Some Hart County Residents Told Not to Drink Their Well Water

Almost half the residents on Bakers Bridge Road in Hart County can’t drink the water from their wells.

Seven out of the 15 homes on Bakers Bridge Road have had their well water tested and people living in those homes have been told not to use their water for drinking or cooking.

Now those residents are asking the City of Royston to help by extending the City’s water line to serve their area.

Bakers Bridge Road is near the Vanna Community in Hart County.

City Manager Ed Andrews passed the information along to the City Council in Tuesday’s meeting.

“There’s something going on with the water down there,” Andrews explained. “Now for the other residents down there who have not had their water tested, I have asked one resident to be the spokesman and to bring me back substantial documentation of testing results so that we can set some things in motion, so long as Council is willing to look at providing some kind of water source for that area.”

Andrews said no estimates have been made on how much such a project might cost, he also said the City would be contacting Hart County to try to find a solution to the problem.

Mayor David Jordan said issues like this are what make the SPLOST monies so important to the city.

“We only get about 3% of that SPLOST from Hart County,” Jordan said. “This is a great example of why we need to keep the SPLOST that we do get from Hart County. It’s a necessity for some of these folks.”

Jordan was referring to a Hart County proposal to use most of the next special purpose local option sales tax to build a new jail and only give what’s left to the four municipalities when the jail is completed.

Jordan has petitioned the County for Royston’s full share, about $350,000, regardless.

After hearing from Andrews and Jordan, the Council took no action.

Andrews said further research will be done with Hart County to determine what steps need to be taken next.