Our History

Cobb County experienced a significant post-war development boom in the early 50s. At that time, all of its potable water came from Atlanta, while Marietta had a few community wells. City and county leaders realized a limited water supply meant limited growth. To ensure a means for the growth, the leadership discussed creating a water authority. Other Cobb County municipalities were invited to join but declined at that time. The County presented its ideas to the state and in February of 1951, the Georgia General Assembly passed legislation establishing the Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority as a political subdivision of the State.

With this new mandate, the Authority issued bonds, constructed facilities and created revenue generating mechanisms. By 1953, the Authority had a raw water intake on the Chattahoochee River and a water treatment plant in East Cobb County. Storage tanks and the wholesale distribution system soon followed.

A decade later in 1963, the Authority realized the limitations and the competition surrounding the use of the Chattahoochee as a water supply. The Authority contracted with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to begin withdrawing water from Lake Allatoona in 1965 for a period of 50 years making it the first multi-source water system in Georgia.

The Authority increased the system's treatment capacity in 1972 when the Wyckoff Water Treatment Plant went on line. Treatment capacity eventually reached up to 72 million gallons per day (MGD) at the Wyckoff Plant.

In the late 1980s, after years of drought, the Authority saw the need for continued long term planning and drafted the Water Supply Master Plan outlining a 50-year strategic plan to meet the needs for the fast-growing area. The plan was updated in 1996 and again in 2000. The Authority also won the EPA Region 4 Safe Drinking Water Act Excellence Award for Public Water Supply in 1996.

In 2001, expansion began on the Quarles Treatment Plant. Treatment capacity went from 64 MGD to 86 MGD upon its completion in 2004 for a total system capacity of 158 MGD.

During its more than 50 years of service the Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority has provided its customers with a reliable and safe public water supply. During this time it's grown to serve systems in four counties, as well as private business. With a long term plan in place, the Authority is prepared to continue service for many years to come.