Sewer Grant Being Pursued

Local officials continue to seek funding opportunities for water and sewer improvements along the Toccoa By-pass.

Monday, Toccoa City Commissioners unanimously approved a grant application to the OneGeorgia Authority to try to obtain $200,000 in funding to go towards expanding the city’s sewer system from the intersection of the By-pass and Big A Road to the By-pass and Highway 106 and making water system improvements necessary to match the sewer system expansion and improvements.

Stephens County Development Authority Executive Director Tim Martin said they previously pursued a grant for the project of $500,000 under a regional banner, but were denied.

“They were insistent that this is a county project located totally in the geographic boundaries of Stephens County,” said Martin.

Martin said they were encouraged to re-apply on behalf of the city under the banner of a local project, for which the maximum grant amount from the OneGeorgia Authority is $200,000.

He said they hope to hear official word on the grant in Spring, but have some unofficial feedback prior to that.

Back in October, Martin put the total cost of this project at an estimated $4.5 million.

Toccoa and Stephens County have some grant funds already put aside for the project, along with SPLOST money.

Martin said that only receiving up to a maximum of $200,000 in grant funds instead of up to $500,000 does contribute to a gap that is currently there between what that project might cost and how much money there is for the project.

He said they are pursuing other funding opportunities, while also hoping that the bids come in lower than the current estimate.

“If we get the bids back from contractors and we are diligent, and we will be, in trying to recruit contractors, and we get some good bids, we think, we hope, that will help close up some of that gap,” said Martin.

Martin said they hope to bid the project early next year.

This planned work is part of a larger water and sewer expansion project that Toccoa and Stephens County have designed to build out sewer on Big A Road between Rose Lane and the Toccoa By-pass, as well as the By-pass between Big A Road and Highway 106.