Gainesville Public Utilities Director Kelly Randall said the city utility is still moving forward with plans to provide water service to the residents of Belmont, despite Hall County’s recent discussions with Jackson County water officials.

Last week, Hall County Commissioner Bobby Banks met with Fred Alke, chief engineer of Jackson County’s Water and Sewerage Authority. He proposed that the Jackson County utility extend a 6,600-foot long water line to residents in the South Hall community, many of which have wells that are dry.

At that meeting, Jackson County officials offered a "no-guarantee" cost estimate of $450,000 for the water line extension but stressed that the decision to extend water lines into Hall County would be up to the water authority’s board.

Randall said the Gainesville utility is still designing the Belmont project and plans to lay water lines in November.

"We’re in the same place we’ve been," Randall said. "We plan to start pre-qualifying contractors next week."

Jackson County’s involvement in Belmont’s more than 40-year quest for water service depends upon a few conditions. Jackson County officials "might not consider the proposal if there were a realistic possibility of being named in a Gainesville lawsuit," according to a memo that Alke sent out after his meeting with Hall County officials.

Extending Jackson County lines into Hall County would require an agreement between the Gainesville and Jackson County utilities to "trade" the service territory, but "no ‘trade’ of territory was desired or offered," according to Alke’s memo.

Randall said it would be up to the Gainesville City Council to agree to relinquish the city’s Belmont service territory to Jackson County.

"It’s our service district," Randall said. "I can’t tell you what the elected officials in our community would decide."

Years ago, Gainesville estimated the cost of extending the 3.33 miles of water lines to be about $1.3 million. Banks takes issue with the fact that Gainesville’s installation would be more expensive than Jackson County’s early estimate of $450,000.

Randall said the city’s cost estimate was made before the recession, when materials and labor came at a higher price.

"I don’t really know what it will cost in today’s dollars," Randall said. "I know that ($1.3 million is) way on the upper end and I know that that (estimate) encompassed that entire area down there."

Randall said the higher cost could also be attributed to the fact that the city utility also planned to build a 12-inch water main — a bigger line than Jackson County estimates building in the area— in Belmont in order to maintain water pressure throughout the city’s entire water system.

For example, a 42-inch water main runs along Riverside Drive. "Obviously, you don’t need a 42-inch water main to provide (water) on Riverside Drive, but you need it to get water out to other areas of the community," he said.

Randall is supposed to meet with Hall County’s Director of Public Works Ken Rearden soon about the county’s meeting with Jackson County water officials.