Brandon Mill and North Mill Roads in Sandy Springs re-opened to traffic on Sept. 27 after the city of Atlanta repaved them following a water main break, but the rupture of the water main also re-opened an old wound between the cities.
Sandy Springs Mayor Eva Galambos said on Sept. 27 she isn’t happy with how the city of Atlanta has handled repairs and brought up the issue of the city having to pay Atlanta a 21 percent surcharge for water. The water line broke on Sept. 18.
“I am not at all happy with the response time,” Galambos said in an email. “The repair work should have been completed last week. We pay a 21 percent differential to the city of Atlanta, and deserve fast, efficient service.
“In addition to the repairs on Brandon Mill and North Mill, there is secondary damage caused by the water main break that includes catch basins now filled with stone and silt, issues on the shoulders of the road and damages to several residential property driveways. We expect – and insist – that the city of Atlanta make the needed repairs surrounding these concerns in a timely manner.”
Sandy Springs has fought with the city of Atlanta for lower rates, and one possibility is establishing its own water authority independent from the city of Atlanta. City Attorney Wendell Willard said Sandy Springs residents pay one of the highest water rates in the nation.
In 2009, Sandy Springs attempted to renegotiate its agreement with the city of Atlanta to give itself the option of selecting another service provider. The city of Atlanta opposed these actions and a federal judge sided with it, which Willard said was because losing Sandy Springs’ revenue would harm Atlanta’s ability to comply with a consent order to upgrade its water sewer system.
“We want to renegotiate and part of that may entail us taking control of our water system,” Willard said.
Willard said the city has filed an appeal with the 11th U.S. Court of Circuit Appeals seeking to have the negotiations moved to Fulton County Superior Court.
Councilman Chip Collins said he initially thought repairs would take two weeks and was glad the road repairs didn’t take as long as estimated.
“It turned out that they got it done quicker than initially expected,” Collins said. “I’m not happy about the 21 percent surcharge, I’m not happy about a water main break, but I think sometimes those things are just unavoidable. I’m just glad it’s done and the roads are open.”
