PERRY, Ga. — The city of Perry is breaking ground on a new wastewater treatment facility next month. The facility is coming to the east side of Perry, where leaders say development is booming.
With 300 to 500 homes being built each year, the city is trying to keep its infrastructure up to date with growth.
Joy Peterson has lived in Perry for nearly 15 years.
"I've seen tremendous growth, not just growth in numbers, but growth in opportunity," Peterson said.
Opportunities, like the chance to fill one of the 700 job positions coming to the Jack Link's plant on the west side, or going to the Veterans Affairs Clinic near downtown soon.
"There's so much growth in East Perry. Folks that have generally lived close to downtown don't know what town they're in when they go out there. It's just tremendous," Peterson said.
To handle it, the city is trying to prepare.
"We have needed more wastewater capacity for a while now," Assistant City Manager Robert Smith said.
Smith says the current plant on Frank Satterfield Road is at capacity. He says they've been working to bring a new waste treatment plant to the city for three years.
"It's going to go on the AE Harris Track" Smith said.
It is a collaboration with Houston County Board of Commissioners and the county development authority.
To keep up with growth, the city is improving its water, sewer and gas services in West Perry.
"Specifically for Jack Links we do have to complete some sewer main upgrades to handle the volume they will be producing at their facility," Smith said.
They are also doing a natural gas project to serve Jack Link and the surrounding area.
Both the new wastewater treatment facility and the Jack Links are expected to open by the end of 2025.
With all the growth, councilwoman Peterson says some people are concerned.
"We aren't recruiting new citizens, they are coming to us out of their own desire," Peterson shared.
Peterson says where they're expanding is good for the city.
"As we get closer to downtown, I know that residents are resistant, and frankly so am I, to high density developments. What makes Perry unique will disappear if we don't control that? If we don't control what comes closer and closer to downtown," she said.
The new sewage plant will cost more than $45 million. The city is receiving $50 million from the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority for the plant.
Smith says that city service charges generally rise each year due to inflation costs for keeping the city running, they don't expect that to change.