Regional water project ramps up in Effingham County

EFFINGHAM COUNTY, Ga. (WTOC) - Effingham County leaders say work is now underway on a new regional water system drawing from the Savannah River after state leaders approved more than $500 million in funding to expand surface-water capacity across the Coastal Empire.

The Effingham County Board of Commissioners said the project will support a long-term, reliable water supply for Effingham, Bryan, Bulloch and Chatham counties, including the City of Savannah, while reducing reliance on the Floridan Aquifer — a major drinking-water source for nearly 10 million people.

Gov. Brian Kemp and the General Assembly committed the funding as part of a broader regional plan to address long-term water needs in fast-growing coastal Georgia.

Two-phase project now in motion, with target completion in 2030

County leaders said early work is underway, with construction expected to ramp up beginning in 2026. The pipeline network is targeted for completion by 2028, the treatment plant is expected to be operational by 2029 and the full system is expected to be online in 2030.

Effingham County Manager Tim Callanan said the project is designed to deliver high water quality and long-term capacity for both residents and industry.

“The water quality will be amazing,” Callanan said. “But it’ll also provide water to industrial customers like Hyundai. And having a large customer like that makes the economics work for the plant, which is why this was really a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for us to get this done.”

The plan is expected to be built in two phases:

Phase 1 (estimated completion: 2029)

• The City of Savannah plans to upgrade its existing intake on Abercorn Creek and its water treatment facility, increasing capacity by 8 million gallons per day.
• Effingham County plans to build a new water transmission line connecting its main line — where it currently receives water from Savannah’s system — to the Bryan County line at Interstate 16.
• Bryan County plans to build a line connecting to the Hyundai Meta Plant site.

Phase 2 (estimated completion: 2030)

Effingham County plans to build:

• a new surface-water intake on the Savannah River,
• a new 12 million gallon-per-day water treatment facility that officials say will be expandable to 24 million gallons per day,
• transmission lines to connect the intake and treatment plant.

County leaders have also described supporting infrastructure such as pipeline improvements and an elevated water tank.

Reducing groundwater use and protecting the Floridan Aquifer

Officials say shifting more of the region’s supply to surface water is intended to protect the Floridan Aquifer from overuse and saltwater intrusion. The Georgia Environmental Protection Division has restricted withdrawals from the Floridan Aquifer since 2006 because of increasing pressure on the groundwater source.

In 2024, Georgia EPD issued a permit for multiple wells in Bulloch County to provide groundwater to the Hyundai Meta Plant. Under the permit’s conditions, once sufficient surface water is delivered to the plant site, the wells will stop operating.

County leaders said Phase 1 would reduce reliance on those wells by about 2 million gallons per day, while Phase 2 would eliminate the need for them entirely.

Reliability upgrades and PFAS treatment goals

The project is expected to increase reliability by creating interconnected systems between Savannah and Effingham, giving both communities redundant supply options, county officials said.

They said the planned Effingham intake would be located about 8 miles upriver from Savannah’s intake and would be more resilient to saltwater intrusion during drought, storm surge and sea-level rise.

Officials said the new treatment plant will also be designed to address emerging contaminants, including PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), with the goal of exceeding Environmental Protection Agency recommendations from the start.

Officials say Savannah River can support the demand

County leaders and project backers say the Savannah River is a sustainable option for the region’s long-term supply.

They noted surface-water withdrawals from the lower Savannah River have dropped significantly in recent years, which officials attributed to the closure of three coal-fired power plants and improved water efficiency at existing facilities. Withdrawals declined from about 720 million gallons per day in 2005 to under 200 million gallons per day today.

Officials said that even during the river’s lowest flow rate in the past 40 years — recorded in November 2012 — the proposed 12 million gallon-per-day plant would account for less than 0.4% of the river’s total flow.

Cost and funding

Original estimates for bringing surface water to the Hyundai plant site and West Chatham County projected a 25-year timeline and costs topping $1 billion, officials said. The revised plan cuts that timeline by nearly 20 years and is expected to cost about half as much.

Funding is expected to come from a combination of direct state investment and no-interest loans through the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority.

What residents should expect

County leaders said most residents will not need to take action to change water service once the new supply comes online.

They added that any future rate adjustments would be determined by local utilities, not directly by the project, and said the plan is intended to support long-term cost stability through efficiency and scale.

Environmental review

County leaders said much of the construction will follow an existing easement and that the project is designed to meet or exceed state and federal environmental standards.

Callanan said the county is working with regulators to limit potential impacts tied to surface-water intake.

“As you take water out, that water contains oxygen, and so therefore, you could be taking away oxygen supply,” Callanan said. “That you properly mitigate that by pumping more oxygen into the water than you take out. The county is doing that. We’re working with the EPD.”

The effort involves Effingham County, the City of Savannah, Bryan County and state agencies and infrastructure partners, according to county leaders.

For continuing updates, the county says the new project website is the best place to track progress.