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Telecommunications | Electricity
& Gas
Water, Sewer & Waste Disposal
UTILITIES
Water, Sewer & Waste Disposal
Water availability is important in the growth and development of
the MSA; surface water in the MSA is plentiful. The Augusta Utilities
Department operates one of the largest systems of water and wastewater
facilities in the state of Georgia. Water is supplied by surface
water from the Savannah River and well water from the crustaceous
aquifer, mostly in south Augusta-Richmond County.
The wastewater treatment is conventional activated sludge, and
there is a tertiary treatment through a constructed wetlands filtration
system, one of the largest of its type in the country. The operation
of the wastewater treatment plant is through private management
by OMI (Operations Management International) as of August 7, 1999.
SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL
Richmond, Columbia and Burke counties each have solid waste disposal
services. See individual county sections for further information.
HAZARDOUS WASTE
The two closest facilities for the disposal of hazardous waste are
Laidlaw Environmental Services in Pinewood, SC (83 miles) and Chemical
Waste Management in Emelle, AL (405 miles).
ENVIRONMENTAL PERMITTING
Georgia offers one-stop permitting to facilitate the process of
obtaining environmental permits from the Environmental Protection
Division (EPD) of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. One
of the few state agencies approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency to issue federally required permits, EPD vests permit authority
in a single agency rather than separate departments, bureaus, or
commissions as in other states. Georgia has compiled such an impressive
record that it does not have to require Environmental Impact Statements.
For many industries, this can expedite the appropriate permitting
process by 12 to 14 months. Highlights of Georgia's consolidated
permitting program include the authority to issue federal water,
wastewater and clean air permits.
Georgia permits for the following:
- Air and Water Pollution
- Solid and Hazardous waste
- Ground, surface and drinking water
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