Twiggs County Possibly Facing Sanctions Over Water System Complications

JEFFERSONVILLE, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Residents in Twiggs County may have to fund a new water system they already paid for.

The county is facing sanctions from the government over a project that was supposed to be completed using federal grant money.

The state’s department of community affairs told commissioners sanctions will be given out for failure to meet requirements using the community development block grant.

The county had five years to complete a water system that would provide drinking water to the general Twiggs County and Black Bottom area.

Over that time, commissioners were given three extensions to complete the project and never did.

Now the current board says the county is struggling financially.

Commissioner Donald Watson says the county will have a hard time paying for the system’s completion.

“The previous board obligated the county to spend about well past two million dollars on a water project in dry branch, they received a grant for a half million and they did not complete a single one of those projects,” Watson said. “We were left broke we don’t have the money to do the project and that’s where it stands today.”

The sanctions begin immediately.

Some commissioners are requesting an investigation into where the grant money was used.

Officials with the DCA say sanctions could possibly be lifted if the county finds a way to continue work on the system in both areas.

The board will be given time to figure out how to pay the money back, including a possible water tax increase for residents, but the DCA says repayment has to be sooner rather than later.