Water has always been and will always be our lifeline. For centuries, the Chattahoochee River has served residents of this area as a transportation route, an engine for commerce, a source of nourishment and a recreational resource. As a provider of water and wastewater services, Columbus Water Works (CWW) believes it is important to look at the watershed as a whole and work to preserve it.  

CWW is dedicated to excellence in everything it does and has been recognized repeatedly for its focus on customer service, dedication to strategic planning, excellence in operations, pursuit of innovation and commitment to remaining one of the lowest cost providers of water in the Southeast this includes 2015 awards from the Georgia Association of Water Professionals for Plant of the Year and the American Water Works Association for Georgia Drinking Water Taste Test District Champions. 

“Our employees bring a high level of skill and talent to the job every day. It is our job to make sure they have the equipment and training needed to be successful, but we wouldn’t win these awards if it wasn’t for dedicated people doing the work to make sure we have clean and safe drinking water, properly treated wastewater and all of the supporting functions necessary to service our customers continuously,” said Steve Davis, President Columbus Water Works. 

Underscoring every CWW endeavor is the protection of the most valuable natural resource in the area — the abundant waters of the Chattahoochee River. CWW is one of the founding members of the Apalachicola Chattahoochee Flint Stakeholders (ACFS). The coalition is made up of individuals, environmental organizations, businesses and utilities that have an interest in the ACF basin. The ACFS’s purpose is to ensure that the rivers are protected and available to meet the needs of all the groups that rely on it - whether it is for recreation, water supply, water quality, navigation or power generation.  

“Integrating the delivery of safe water and collection of wastewater for the 250,000 residents of the region, we are dedicated to providing future generations with a legacy of responsible environmental stewardship of the middle Chattahoochee River watershed,” said Davis. “Stewardship helps reduce our footprint and sustain the environment.”    

One of the most significant reductions in carbon footprint comes from the CBFT3 system at the South Columbus Water Resources Facility. It produces 250,000 - 400,000 cubic feet per day of methane which is used to co-generate heat and power. The energy management program not only reduces power consumption it also produces financial savings. Fats, oil and grease collected from area businesses and residences are also taken to the South Columbus Water Resource Facility where they help the digestion of wastewater solids and provide additional methane.

CWW, as part of an overall meter change-out program, has been replacing water meters with upgraded technology allowing for meters to be read remotely, more efficiently and with better usage information.   

“By replacing these meters and converting our meter reading and billing processes to a monthly cycle, it will allow our customers to access current water usage information, discover water leaks sooner and many more future billing capabilities.”  Davis add, “Converting our meter reading to monthly reading is just a first step to being able to offer more state of the art capabilities for our customers.”

A vital part of Columbus's past, present and future, water binds us together as a region and defines our culture. As an organization, CWW has a clear vision and mission to not only sustain the current level of service but improve it for future generations. CWW is reaching for extraordinary heights by becoming the nation's best provider of utility services.