Water Treatment

Our Mission

To safely and efficiently reclaim the community’s used water for the protection of human health and preservation of aquatic life.

Our Functions

  • Operate & maintain the Long Cane Creek WPCP (Water Pollution Control Plant).
  • Operate & maintain the City’s wastewater pumping stations (18) and offline storage facilities (2).
  • Administer and enforce the Industrial Pretreatment Program.
  • Monitor wastewater treatment processes, industrial discharges, and receiving streams.

Long Cane Creek WPCP

Major Construction Milestones Completed Cost
8.2 MGD Pure Oxygen AWT facility (to meet requirements of Clean Water Act) July, 1986 $22 million
Upgrade & Expansion to 12.5 MGD 1992 - 1994 $27.1 million

Treatment Processes

The Long Cane Plant provides advanced wastewater treatment. It has influent coarse and fine screening; grit removal; primary clarification with ferric chloride addition for phosphorus removal. Flow is then split between two biological treatment plants - a 7.5 MGD Pure Oxygen and a 5.0 MGD Carrousel each with its own secondary clarifiers, effluent filters, and chlorination. The total discharge is then de chlorinated and pumped 11 miles to the Chattahoochee River at the confluence of Long Cane Creek. There it is aerated and diffused under the river. Sludge handling consists of thickening, belt filter presses, and lime stabilization.


NPDES Permit Limits

Parameter Monthly Avg Weekly Avg
FLOW (MGD) 12.5 15.6
CBOD5 (mg/l) 10 15
TSS (mg/l) 30 45
NH3 - N (mg/l) 2 3
TP (mg/l) 1 1.5
FECAL COLIF (#/100 ml) 200 400
D.O. (mg/l) 6.0 (daily minimum)
pH (pHU) 6.0 (daily minimum)
TRC (mg/l) 0.39 (daily maximum)
Color; Mercury monitor

Compliance Record

Two daily violations in the last sixty-eight months.

Industrial Pretreatment Program

The local program was approved by GA EPD in 1982 and implemented in 1984. The City of LaGrange WPC is the Control Authority with oversight by EPD and EPA. 21 Significant Industrial Users are issued Discharge Permits with effluent limits, monitoring, and reporting requirements.

Our Operating Costs

The annual operating budget for the WPC division is $2.83 million with 22 employees. Energy conservation features include peak-shaving generators; treated water reuse; and interruptible gas capabilities.

Public Notices