intentions to be placed in line for an allocation study. We hope that study will take place in fiscal year 2013, which will start in July of this year," said Fesperman.
He said once the study begins it may be another two years before Lavonia finds out if their request for additional water will be honored.
Fesperman noted that the city of Lavonia services 11,000 water customers. Not all of those are in the city proper, but many live on Lake Hartwell or in other parts of Franklin County and northern Hart County.
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