Georgia consolidation candidate screening

What this is

Three questions decide whether two utilities are worth looking at together: who borders whom, what the published figures say across that border, and what the two would be if they were one. This page answers all three from public filings, for every pair of Georgia systems whose service areas meet.

It is a screen and not a finding. Nothing here says two utilities should merge, and nothing here is a feasibility result. A consolidation study prices interconnection, tests hydraulics, reconciles debt covenants and asks a governing body what it wants. This page tells a person which pairs are worth starting one about.

What “bordering” means here, exactly

Two systems are listed as bordering when their service area outlines come within 1.11 km of each other. That is a proximity test rather than a touch test, and the reason is a transform this site performed: the boundary layer is simplified by about a kilometre at acquisition, which is a pixel at the scale the state map draws it and which moves every vertex. Two systems that share a boundary in EPA's file come out of that simplification up to two tolerances apart. So an exact touch test on these bytes would be a question about our own simplification, not about the world. The tolerance is one simplification tolerance, the edge count is a function of it, and the artifact records how much the count moves at half and at double.

It is not a statement that two systems share a pipe, an interconnection or a legal service boundary. Nothing in this corpus knows about pipes.

Where the borders were computed, and what a row can say about each side

Over EPA's whole national layer, before anything was filtered to this site. Until #180 the borders were computed on the map's own extract — 252 Georgia shapes out of the 44,643 community water systems EPA draws nationally — which meant a border to a system with no page here did not exist, and a border across a state line did not exist either. The order is now the other way round: every polygon in the layer, once, and then the edges that touch what this site draws.

So 634 borders reach Georgia's 252 drawn systems, of which 457 name a system this site publishes no page for and 17 cross a state line. Those rows are here because the border is real. A row with an unnamed side carries EPA's name for it, the primacy agency that regulates it and how EPA got its boundary, and nothing else — no loss, no size, no rates — and it sorts below every row this site can describe rather than being ranked as though it were known.

A cross-state pair may not have its loss figures compared, and this page does not compare them. Crossing a state line means crossing a primacy agency, and “water loss” is at least three different quantities across the regulators in this corpus — the licence caveat on every page here says so. The loss gap on such a row reads not comparable, which is a statement about the two regulators rather than about the two utilities.

How EPA got the boundary on each side of the 17 cross-state borders

Primacy agency	Endpoints on a cross-state edge	Modelled
GA	17	12 (71%)
AL	6	5 (83%)
TN	6	0 (0%)
SC	3	3 (100%)
LA	2	0 (0%)

The modelled share is a fact about each state and not a national average, so an edge basis is doing more work on a cross-state row than on any other: its two endpoints are drawn from two different modelled populations.

How EPA got these shapes, and why it changes the answer

EPA disclaims the spatial accuracy of this layer and names local government as the accurate source. Some of these boundaries were published by a state agency, a utility or a county; the rest are a machine learning output. The share is a fact about this state and not a national average: of 252 Georgia service areas drawn, 183 are modelled, 41 are unstated, 28 are published.

Neighbours found, by how EPA got the boundary

Boundary basis	Systems	With a neighbour	Mean neighbours
modelled	183	136 (74%)	2.04
unstated	41	35 (85%)	6.49
published	28	28 (100%)	6.11

A modelled boundary does not merely carry more uncertainty here — it produces fewer neighbours. This state's 183 modelled service areas average 2.04 neighbours each and 74% of them have any at all, against 6.11 and 100% for the 28 boundaries a state agency, a utility or a county published. EPA's model draws a compact area around where it infers the customers are, and compact areas do not abut. So in this state a missing edge is weak evidence that there is no border, and this screen is incomplete in a direction that can be measured rather than only admitted.

Every pair below says which kind of edge it is. Bordering on a modelled boundary is not bordering, and a pair joined by one is a pair a person should check against a local map before spending anything on it.

The pairs

634 bordering pairs, between the 199 of 252 drawn systems that have at least one neighbour. Ordered by how many times larger one side is than the other, and by nothing else — a composite score over size, loss and compliance would be a judgement about how much one is worth against another, and this corpus has none to offer. Every other figure is printed for a person to weigh.

