Gwinnett Co. plans millions of dollars in water main upgrades to prevent outages, water main breaks

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Gwinnett County officials say they plan to perform millions of dollars of upgrades on the county’s water system.

The upgrades will focus on their water mains with a goal of preventing water main breaks that could cause outages.

Channel 2 Gwinnett County Bureau Chief Matt Johnson spoke to county officials, who say the work is about to get started.

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Brad Cox, the Division Director - Engineering & Construction for the Gwinnett County Dept. of Water Resources said the thought of a water crisis similar to what hit Atlanta in May and June remains on the minds of many people in the metro.

However, Cox said while it’s on his mind, the county has a plan.

“I think we’re very prepared for it,” Cox told Channel 2 Action News. “We are identifying and trying to stay ahead.”

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Gwinnett County is going to pay $2.2 million to upgrade water mains in the county by next year.

“We’re trying to replace pipes ahead of them actually creating outages for these neighborhoods,” Cox said.

The county has 40-year-old pipes running through areas like Nelson Drive, where Cox met with Johnson to talk about the upgrade project.

Cox said there have been multiple breaks in the area, with multiple causes for why the upgrades are happening now.

“There’s the age of the pipe, the pipe material, and there’s the break history of the pipe,” Cox said.

In May and into June, the nearly 100-year-old pipes in Atlanta were blamed for the water crisis.

Cox said that there may not be as many pipes that are that old in Gwinnett County, but the work to avoid a disaster like what Atlanta experienced never stops.

“We’ve always taken a proactive approach with this program,” Cox told Channel 2 Action News.

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