On May 24, 2012, Forsyth County and the City of Cumming reached a tentative agreement to a new multi-year contract for water ending a two month heated negotiation. The deal was reached before the Saturday, May 26 deadline. Had an agreement not been made, 50,000 water customers in Forsyth County would have seen dramatic increases in their water rates. Under the new contract, Forsyth County customers will retain their current rates for raw water as well as decreased rates for treated water. The treated water contract would be for a five year period with an option to renew the contract for another five years while the raw water contract would be for 15 years with a 15 year renewal option.
Also part of the deal, Forsyth County will pay $11.4 million of the $17 million for an upgrade to the city’s intake facility on Lake Lanier. Another term included in contract is an agreement that Cumming would assist the county in its future efforts of gaining permits to withdraw water from Lake Lanier and the Chattahoochee River. Mayor of the City of Cumming, H. Ford Gravitt, plans to call a City Council meeting in the coming days to review the agreement.