ABOUT THE PROJECT

DeKalb County has received a new waste load allocation from Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD), which requires enhanced wastewater treatment to improve water quality in the South River. The new Snapfinger AWTF is being designed to meet these requirements. Additionally, it will clean wastewater through a treatment process that duplicates the natural purifying processes of wetlands, streams, and rivers using a membrane filtration process with the construction of a new pump station and a dewatered solids storage building.

With a current population of 740,000 residents, DeKalb County is the third-largest county in Georgia. The county is currently upgrading and expanding the Snapfinger Advanced Wastewater Treatment Facility (AWTF) for the purpose of increasing wastewater treatment capacity to adequately support population growth, as well as for continued compliance with both state and federal water quality guidelines mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and EPD.

Phase 1 of the Snapfinger Advanced Wastewater Treatment Facility Expansion project was completed in September 2013, and included clearing, grading and rock fracturing in the area designated for the new wastewater treatment facility. Phase 2 construction activities are slated to begin in 2015 and are expected to be complete in 2018. The project will conclude in Phase 3 with the construction of new clarifiers.