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Drinking Water Distribution System

The Cobb County Water System purchases water from a wholesale provider, the Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority, who sells clean, safe drinking water to 9 other municipalities and 1 corporation within Cobb County and other neighboring counties.

The Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority withdraws water from the Chattahoochee River and Allatoona Lake then purifies it at one of their two drinking water treatment plants. The Quarles water treatment plant, located on Lower Roswell Road in Marietta, treats water withdrawn from the Chattahoochee River. The Wycoff water treatment plant, located on Mars Hill Road in Acworth, treats water withdrawn from Allatoona Lake, which is part of the Etowah River watershed. Combined, these plants can produce up to 172 million gallons of drinking water a day.

The Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority operates water transmission mains ranging from 16 inches to 64 inches throughout Cobb County. The Authority’s network of transmission mains ensures adequate water supply to the Cobb County Water System and the other municipal and corporate customers.

In order to get the drinking water to our more than 197,000 customers throughout unincorporated Cobb County, the City of Powder Springs, the City of Kennesaw, and the City of Acworth, the Cobb County Water System has an interconnected pipeline system of over 3,100 miles of water mains. The Cobb County Water System’s distribution system is operated and maintained by a staff of over 110 dedicated and licensed water professionals between two divisions.

Cobb Water Distribution Overview

  • Approximately 3,100 miles of water mains
    • Average water main size is 6 inches
    • Approximately 30,000 fire hydrants
  • Approximately 197,000 metered customers
    • 180,000 Residential customers
    • 13,000 Commercial customers
  • Average daily water demand 55 Million Gallons a day (down from 65 MGD in 2005 due to CCWS water conservation practices)