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The Macon Water Authority (MWA) was created by the Georgia General Assembly to provide public water and sewer services for Macon and Bibb County.

The origins of the MWA date back to 1880, when water for domestic service was still obtained from private wells. That same year, The Macon Gas Light and Water Company began to provide pressurized water for downtown Macon businesses, developing what is known as “Tuff Springs.”

The next year, the company installed 53 fire hydrants to provide water for a small area south of Spring Street.

Becoming an Independent Public Utility

The Authority continued to grow, and in 1973, the Macon-Bibb County Water and Sewerage Authority was created with five members.

Three members were elected by citizens, and two were appointed (one from the City Council and one from the County Commission). Since this time, the MWA has operated as an independent, autonomous public water utility.

Establishing Districts & Renaming

In 1979, the Georgia General Assembly passed legislation requiring district representation on the Water Authority. District elections began in 1980, and the number of MWA Board Members was increased to seven.

In 1992, the Macon-Bibb County Water & Sewerage Authority was renamed the Macon Water Authority (MWA).

The MWA Today

Today, the MWA water distribution system has:

  • 1,425 miles of water mains and service lines
  • 51,000+ metered accounts, or 155,000 customers
  • 250 miles of interceptor sewers
  • 977 miles of sanitary sewer lines, serving over 45,000 customers

Macon Soils, a subsidiary of the Authority, handles the recycling of biosolids from wastewater treatment at the Authority’s water reclamation facilities, distributing these by-products to area farmers for agricultural purposes.