The Henry County Public Service Authority (PSA) secured the
county’s future water supply today by entering into a three-million-gallon water storage agreement with the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers (USACE).
The 50-year agreement guarantees that the PSA will be able to access the necessary amount of source water to meet future demand.
Following the initial 50-year period, the agreement will auto-renew.
“Water scarcity is increasingly becoming an issue for many communities around the world,” said Stuart Bowman, Chairman of the PSA. “Our partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ensures that Henry County will have the necessary resources to continue providing for our residents and to accommodate for future growth in our industrial sector.”
According to a 2023 United Nations World Water Development Report, the global demand for freshwater will exceed the available supply by 40 percent by 2030.
In 2018, the PSA secured an agreement with USACE to provide 3 million gallons per day of storage capacity.
An expansion of the PSA’s service area and increased industrial and commercial water usage have driven the need for more capacity.
To ensure local demand can still be met, the PSA proactively purchased the storage rights from USACE for $904,294.
The agreement guarantees that the PSA will avoid any future price increases caused by fluctuations in water markets.
Philpott Lake serves as the primary water source for the PSA through the Smith River.
The Philpott Dam is operated by USACE who oversees water flows from the reservoir.
The agreement between the PSA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is vital for ensuring water security, facilitating long-term planning, building community confidence, and providing legal protection for water withdrawal rights, all of which are essential for addressing the challenges of ensuring access to quality drinking water in the face of increasing scarcity and environmental pressures.