Traditional infrastructure delivery modes fall far short of bridging the funding gap
Georgia’s wastewater infrastructure is straining under decades of underinvestment. According to the 2024 Infrastructure Report Card, the state will need $15.3 billion in upgrades to bring systems to a state of good repair and meet future demand.
The challenge is that most public utilities, from large metro systems to rural counties, do not have fast access to that amount of capital.
Traditional tools like rate hikes, new taxes, or large bond issues are politically difficult and often financially out of reach. Yet the need is immediate. Systems must keep up with compliance requirements, population growth, and the wear of aging infrastructure. The question for utilities is straightforward but urgent: how can communities build capacity now, without creating new tax burdens or adding long-term debt?
The Scale of the Challenge
Across Georgia, the pressures on wastewater infrastructure are showing up in different ways. In metro Atlanta, aging systems are already tied up in lawsuits over Clean Water Act compliance, with watchdog groups pointing to repeated discharges of poorly treated water.
Even when major cities commit to upgrades, the scale of investment can be daunting. Atlanta has announced a $2 billion, 20-year plan to repair its water and sewer systems, a reminder that conventional approaches often require decades of planning and uncertain funding sources.
Outside the metro area, the strain is just as real. In Pickens County, officials were forced to pause new water and sewer hookups through 2026 because their systems could not keep up with demand from growth.
In rural parts of the state, failing septic systems and small plant breakdowns can create direct public health risks. In some Southern counties, poor drainage and failing on-site systems have even been linked to the resurgence of intestinal parasites once thought eliminated in the United States.
Georgia’s wastewater infrastructure funding gap impacts the state’s urban systems, suburban towns, and rural communities in a very real and unmistakable way.
Why Traditional Funding Models Don’t Work
Instituting new local taxes and issuing municipal bonds is politically difficult in Georgia, where utilities and local governments face pressure to keep rates low. Even when voters approve bond issues, repayment obligations limit flexibility for decades.
Traditional design-bid-build projects also come with high upfront capital costs. They often require years of engineering and permitting before construction begins, leaving utilities vulnerable to compliance deadlines.
Federal and state programs like the Clean Water State Revolving Fund and USDA Rural Development loans provide valuable support, but not every community qualifies, and funding cycles can stretch on for months or years before money is released.
Consequently, many public utilities cannot act quickly enough to keep up with growth or address urgent needs. Traditional funding mechanisms leave gaps, and those gaps can expose communities to regulatory violations, stalled development, or worsening public health risks.
Leasing as a Practical Alternative
Leasing wastewater treatment plants now allows public utilities to add capacity quickly without the heavy burden of upfront capital spending. Instead of waiting years for bonds or federal funding cycles, a lease can put new treatment infrastructure in place within months.
With new, modular equipment options and flexible lease terms, communities can install capacity in phases, matching infrastructure investment to population growth and budget cycles rather than overbuilding or falling behind.
Lease payments in Georgia are treated as predictable operating expenses rather than new debt. This preserves bonding capacity for other priorities like schools, transportation, or public safety while still giving utilities the tools they need to stay compliant.
For utilities struggling to meet state or federal deadlines, leasing provides a way to act now and avoid costly penalties while longer-term funding options remain uncertain.
How Water-as-a-Service® Strengthens the Model
Seven Seas Water Group’s Water as a Service® (WaaS®) builds on the leasing approach by bundling design, construction, operations, and maintenance into a single contract.
Instead of managing multiple contracts or worrying about staffing, the utility has one accountable partner responsible for system performance.
This model ensures that plants are operated to meet regulatory standards every day of the contract. Seven Seas’ incentives align with community goals because revenue depends on the reliable delivery of treated water and compliance with permits.
WaaS® is particularly valuable for municipalities and counties that lack the staff capacity to run advanced water treatment systems or that face frequent turnover among operators. With WaaS®, they can secure both infrastructure and expertise with one predictable service agreement.
The Benefits for Georgia Communities Are Clear
Here’s what Georgia utilities can gain by looking beyond conventional approaches.
- New capacity can be deployed in months instead of years, helping utilities keep pace with growth and compliance deadlines.
- Because plants are modular and scalable, they can be expanded in stages to fit the needs of suburban growth corridors as well as small towns.
- Communities can meet urgent infrastructure demands without instituting new local taxes or issuing bonds. Lease payments or service agreements become manageable operating expenses rather than long-term debt, reducing financial strain.
- For rural counties with limited staff, WaaS® ensures that advanced treatment systems are professionally operated and maintained, delivering regulatory compliance and long-term reliability without overstretching local resources.
In metro Atlanta suburbs, rapid housing growth often outpaces sewer capacity. Leased modular plants can provide a treatment bridge that keeps development moving.
In smaller towns, modular upgrades can be deployed as an alternative to costly septic-to-sewer conversions. By phasing in treatment capacity, utilities can expand service areas without burdening residents with large upfront costs.
Moving Forward With Smarter Wastewater Solutions
Georgia’s $15.3 billion wastewater funding gap is too large to ignore, and traditional approaches alone will not close the gap without burdening taxpayers or delaying critical projects. Leasing and WaaS® offer a clear pathway forward. With scalable Seven Seas infrastructure that can be deployed quickly and operated reliably, Georgia communities have a practical alternative to meet compliance standards, support growth, and protect public health today without new local taxes. It is now possible to skip the years of waiting for conventional funding. Contact Seven Seas to explore leasing and WaaS® options that can put capacity in place within months, without raising local taxes.
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