Fayette County adopts ordinance to establish cross‑connection control and backflow prevention program

The Fayette County Board of Commissioners adopted Ordinance 2025-05 on Nov. 13, 2025, authorizing a revised cross-connection control program that the Water System will maintain and enforce to satisfy state safe drinking water rules. The motion passed 4-0; Commissioner Charles W. Oddo seconded by Vice Chairman Edward Gibbons.

Water System Director Vanessa Tigert said the section had not been revised since 2005 and that the new ordinance is a complete rewrite to align county practice with current state requirements. Tigert said the major change described at the meeting was that for any testable device the customer would not be responsible for installation, certified testing when installed, inspections, and annual reporting; Tigert also said the rule would apply to all residential customers with connections of 1.5 inches or greater, all irrigation meters regardless of size, and all non-residential customers (about 7% of the county’s customers).

Chairman Lee Hearn asked who would be covered; Tigert answered with the scope above. County Attorney Dennis A. Davenport offered a personal cost example, saying that as a Coweta County resident he paid about $55 annually for testing; the minutes do not list a Fayette County-wide testing fee schedule or the ordinance’s effective date. The Board approved the ordinance 4-0. The minutes do not specify enforcement details, implementation timetable, or whether the county will absorb testing and installation costs or pass them to customers.