Damascus, Ga. — U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff today announced new drinking water infrastructure upgrades for Georgia families.
Sens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock today announced they are delivering over $1.8 million to the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA) through the EPA’s Small Underserved, Disadvantaged Communities (SUDC) grant program to upgrade drinking water infrastructure across rural Georgia.
The Federal funding will be used to upgrade water quality in 5 rural and underserved cities across the state, helping ensure Georgia families have access to safe, reliable drinking water.
“Clean, safe, healthy drinking water is not a luxury — it’s a necessity. For families, for seniors, and for businesses in the community, any interruption of safe drinking water is an emergency,” Sen. Ossoff said. “That’s why Senator Reverend Warnock and I are delivering this funding to help upgradewater infrastructure across rural Georgia. I thank President Biden, Vice President Harris, and Administrator Regan for their continued collaboration as we lead Georgia forward.”
“Clean water is critical to promoting healthy communities—and it is especially important we are doing the work in Washington to make sure our rural communities across Georgia can count on having clean and safe water to drink, care for themselves and their homes, and keep local businesses and economies going. I am proud to announce this funding alongside Senator Ossoff to do just that for towns across south and central Georgia,” said Senator Reverend Warnock.
Please find a breakdown of the projects that will receive Federal funding. The funding will be delivered to the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA), which will then lead the local projects:
| City | Project Description |
| Damascus | Construction of a chemical feed building, replacement of the electrical control panels, replacing the piping from the well head to the chemical feed building and installation of water meters to meet and comply regulatory standards. |
| Hahira | Construction of a well to remove DDB contaminants related to Haloacetic acids five or HAA5 to comply with regulatory standards. |
| Doerun | Construction of a well and chemical feed building and replacement of the electrical control panels to remove Coliform contaminants to meet and comply regulatory standards |
| Lexington | Installment of a treatment system and construction of a treatment building to remove radionuclides and volatile organic compounds in the groundwater. |
| Byromville | Construction of a well to remove iron and manganese contaminants related to Sulfuric Acid or H2SO4 to comply with regulatory standards. |
Sens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock continue working to upgrade drinking water for Georgia families.
In July, Sens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock introduced the City of Atlanta Water Infrastructure Enhancement Act to upgrade water infrastructure for families and businesses across Atlanta. Congresswoman Williams introduced the companion bill in the U.S. House of Representatives.
In June, Sens. Ossoff and Warnock introduced the Coastal Georgia Flooding Prevention Act to upgrade water infrastructure for families and businesses across Coastal Georgia.
Sens. Ossoff and Warnock and Congresswoman Williams also delivered $993,500 through the bipartisan infrastructure law for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to review Atlanta’s aging water infrastructure following the recent series of water main breaks that left hundreds of thousands of families and businesses without water.
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