The 210 day contract for the new sewer line laid to the Gilmer County Detention Center has begun.

While the initial notice to proceed (210 Days start point) was given on December 5, Ellijay-Gilmer County Water & Sewerage Authority Director Gary McVey did note, “This could vary some depending on inclement weather days, but the project is expected to be completed within this general time frame. Work is now underway after planning and surveying to actually dig in and lay the pipe.

Utilizing “approximately 7,497 linear feet of 8” gravity sewer pipe and approximately 5,267 linear feet of 6” force main piping,” this tie-in to the existing sewer lines is set to replace the existing septic tanks at the jail. However, according to McVey, this will also extend service to other businesses, buildings, or homes wishing to also use the new line.

Should anyone wish to tie in, McVey stated, “The gravity portion of the line which begins at the Gilmer County Jail and ends at a lift station to be placed just east of the Owltown Bridge will be open for homes, buildings, and businesses to tie on.”

It will be more difficult, but not necessarily impossible, for there to be homes, buildings, and businesses to tie in to the Force Main portion of the project which begins at the lift station and ends at a connection to an existing gravity sewer main located on Old Bennett Road (off of Yukon Road).  Those wishing to tie into this line will have to utilize a properly sized sewerage pump as well as the current tap on fee, customers with a ¾” residential water meter is $550.00.

Additionally, according to Director McVey, “If additional construction is required, such as boring under a roadway, the customer is charged for the cost of that additional construction.  Additionally, there is an impact fee of $1,587.60  for customers that have a ¾” residential water meter.”

FYN inquired as to any special precautions that might need be taken as residences and businesses may end up on this line from a Detention Center. While the pipe itself has no special needs, a specific device called an ‘Auger Monster’ will be used and is being purchased as a part of the total project costs.

According to McVey,

“There are special requirements that must be addressed before the sewerage from a detention center is introduced to the sewerage collection system.  In any situation in which inmate housing is involved, there are issues with “unusual” debris being flushed that normally is not seen in a collection system.  To address this issue (as they do at other inmate facilities), there will be a grinder pump called an “Auger Monster” placed at the jail site.  This Auger Monster will utilize a large screen in which items that cannot pass through the screen will be automatically disposed in a dumpster; items that pass through the screen will be totally ground up so that the material will flow in the sewerage collection system.”

This process is completed before the sewerage reaches the general collection pipe effectively preventing the objects from entering into them.

As citizens travel out Highway 52 towards the Jail, they will see construction off the edge of the road as the pipe will continue to be laid in the coming months until ultimately the county takes the process to cut and reset its current septic tanks in favor of dedicating service to the line.

According to Commission Chairman Charlie Paris, he is expecting to connect the sewer line for the jail and pump out the existing septic tanks. However, he does not plan on removing the tanks from underground. After the county shuts down water to the jail and begins the process of changing over to the line system, the septic tanks will be rendered “dead” on the premises and no longer usable.