Water Recycling in Clayton County, Georgia

Just south of Atlanta’s busy Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, Clayton County seems like an obvious place for metropolitan growth. But more homes and businesses mean a higher demand on the county’s limited water supplies. Clayton County Water Authority (CCWA) chose to construct treatment wetlands to increase water supply. The natural treatment from the wetland vegetation saves substantial land use to treat wastewater compared with spray irrigation techniques. In 2000, the county also developed a comprehensive plan that integrates water reclamation, water production, and watershed management. The constructed wetland managed to offer sufficient reclaimed water for the county during a severe drought in 2007 and 2008.