- Hahira is getting federal funds to upgrade its drinking water infrastructure.
- Well No. 3 will be replaced due to contamination from haloacetic acids.
- Watch our report to find out when the water supply is expected to be contaminant-free.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT
Beth Owen Bayman came to me back in January about discoloration and particles she'd seen in her tap water.
"What I saw in the water was was pretty shocking that there were, I mean I believe that the water tester that was here found a pebbles, a whole pebbles worth of particulates per gallon or something like that."
She immediately went to alerting City Council, and they sprang into action. The Council finalized its Corrective Action Plan to fix the water a month later, but Beth was looking for long-term solutions.
"Having to use bottled water for that, it's just that's just not efficient, cost effective, or or labor effective."
And Hahira just found a solution.
Senators Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff secured $1.8 million in federal funds to upgrade drinking water infrastructure in five rural Georgia cities.
Hahira will see the construction of a well to remove DODECYLBENZENE contaminants related to Haloacetic acids five to comply with regulatory standards.
Haloacetic acids five (HAA5) refer to the five haloacetic acids most commonly found in drinking water and can have mild negative effects like drowsiness and metabolism changes to more severe affects like toxicity in the nervous system, which Well No.3 currently has 10-15% above contamination level.
City Manager Jonathan Sumner tells me the City Council expects to sign off on the paperwork in its October council meeting.
"The plans and specifications for the construction of well number one are actually almost completed. We'll have that new water through a fresh source back into service delivery, and we'll be able to take the source of contamination and well #3 offline."
Construction is set to take a year, and Beth tells me she couldn't be happier. "Hearing that the situation is going to be resolved and knowing that that doesn't something that we're going to have to keep concerning ourselves with… is a relief."
Hahira's project is on track to be complete by spring 2025. In Valdosta, I'm Malia Thomas, reporting for ABC27.
