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Owens Insurance
Agency
16 East Johnson St.
Forsyth, GA 31029
AUTO • HOME • LIFE
LONG-TERM CARE
DISABILITY
Rick Owens
(478) 994-1515
(478) 742-7966
rick.owens@countryfinancial.com
DONNY'S
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CLEAN AMERICAN ENERGY~
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BIDDING ENDS SEPT 13
855-795-2631
RESIDENTIAL &
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RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL
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478-994-0647
Don Etheridge, Owner
405 College Street • Forsyth, GA31029
“Over 30 Years Experience”
• Services On All Brands • Replacement & Repairs
• New Construction • Remodeling
• Custom Designed Metal Duct Systems
• Zoned Systems
• TRANE Communicating Systems
• MITSUBISHI Ductless Systems
We are DET and BPI certified for testing your home
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I S/ISAtm 1 Financing Available MITSUBISHI
^ Subject to credit approval. W'*. ELECTRIC
CN210533 See store for details, cooling & heating
OPEN HOUSE
SUNDAY 2:00 - 4:00 P.M.
NEW CONSTRUCTION
556 Pea Ridge Road
Page 6D
Reporter
August 24, 2022
660± Acres - Ocmulgee River Frontage
Pristine Timberland & Recreational Farm
SMITH MILL RD, MONTICELLO (JASPER COUNTY), GA
This property fronts on the Ocmulgee River surrounded by the
National Forest. This is your chance to own a beautiful recreational
and timberland investment in beautiful Jasper County. This property
is located on Smith Mill Road boasting rolling hills of upland
plantation pines and natural deer hunting landscape. If you've been
waiting for the perfect private getaway, this farm is for you! Check
out the timber cruise report for a more detailed timber description.
Minutes from Jackson & Monticello, just south of Lake Jackson.
Property Details
2019 Destiny manufactured 1,493±SF 4BR, 2BA home ■ 24' x 60'
equipment barn • solar electrical system • 245' 20GPM well with 1.5HP
Pump ■ LP gas & septic tank ■ stocked 2.1± Acre pond ■ extensive road
network • 26' x 24' solar equipment barn
Phone: (478) 256-4600 • Fax: (478) 471-9944
Email: Mike@MikeCasteel.com
5816 Columbus Road • Macon, Georgia 31206
Forsyth water turns August
brown as manganese increases
By Diane Glidewell
news@mymcr.net
Craig Helms, Forsyths
water plant superintendent,
explained the cause of com
plaints about discolored
water the city had received
the preceding week to city
council on Aug. 15. Forsyth
contracts with Utility
Partners, Inc. to manage its
water and sewer systems,
and Helms oversees the
Forsyth systems for Utility
Partners.
Helms said he received
complaints from residents
on Montpelier Ave. and
Hickman Road and from
Ingles, Super 8 and El Do
rado Mexican Restaurant
about discolored water.
Tests showed that the
discoloration was caused
by excessive manganese.
Helms said manganese is
a secondary contaminant,
that is, it is aesthetically un
pleasing but is not a health
threat.
Helms said Forsyth
flushed its water lines in the
affected areas and didn’t get
any complaints on Wednes
day, Aug. 10. Helms said
Forsyth has a problem with
manganese every sum
mer because it settles and
accumulates in water lines
and pipes. August is a high
demand month for water;
with more water coming
through the pipes it pulls
the settled manganese
loose and into the water
flowing to customers.
Helms said over the week
he has gotten complaints
from Union Hill, River For
est and everywhere to the
east of 1-75. As of Aug. 15,
only Indian Springs Drive
and Hickman Road were
still reporting discolored
water.
“We’ve made signifi
cant progress. We test the
reservoir twice a day’ said
Helms. “Manganese is
naturally occurring, and
the body needs it. It just
makes the water look bad.”
Helms said that although
complaints normally occur
each summer, the problem
with brown water isn’t
usually as widespread as it
is this year. Utility Partners
cleans the basins at the
water plants monthly to
stay ahead of the problem.
Manganese settles into the
sludge, and the manganese
Ready to show
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Custom cabinets with
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Call Scott Calhoon at 478-960-7533.
ing water.
Hall asked council’s per
mission to adjust the water
bills of customers that had
to use excessive water to
flush their lines as they
were told to do by the city.
She said the city’s ordinanc
es let her adjust sewer rates
at her discretion but she
has to have council’s ap
proval to adjust water rates.
Hall said she hasn’t decided
whether it will be better
to adjust water rates for
everyone or to adjust them
for customers individually
Council gave Hall author
ity to make the decision on
how to adjust water rates to
compensate customers.
Forsyth posted on its
Facebook page on Aug. 11
that although manganese
isn’t a health risk, it “will
stain clothing and plumb
ing.” Customers with
brown water were told to
run all of their faucets, in
side and outside, until wa
ter became clear. The post
said the manganese levels
at the water treatment plant
were within normal limits,
but the levels in the system
were high as water was
released from pipes and
traveled to customers’ taps.
One customer who post
ed a comment on the city’s
Facebook page disagreed
that manganese wasn’t a
health risk if the numbers
were high enough. The cus
tomer said the city should
tell customers the exact
numbers.
In Hall’s manager’s report
to council she said she,
Helms and the city engi-
numbers go down each
month as the sludge is
cleared out. Customers are
concerned about black ma
terial on their filters, and
Helms explains to them
it is caused by manganese
accumulation.
Council member Chris
Hewett asked if the city
has plenty of water in its
reservoir. Helms said the
reservoir is full, but the
city water tanks are at a
low level because of all
the flushing the city has
been doing to get rid of the
brown water.
“We had 30 hydrants
open at one time,” said
Helms. “Now we’re down
to four hydrants open.”
City manager Janice Hall
said a tree fell on Friday,
Aug. 12 and hit lines that
provide electricity to intake
at the water plant, add
ing to the problem and
initiating more customer
complaints. She said power
was restored after about
two hours and the plant
was able to restart process-
neer met with Georgia’s
Environmental Protection
Division (EPD) the week
before about copper viola
tions in Forsyth’s discharge
water. Hall said EPD asked
for regular updates on the
plant upgrade projects and
how the discharge will be
handled. The city applied
for funding to defray the
cost of moving discharge
lines.
Hall said Forsyth may be
fined by EPD.
Dream. Sleep
BACK TO SCHOOL SALE!
www.dreamsleepmattressco.com
478.259.1480 j 4446 Forsyth Rd Macon
To advertise your business,
call Seth Berkebile at 478-718-8302,
or e-mail her at ads@mymcr.net.
porter
STARR
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We Service All Brands of Heating
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Juliette Rd. • Forsyth, GA
478-994-6127
Ga.Reg.CU 401419
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