Bordering pairs, largest size difference first

The larger	People served	Loss	The smaller	People served	Loss	Size ratio	Loss gap	Together	Edge
Atlanta	1,200,000	36.5%	Palmetto	4,718	26.6%	254.3×	9.9 pp	1,204,718	basis unstated
Atlanta	1,200,000	36.5%	Hapeville	6,500	10.0%	184.6×	26.6 pp	1,206,500	modelled
Gwinnett County Dwr	1,011,157	9.6%	Buford	8,482	19.3%	119.2×	9.7 pp	1,019,639	one modelled
Atlanta	1,200,000	36.5%	College Park	14,000	25.1%	85.7×	11.5 pp	1,214,000	basis unstated
Atlanta	1,200,000	36.5%	Fairburn	17,267	7.9%	69.5×	28.6 pp	1,217,267	modelled
Cobb County Water System (cobb County - Marietta Water Authority)	533,000	9.8%	Austell	7,800	23.0%	68.3×	13.2 pp	540,800	basis unstated
Columbus	262,581	24.4%	Talbot County	3,879	33.1%	67.7×	8.7 pp	266,460	modelled
Atlanta	1,200,000	36.5%	Roswell	18,500	23.6%	64.9×	13 pp	1,218,500	modelled
Cherokee County Water And Sewerage	220,000	16.4%	Waleska	4,657	16.7%	47.2×	0.3 pp	224,657	basis unstated
Clayton County	297,400	14.6%	Hapeville	6,500	10.0%	45.8×	4.7 pp	303,900	modelled
Atlanta	1,200,000	36.5%	Union City	27,359	24.3%	43.9×	12.3 pp	1,227,359	modelled
Augusta	206,000	34.1%	Hephzibah	4,741	31.2%	43.5×	3 pp	210,741	modelled
Henry County	264,000	12.8%	McDonough	6,200	28.2%	42.6×	15.4 pp	270,200	modelled
Clayton County	297,400	14.6%	Stockbridge	7,195	34.7%	41.3×	20 pp	304,595	modelled
Henry County	264,000	12.8%	Stockbridge	7,195	34.7%	36.7×	21.9 pp	271,195	modelled
Henry County	264,000	12.8%	Hampton	7,305	33.1%	36.1×	20.3 pp	271,305	basis unstated
Atlanta	1,200,000	36.5%	East Point	34,000	3.5%	35.3×	33 pp	1,234,000	one modelled
Gwinnett County Dwr	1,011,157	9.6%	Lawrenceville	29,795	10.7%	33.9×	1.1 pp	1,040,952	one modelled
Cherokee County Water And Sewerage	220,000	16.4%	Pickens County	7,153	31.1%	30.8×	14.8 pp	227,153	modelled
Cobb County Water System (cobb County - Marietta Water Authority)	533,000	9.8%	Roswell	18,500	23.6%	28.8×	13.8 pp	551,500	modelled
Albany	92,208	23.0%	Usmc-logistics Base Albany	3,426	14.4%	26.9×	8.7 pp	95,634	modelled
Gainesville	208,906	9.8%	Buford	8,482	19.3%	24.6×	9.6 pp	217,388	both published
Floyd County	98,977	29.8%	Cave Spring	4,154	65.0%	23.8×	35.2 pp	103,131	modelled
Henry County	264,000	12.8%	Locust Grove	11,199	4.4%	23.6×	8.4 pp	275,199	modelled
Gwinnett County Dwr	1,011,157	9.6%	Walton County	47,060	36.1%	21.5×	26.5 pp	1,058,217	modelled
Savannah - Savannah Main	153,355	18.1%	Glen Of Robin Hood	7,158	24.2%	21.4×	6.1 pp	160,513	modelled
Clayton County	297,400	14.6%	College Park	14,000	25.1%	21.2×	10.4 pp	311,400	basis unstated
Savannah - Savannah Main	153,355	18.1%	Usa-hunter Army Airfield Main	7,500	30.2%	20.4×	12 pp	160,855	modelled
Coweta County Water & Sewerage	93,891	16.2%	Palmetto	4,718	26.6%	19.9×	10.4 pp	98,609	basis unstated
Douglasville-douglas County Wsa	151,887	16.1%	Austell	7,800	23.0%	19.5×	6.9 pp	159,687	one modelled
