News and Developments for Customers of the Clayton County Water Authority

CCWA Earns Industry Awards CCWA continues to shine as a leader in the water industrypicking up several awards during the Georgia Association ofWater Professionals (GAWP) Fall Conference held in DaltonNovember 4-5. During the conferenceawards luncheon, CCWAreceived the 2014 CollectionSystem Gold Award, GWEFSafety Award for the W.B.Casey Water ReclamationFacility, Master PlanningSpotlight Award and the Ira C.Kelley Award for achievementsin the environmentallaboratory field. This isn’t the first timeCCWA’s Conveyance staff hasproven its worth in the industry. To earn a Collection SystemGold Award, utilities must earn a quantitative inspection scoreof 95 or higher. CCWA scored 98.8.this year, the fourthconsecutive year it has earned the Collection System GoldAward. Prior to the creation of GAWP’s Gold Award, CCWA’sWastewater Collection System was named Collection System ofthe Year for Large Systems in 2005, 2007 and 2010.

CCWA’s W.B. Casey Water Reclamation Facility earned theGeorgia Chapter of the Water Environment Federation(GWEF) Safety Award for a Municipal Wastewater Treatmentfacility. To earn this award, the facility undergoes a grueling 12

page inspection by industrypeers who scrutinize safetyrecords, safety programs,emergency plans and training.

CCWA also received GAWP’sMaster Planning Spotlight Awardfor a Large System for its bestpractice process for masterplanning. The Authority hasdeveloped 10 year master planssince the early 1960s to plan forcapital improvement projects.

Along with the utility awards,CCWA’s Water Quality Lab Supervisor Lesley Rathburnreceived the Ira C. Kelley Award for ‘demonstratingoutstanding accomplishments in operating an environmentallaboratory facility; performing outstanding service in instructionand training other laboratory analysts; contributing toadvancement of the laboratory field; and/or developinganalytical techniques, procedures or instrumentation.’

Volume 17, Issue 1Winter 2015

Madison Doughty, a 7th Grade student at RexMill Middle School, is the Clayton Countywinner in the Metropolitan North GeorgiaWater Planning District’s annual Water Essaycontest. The contest was open to sixth, seventh andeighth graders in 15 counties. Each participatingschool submitted its winning essay for thecounty competition. One overall winner wasselected from among the county winners.

Students had to write a 300-500 word essay thataddressed the following: Explain why waterquantity (how much water we have) and waterquality (how clean the water is) are equallyimportant. Doughty’s essay, “The WaterConundrum,” was selected out of the ClaytonCounty submittals. Essay winners were recognized during areception at the Georgia State Capitol onDecember 4.

Pipes that freeze most frequently are those that are exposedto severe cold, like outdoor hose bibs, swimming pool supplylines, water sprinkler lines, and water supply pipes inunheated interior areas like basements and crawl spaces,attics, garages, or kitchen cabinets. Pipes that run againstexterior walls that have little or no insulation are also subjectto freezing.

During Cold Weather, Take Preventative Action • Keep garage doors closed if there are water supply lines in

the garage.• Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer

air to circulate around the plumbing. Be sure to move anyharmful cleaners and household chemicals up out of thereach of children.

• When the weather is very cold outside, let the cold waterdrip from the faucet served by exposed pipes. Runningwater through the pipe - even at a trickle - helps preventpipes from freezing.

• Keep the thermostat set to the same temperature bothduring the day and at night. By temporarily suspending theuse of lower nighttime temperatures, you may incur a higherheating bill, but you can prevent a much more costly repairjob if pipes freeze and burst.

• If you will be going away during cold weather, leave the heat

on in your home, set to a temperature no lower than 55° F.To Thaw Frozen Pipes • If you turn on a faucet and only a trickle comes out, suspect

a frozen pipe. Likely places for frozen pipes include againstexterior walls or where your water service enters your homethrough the foundation.

• Keep the faucet open. As you treat the frozen pipe and thefrozen area begins to melt, water will begin to flow throughthe frozen area. Running water through the pipe will helpmelt ice in the pipe.

