GCC buys land for water expansion

GAINESVILLE - Gainesville City Council Tuesday night emerged from an hour long closed door session on land acquisition with a resolution that cleared the way for expansion of the Gainesville water system.

Public Utilities Assistant Director Tim Collins said council gave the go-ahead for a $750,000 land purchase for new water tanks and booster pump stations. Collins said the future expansion includes water distribution from the proposed Cedar Creek Reservoir but it's primarily to get ready for expected growth when the economy improves.

"When that does come on line you'll need to be able to move water from that location into our North Hall/Clermont pressure zone," Collins said. "There's a booster station needed in order to pump that water up into that area."

Collins said the water tank at Highway 52 and Highway 365 needs to be a higher elevation to be on the same elevation with the tanks in Gainesville.

"It's a site we're acquiring for a future tank as growth happens at Glades, Heydon Creek and those planned developments," Collins added.

The land sites are off of U.S. 129, the Cleveland Highway North near Clermont, State Route 52 at Highway 365 and Highway 52 north of the Chattahoochee River, a booster pump station site.

"Those three sites are identified, we've talked with the property owners," Collins said. "The fourth site is located off State Route 60, the Candler Highway south of Gainesville."

FIRE DEPARTMENT CANINE

Gainesville's Fire Department is getting its first fire rescue dog; with approval from City Council for the state funded (K-9) program. Mayor Ruth Bruner said the Georgia Emergency Management Agency pre-approved the program.

"The Fire Department will have a dog that will be trained in search and rescue and it goes along with our being designated as a search and rescue location for this part of the state," the Mayor said.

According to Mayor Bruner the dog would be able to find trapped disaster victims and missing persons in Gainesville and the surrounding area.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2011/4/238075