Cumming, Ga., is located almost 40 miles northeast of Atlanta.  With a population of more than 4,000 residents, its small-town charm and proximity to the big city continue to attract new residents and visitors each year.  The city is also the county seat for one of the fastest-growing U.S. counties, Forsyth County, with a population of approximately 98,400 and a 123 percent growth rate.  New commercial and industrial businesses continue to establish themselves in the area.  All which further strains Cumming’s infrastructure.

By 1997, Cumming realized the need to increase capacity at its water and wastewater facilities and decrease traffic congestion.  As the city increased its water treatment plant’s capacity from 3 million gallons per day (mgd) to 8 mgd, it also needed to find an alternative means of disposing of potable water residuals (sludge) that result from the water treatment process. 

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