• Apply heat to the section of pipe using an electric heatingpad wrapped around the pipe, an electric hair dryer, aportable space heater (kept away from flammable materials),or by wrapping pipes with towels soaked in hot water. Donot use a blowtorch, kerosene or propane heater, charcoalstove, or other open flame device.

• Apply heat until full water pressure is restored. If you areunable to locate the frozen area, if the frozen area is notaccessible, or if you cannot thaw the pipe, call a licensedplumber.

• Check all other faucets in your home to find out if you haveadditional frozen pipes. If one pipe freezes, others mayfreeze too.

Source: The American Red Cross

Tips to Prevent and Thaw Frozen Pipes

Rex Mill Middle School Student Writes Winning Water Essay

BOARD OF DIRECTORSAND LEADERSHIP

Clayton County Water Authority

1600 Battle Creek RoadMorrow, GA 30260

Customer Service: 770.960.5200Business Office: 770.961.2130

www.ccwa.us

Marie Barber, Chairperson

Oscar Blalock, Vice Chairman

John Westervelt, Secretary/Treasurer

John Chafin, Board Member

Rodney Givens, Board Member

Sophia Haynes, Board Member

Elizabeth G. Armstrong, Board Member

P. Michael Thomas, General Manager

Jim Poff, Assistant General Manager

Bernard Franks, Assistant General Manager

CCWA's Call Center is open Monday - Friday from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. at 770.960.5200. To Report a water, sewer or stormwater emergency after hours, call 770.960.5200.

Volunteers Made Rivers Alive Stream Cleanup a Success

Community volunteers showed up in force for the 2014 RiversAlive Stream Cleanup at Independence Park in November. The230 volunteers collected 1.2 tons of trash along Beaverdam Creek. Volunteers included: AT&T Pioneers, Georgia Power, ForestPark High School Jr ROTC, Boy Scout Troops 136 and 297, GirlScout Troops 10502, 9259, 9260 and 9261, and Clayton County4H, along with many other individuals and families. TheJonesboro Kiwanis joined the event again this year to grill hotdoglunches for the volunteers.

“We cannot thank our community volunteers enough for comingout in force and doing their part to clean up around BeaverdamCreek,” adds CCWA Water Resources Engineer Shayla Nealy.“You just never know what we are going to find. This yearvolunteers found everything from old tires and luggage to ashopping cart and a sofa.”Clayton County’s event is part of the state-wide Rivers Alivevolunteer cleanup event that targets all waterways in the state ofGeorgia, including streams, rivers, lakes, beaches and wetlands.

Convenient wipes have become part of oureveryday lives. While they are often labeled asflushable, they should never be flushed down atoilet. These products do not break down in the

sanitary sewer systemand cause clogs in

sewer pipes andlift stationpumps.These clogscaneventuallylead tosanitarysewerbackups

which areharmful for the

environment andcostly for homeowners

and utilities. What can you do to help?• Only flush the three p’s. Toilets are only designed

to handle three things – pee, poop and paper(specifically two ply toilet paper). Make sure thatis all you flush to avoid messy and costlyproblems with clogged pipes.

• Dispose of wipes, diapers and feminine hygieneproducts in the trash.

• Make sure everyone in your household is aware ofwhat should and should not be flushed.

Keep Wipes Out of Pipes

Did you know that FOG (fats, oils and grease) clogs up sewer lines and causes blockages resulting in costly sewerbackups? You can help us keep FOG out of our sewer lines by not pouring cooking grease down the sink drain or toilet.

Instead, let it cool and then pour it into a plastic container. Then dispose of the container in your garbage can.

Don’t Pour Grease Down the Drain

Save Money andWater By ReplacingWater Wasting

ToiletsThe Clayton County Water

Authority’s Residential ToiletRebate Program encouragescustomers to save money andwater by replacing older,inefficient toilets. Eligiblecustomers receive a $100rebate for installing an eligibleWaterSense certified 1.28gallons per flush (gpf) toilet.

Customers mayreceive up to

two (2) toiletrebates perhousehold.All rebateswill beapplied as acredit toyourClaytonCounty

WaterAuthority

account. Tolearn more,visitwww.ccwa.us.