Macon	157,300	23.3%	South Monroe County	8,403	23.3%	18.7×	0 pp	165,703	modelled
Cobb County Water System (cobb County - Marietta Water Authority)	533,000	9.8%	Woodstock	30,000	19.7%	17.8×	9.9 pp	563,000	basis unstated
North Fulton County	315,000	2.4%	Roswell	18,500	23.6%	17×	21.2 pp	333,500	modelled
Gainesville	208,906	9.8%	Braselton	12,371	10.9%	16.9×	1.1 pp	221,277	both published
Houston County - Feagin Mill	163,000	35.8%	Byron	9,763	34.3%	16.7×	1.5 pp	172,763	modelled
Brunswick-glynn Joint	52,779	28.4%	Glynn County - South Main Land	3,420	15.2%	15.4×	13.2 pp	56,199	basis unstated
Savannah - Savannah Main	153,355	18.1%	Garden City	10,569	20.5%	14.5×	2.4 pp	163,924	modelled
Houston County - Feagin Mill	163,000	35.8%	Centerville	12,074	39.8%	13.5×	4 pp	175,074	modelled
Paulding County	189,000	39.1%	Dallas	14,000	37.2%	13.5×	1.8 pp	203,000	modelled
Dalton	104,000	38.7%	Catoosa Utility District	7,800	18.6%	13.3×	20.2 pp	111,800	modelled
Pooler	34,000	10.8%	Savannah - Savannah Qtrs	2,587	21.4%	13.1×	10.6 pp	36,587	modelled
Atlanta	1,200,000	36.5%	Coweta County Water & Sewerage	93,891	16.2%	12.8×	20.3 pp	1,293,891	basis unstated
Macon	157,300	23.3%	Jones County	12,480	46.7%	12.6×	23.3 pp	169,780	modelled
Savannah - Savannah Main	153,355	18.1%	Effingham County Surface	12,293	7.7%	12.5×	10.4 pp	165,648	modelled
Coweta County Water & Sewerage	93,891	16.2%	Senoia	7,528	5.8%	12.5×	10.5 pp	101,419	modelled
Augusta	206,000	34.1%	Grovetown	18,000	16.6%	11.4×	17.5 pp	224,000	modelled
Paulding County	189,000	39.1%	Haralson County	18,000	38.8%	10.5×	0.3 pp	207,000	modelled
Gwinnett County Dwr	1,011,157	9.6%	Rockdale Water Resources	98,360	30.2%	10.3×	20.6 pp	1,109,517	basis unstated
Fayette County	77,051	7.0%	Senoia	7,528	5.8%	10.2×	1.3 pp	84,579	modelled
Columbus	262,581	24.4%	Harris County	26,738	12.7%	9.82×	11.7 pp	289,319	modelled
Bartow County	71,653	34.7%	Adairsville	7,400	11.1%	9.68×	23.6 pp	79,053	modelled
Warner Robins	89,009	32.4%	Byron	9,763	34.3%	9.12×	2 pp	98,772	modelled
Cobb County Water System (cobb County - Marietta Water Authority)	533,000	9.8%	Marietta	60,100	4.4%	8.87×	5.3 pp	593,100	basis unstated
Cobb County Water System (cobb County - Marietta Water Authority)	533,000	9.8%	Smyrna Water/	62,000	2.4%	8.6×	7.4 pp	595,000	modelled
Brunswick-glynn Joint Water Sewer Commission-st. Simons Island	29,277	22.7%	Glynn County - South Main Land	3,420	15.2%	8.56×	7.5 pp	32,697	basis unstated
Cherokee County Water And Sewerage	220,000	16.4%	Canton	27,048	24.0%	8.13×	7.6 pp	247,048	basis unstated
Columbia County Water	144,555	15.3%	Grovetown	18,000	16.6%	8.03×	1.3 pp	162,555	modelled
Gainesville	208,906	9.8%	Etowah	26,106	20.6%	8×	10.8 pp	235,012	modelled
Atlanta	1,200,000	36.5%	Douglasville-douglas County Wsa	151,887	16.1%	7.9×	20.4 pp	1,351,887	one modelled
Dekalb County	770,307	30.8%	Rockdale Water Resources	98,360	30.2%	7.83×	0.6 pp	868,667	basis unstated

