Ellijay-Gilmer County Water and Sewerage Authority board members approved increasing their cyberattack insurance coverage, while also being updated on current and upcoming projects, during a brief meeting Monday, June 28.
Water Authority Controller Bonnie Broady Dalrymple recommended increasing the authority’s protection against cyberattacks “in light of everything that’s happening in the world today,” referring to ransomware attacks on the Georgia-based Colonial Pipeline Company and other U.S. companies this year.
Additional cyberinsurance coverage was approved for a year’s cost of $3,554. Pam Fox, the authority’s insurance agent, noted the insurance is a stand-alone policy that includes increased extortion coverage.
The water authority is not the only local utility or municipality to boost its insurance for cyberattacks following the aforementioned incidents. The Ellijay City Council approved adding similar cyber and privacy coverage for the city at its June meeting.
In project updates, Water Authority Director Gary McVey said crews are nearing completion of the water authority’s biggest current project, extension of service to the Roundtop-Sunlight Road area off Highway 382.
More than 20,000 combined feet of 8- and 6-inch pipe has been installed as part of the Community Development Block Grant-funded project. Line work is currently being done in the Lakeside Mobile Home Park, which is the last stage of the project, McVey noted.
“It’s challenging working in there with the existing water lines. Nobody knows where they’re at, and they’re not very deep. The quality of material is not very good, so it doesn’t take much to damage them. It’s slowed us down quite a bit, but they’re on the back end of that,” he added.
It’s hoped the entire system expansion project will be done by Aug. 1.
“I’d like to have had it done by the first of July, but it looks like we’ll go into July trying to get it done,” McVey said.
In other news ...
﹣ In other project updates, McVey said the Harrison Park sewer line installation is complete. Piping between the in-progress park bathrooms and lift station will be connected at the appropriate time, he added.
﹣ The water authority now has an executed contract with automated water meter company Sensus, McVey said. The company’s digitally-read meters will be used in a large-scale change-out of customers’ water meters expected to begin in 2022.
﹣ Board members approved hiring Turnipseed Engineers for $45,000 for engineering on an upcoming project that will include replacing aging water line along South Main Street.