Why Columbus needs at least $500 million for new wastewater treatment plant. And who pays
Columbus, Georgia is planning to replace its 62-year-old wastewater treatment plant with a new $500-750 million facility to meet growing population demands and stricter environmental regulations. The project will be financed through customer rate increases and potentially through large industries, such as a proposed $5.18 billion hyperscale data center called Project Ruby in Muscogee County, which would pay for its own sewage infrastructure.
Columbus, Georgia is embarking on a significant infrastructure project to replace its aging 62-year-old South Columbus Water Resources Facility. The new wastewater treatment plant, estimated to cost between $500 million and $750 million by its 2031 completion, is necessary due to a 50,000-person population increase since 1964 and new, stricter environmental regulations, particularly the Georgia Environmental Protection Division's Nutrient Reduction Strategy.
Jeremy Cummings, president and CEO of Columbus Water Works (CWW), stated that the new plant will increase treatment capacity from 38-42 million gallons per day to 65 million gallons per day and will meet new nutrient requirements for pollutants like nitrogen and phosphorus. The project team, including engineering firm Barge Design Solutions and construction contractor Brasfield & Gorrie, will build the new facility on a 144-acre property north of the current flood-prone site. Financing for the project will come from customer rate increases, which are expected to double annually for the next four to five years, and potentially from large commercial water users.
One such potential revenue source is "Project Ruby," a proposed $5.18 billion hyperscale data center in northeast Muscogee County. While the data center itself would consume 300,000 gallons of water per day, its developer would be responsible for constructing eight miles of sewage line and a sewage station, an estimated $30 million cost, which would connect to the CWW system and help offset overall project costs. Additional funding includes a $3.12 million appropriations bill from U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff and future bonds. Jason Ulseth, executive director of the Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, expressed approval of the upgrades, noting the need to reduce phosphorus discharge from the current plant.