The Chattahoochee Raw Water Transmission Main pipeline system supplies water to DeKalb County’s 730,000 residents from the Chattahoochee River near Holcomb Bridge Road. The raw water transmission pipeline system serves the entire County water supply since construction of the intake and raw water pumping station in the early 1940s.

Raw water is pumped from the Chattahoochee River to the Scott Candler Water Treatment Plant, located on Winters Chapel Road. The station was expanded from its original capacity of 30 million gallons per day (mgd) to 140 mgd in 1990. Until 2008, the raw water supply network consisted of three pipelines that were installed in 1942, 1960, and 1980 respectively. The pipelines were added as water demand for the County increased.

After repeated failures of the existing old pipelines, it was determined that one of the three raw water pipelines had to be replaced. This was necessary for long-term reliability, and to provide water demand requirements for the newly expanded Scott Candler Water Treatment Plant. The existing and new raw water pipelines are expected to be connected to the John A. Walker Memorial Pumping Station.

Pipeline Construction

The County has contracted with S.J. Louis Construction, Inc. to replace the existing 48-inch raw water transmission pipeline with a new 96-inch steel raw water transmission pipeline. It will be interconnected with the existing pipeline system, and will have many design features to provide long-term life for the water supply network.

The approximate 2.5 mile raw water pipeline project begins in the City of Sandy Springs at the Chattahoochee River, and ends at Peeler Road (click HERE to see alignment). Through most of its alignment, the pipeline parallels the Georgia Power transmission line in easements. Portions of the new pipeline system will be installed through seven tunnels that will be constructed under major roads, streams and utilities.

Construction started in February 2010, and is expected to be completed in summer 2011.

Project Schedule

Construction will occur in several stages of activity:

	Easement Clearing and Preparation	Feb 2010 – Mar 2010
	Tunnel Construction	Mar 2010 – Jul 2010
	Pipeline Installation	Jul 2010 – Feb 2011
	Easement Restoration	Oct 2010 – Jun 2011
	Concrete Pour for Top of Spalding Drive Butterfly Vault	Jul 2011
	Installing 96-inch Pipe South of AMLI Tunnel	Jul 2011