Gwinnett County moved a step closer to returning reclaimed water to Lake Lanier when the Department of Water Resources received a "Finding of No Significant Impact" (FONSI) from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Mobile, Ala.

The document is needed before the County can get an easement to build a pipeline from the F. Wayne Hill Water Resources Center to and into Lake Lanier. "The Corps owns the land from Buford Dam Road to and under the lake," said Frank Stephens, Gwinnet's Water Resource Department Director. "We can't build on their property without the easement. We can go forward once the easement is received and accepted by the Board of Commissioners."

Chairman Charles Bannister said, "This has been a long, arduous journey from the original permit issuance by the Environmental Protection Division in 2000 to this point. When I came into office, the permit was at an impasse between the Lake Lanier Association and the other petitioners and Gwinnett County. State Rep. John Heard and I were able to work out a compromise that allowed this important project to move forward without any more litigation. I want to thank all our staff, the EPD staff, the Corps staff, our consultants and others whose hard work has gotten Gwinnett to this point. Putting the reclaimed water back into the lake is the right thing to do for the environment, the rate payers of Gwinnett County and the citizens of Georgia and our neighbors to the south."

It will take about two years to complete the pipeline construction. "We hope to be returning water to the lake in the fall of 2009," said Stephens. "Returning water to Lake Lanier is the foundation of the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District's plan for water conservation and supply. We're helping ensure a future water supply for the metropolitan Atlanta area."

"Construction will be done under two contracts ? one on land and one in the lake," said Ron Peters, Water Resources Deputy Director for Engineering and Construction. "The 72-inch diameter pipeline will send about 10 million gallons per day to the lake initially. Reclaimed water from the Hill Plant is now going to the Chattahoochee River near Holcomb Bridge Road."

It has taken 57 months from the initial application to receiving the FONSI documents. Gwinnett County is reimbursing the Corps of Engineers for their costs to review the documentation and process the easement.