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September 22, 2008

Drought hurting Dalton Utilities’ bottom line

Jamie Jones

Dalton Utilities customers are taking the state drought situation seriously.

So seriously that residents’ conservation efforts, along with Gov. Sonny Perdue’s goal of cutting water use back 10 percent statewide, could cost the utility more than $4 million in lost water revenues annually, officials said Monday.

Don Cope, Dalton Utilities president and chief executive officer, told the utility’s governing board that recent easing of statewide outdoor watering restrictions have lessened the utility’s losses. The area has been under some type of outdoor watering restrictions for much of the year.

“It’s good for us (the restrictions being eased) in that we can sell some more water and get more revenue, but people are doing a pretty good job conserving,” Cope said. “To be honest with you, I thought consumption would just go through the roof but it has not. People are cognizant of the situation. I’m very much appreciative of that.”

Utility customers use about 30 million gallons of water each day. Total revenues for water and wastewater declined to $18.7 million for the first six months of this year compared to $22.2 million in the first half of 2007. In August, officials said the utility had an operating deficit for the year to date of $1.3 million in water and $246,000 in wastewater.

The Dalton Utilities service area is currently under Level Four-C restrictions, meaning residential outdoor watering is allowed three days a week between midnight and 10 a.m. on an odd/even schedule, based on the resident’s address. No outdoor water use is allowed from 10 a.m. to midnight. More information about the drought, including conservation tips, can be found at www.dutil.com.

On Monday, the utility had recorded 13 days since the last significant rainfall. The area’s rain deficit is 10.5 inches so far this year. The water flow of the Conasauga River was 47 cubic feet per second on Monday. The average historical flow for September is 179 cubic feet per second.

Board members voted unanimously to award a $1.68 million contract to Eton-based Ellis Contracting to extend sewer to The Farm, an upscale subdivision on the west side of the county but inside Dalton city limits. The utility will pay for more than $1 million, Cope said, while the rest will be paid for by the 66 homeowners for pumps, valves, valve box, connection station and piping to reach their houses. The work is to be completed in 180 days.

The board also voted unanimously to award a $635,330 contract to Marietta-based K.M. Davis to extend a sewer force main to Whitfield County’s new elementary school on Cedar Ridge Road. Whitfield County Schools will pay for the project. The school is under construction and is expected to open in August 2009.

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