The 60 pairs at the top of that ordering, of 634. Nothing is hidden by a rule: the rest are the pairs the ordering puts lower, which is the whole of what it means.

Borders to systems this site has no page for

457 of these 634 borders reach a system this site publishes nothing about. They are listed here rather than mixed into the ordering above, because the ordering ranks candidates and a row with one unknown side cannot be ranked — not because the border is less real. EPA drew both shapes; this corpus holds a filing for one of them.

Every cell about the other side is absent on purpose. This site does not know that system's water loss, its size, its rates or its compliance record, and a row that implied otherwise would be the worst thing this page could do. What it knows is the name EPA files it under, which primacy agency regulates it, and how EPA got its boundary.

Borders to systems with no page here, by name — 40 of 457

System with a filing here	Its loss	The bordering system	Regulated by	Its boundary	Edge
Adel	22.2%	SPARKS	GA	modelled	modelled
Albany	23.0%	NORTH DOUBLEGATE WATER SYSTEM	GA	modelled	modelled
Albany	23.0%	WINDSOR SUBDIVISION	GA	modelled	modelled
Americus	10.1%	SOUTHERN HILLS MHP	GA	modelled	modelled
Ashburn	55.6%	SYCAMORE	GA	modelled	modelled
Ashburn	55.6%	JIM-N-I	GA	modelled	modelled
Athens-clarke County Public	12.6%	COUNTRY CORNERS MOBILE HOME COMMUNITY	GA	modelled	modelled
Athens-clarke County Public	12.6%	SANDY SPRINGS SUBDIVISION	GA	modelled	modelled
Athens-clarke County Public	12.6%	PINEWOOD ESTATES NORTH	GA	modelled	modelled
Athens-clarke County Public	12.6%	FOWLER`S MILL SUBDIVISION	GA	modelled	modelled
Athens-clarke County Public	12.6%	CRESTMONT FARMS SUBDIVISION	GA	modelled	modelled
Athens-clarke County Public	12.6%	CHARCLAR SUBDIVISION	GA	modelled	modelled
Athens-clarke County Public	12.6%	BROWN BROTHERS FARM SUBDIVISION	GA	modelled	modelled
Athens-clarke County Public	12.6%	WESTBROOK / NORWOOD VILLAGE S/D	GA	modelled	modelled
Athens-clarke County Public	12.6%	W & R FARMS MOBILE HOME PARK	GA	modelled	modelled
Athens-clarke County Public	12.6%	DEERWOOD ESTATES SUBDIVISION	GA	modelled	modelled
Athens-clarke County Public	12.6%	OAK GROVE SUBDIVISION	GA	modelled	modelled
Athens-clarke County Public	12.6%	BARNETTS BLUFF	GA	modelled	modelled
Athens-clarke County Public	12.6%	OLD MILL CHASE SUBDIVISION	GA	modelled	modelled
Athens-clarke County Public	12.6%	MEYER`S LAKE SUBDIVISION	GA	modelled	modelled
Athens-clarke County Public	12.6%	SULFUR SPRINGS COMMUNITY PWS	GA	modelled	modelled
Athens-clarke County Public	12.6%	WINTHORPE / PECAN RIDGE SUBDIVISION	GA	modelled	modelled
Athens-clarke County Public	12.6%	THE BRIDGES SUBDIVISION	GA	modelled	modelled
Atlanta	36.5%	SOUTH OAKS MOBILE HOME PARK	GA	modelled	modelled
Atlanta	36.5%	DIX LEE`ON ESTATES	GA	modelled	modelled
Atlanta	36.5%	NEWTON PLANTATION	GA	modelled	modelled
Atlanta	36.5%	FOUR SEASONS MOBILE HOME PARK	GA	modelled	modelled
Atlanta	36.5%	LONG`S MOBILE HOME PARK	GA	modelled	modelled
Augusta	34.1%	MARTINEZ WATER ASSOC.	GA	modelled	modelled
Augusta	34.1%	WINDY ACRES MOBILE HOME PARK	GA	modelled	modelled
Augusta	34.1%	REASONABLE LIVING	GA	modelled	modelled
Augusta	34.1%	NORTH AUGUSTA CITY OF (SC0210003)	SC — across a state line	modelled	modelled
Augusta	34.1%	BEECH ISLAND W/D (SC0220004)	SC — across a state line	modelled	modelled
Baldwin	56.1%	APPLE PIE RIDGE SUBDIVISION	GA	modelled	modelled
Baldwin	56.1%	ALTO	GA	modelled	modelled
Baldwin	56.1%	VILLAGE MOBILE HOME PARK	GA	modelled	modelled
Baldwin County	33.9%	ISLAND CREEK / GLENWOOD SUBDIVISION	GA	modelled	modelled
Baldwin County	33.9%	SCENIC SHORES SUBDIVISION	GA	modelled	modelled
Baldwin County	33.9%	IVEY	GA	modelled	modelled
Banks County	16.5%	APPLE PIE RIDGE SUBDIVISION	GA	modelled	modelled

What “together” can and cannot mean

People and connections add. Prices do not. A combined service population is the sum of two filed service populations and is honest arithmetic. A combined rate is not the average of two rates, and a combined cost of service cannot be computed from two sets of filed figures without the cost allocation neither utility publishes. That is why this table has a combined population column and no combined rate column, and why it never will.

The loss gap is in percentage points between two filed figures for the years each system last filed. Those are not necessarily the same year, and a gap between two years is not a gap between two systems in one year. Both years are on the two pages the row links to.