Horace Gee, Utilities Director, discusses what it really takes to keep a city running behind the scenes. From managing water, gas, wastewater, and stormwater systems to preparing for population growth and extreme weather, Horace offers an eye-opening look at the essential work his team does every single day.

Q: How did you get involved in utilities?
A: It really all started when I was a youngster. One of my uncles was the utilities director for the City of Gainesville. Back then, there weren’t as many employees, so on Sundays when we were out on Lake Lanier, we’d pull up to the wastewater treatment plant where he worked weekends. I’d go by and check things out with him. We’d dock the boat at the Lynwood facility, have lunch, and hang out. From those experiences, I got a wild hair and wanted to follow in his footsteps. I was always good at math, chemistry, and biology, so I studied environmental science in college—that’s how I got into this business.

Q: What does a typical day in your world look like? And what utilities does Winder provide?
A: It’s multifaceted. In Winder, we provide natural gas, water, and wastewater. A newer utility we also deal with daily is stormwater. People didn’t think much about it a hundred years ago when they laid pipes to move water off driveways, but it’s now a very important factor. So we deal with four major utilities every day to keep the area safe.

Why is it such a big deal when people blow leaves or put waste down storm drains?
A: When you walk along the sidewalks, you’ll see manholes marked with signs like “this flows to stream” and fish insignias. That’s because anything you put down the storm drain eventually makes it into our state waters—and that’s our drinking water.

People want nice, lush yards, so they pour on fertilizer. But when clippings and yard waste end up in the stormwater system and flow into a lake or reservoir, they cause phosphorus issues, algae blooms, and make it harder to treat the water and return it to our citizens as clean drinking water.

Q: How do water, stormwater, and sewer systems impact residents in ways they might not notice?
A: Most people just expect the water to be there when they turn on the tap or flush the toilet. Young people especially might think it’s just magic. That’s why we go into schools to educate early on the importance of our water resources—for sustainability.

Behind the scenes, it takes a huge effort 24/7, 365 days a year. When there’s a snow event or bad weather and everyone else locks down, our utilities—water, wastewater, stormwater, gas—still have to keep running. People expect to be warm and have clean water, and it takes a lot of work to make that happen.

Q: What does the city do to maintain services during major weather events?
A: That’s when we go into all-hands-on-deck mode. We have staff working 24/7 in different shifts to cover all the utilities. For example, back in September, a hurricane devastated parts of South Georgia and western North Carolina. It could have come right through here, and we were ready.

We may never be 100% ready, but we have backup generators, redundant power sources, and other systems in place. During those events, while most people are sheltered in place, we’re at our best—staged throughout the city and county, ready to respond. Our service area extends well beyond downtown Winder, so we have to be ready everywhere.

Q: If a developer wants to build a new subdivision with over 300 homes, how do they get water service?
A: It starts with a simple application through the city’s website to request availability of services—water, gas, or sewer. From there, we evaluate what’s available and the potential impact on our system. That’s done very early in the development process.

It’s not something that happens overnight. Once the land is cleared, utilities go in the ground—either by the developer to our specs, or by us—and we inspect everything. Eventually, it becomes city property, so we have to ensure it’s built right from the start. It’s a very complex, time-consuming process.

Q: With limited supply, how does the city plan for growth in water, gas, and wastewater?
A: We do tabletop exercises and work closely with consultants. The Gas Authority helps with natural gas planning. On the water and wastewater side, it’s more hands-on with our staff.

We create a utility master plan, but it’s a fluid model—it’s always changing. For example, we may put in a six-inch main, but then a big development requires us to upgrade to ten or twelve inches. We constantly update our plans so we’re ready for future needs. It’s not something we do once and stick on a shelf—it’s our guide for making sure services stay available.

Q: From a system standpoint, is commercial or residential growth better for Winder?
A: You need both. Residential growth is important, but commercial and industrial development provides jobs and helps financially support our utility systems. It’s a balancing act, and we work closely with elected officials to plan smartly for both.

Q: What should residents know about how their utility fees are used? 

A: A lot of people assume, “We put the water line in the ground—it’s done,” but that’s not the case. Most of our infrastructure has a lifespan of about 25 to 50 years, depending on the material. So even if a pipe hasn’t had issues, it will eventually need to be replaced.

Our rate structure is based on the total cost of operating and maintaining our system, plus projections for future upgrades and expansions. We take that entire financial picture—current and future—and use it to calculate our utility rates.

About 95% of all revenue from water and sewer services goes directly back into the utilities—operations, maintenance, and upgrades. Roughly 5% goes to the city’s general fund, but that portion covers support services we receive like payroll processing, HR, and financial management.

It’s important to understand this is a one-way street: utility funds help cover shared administrative costs, but your property taxes don’t go to fund the utilities. Utilities are a self-sustaining enterprise fund, which means the fees you pay each month are what fund the water you drink, the water you shower in, and the safety and quality standards we’re proud to meet every day.

Q: What’s your favorite project you’ve worked on—and why?
A: Honestly, it’s the one we’re working on right now: converting an old quarry into a water supply storage reservoir. This is a massive undertaking for a city the size of Winder—both in terms of scope and investment—but it’s crucial for our long-term sustainability.

Right now, we get our water from the Mulberry River, which also supports many other communities. That’s why we’re building this reservoir. It’s about 50% complete, and once finished, it will be a huge asset—a concrete-lined storage area capable of holding 1 billion gallons of water. To put that in perspective, it’s enough to meet Winder’s entire water needs for a full year without any rainfall.

This project ensures that even in a drought, we can continue to provide safe, reliable water to our residents. It’s a forward-thinking solution that also includes partnerships with neighboring cities, making it a win-win for the broader region.

Q: How has technology changed the way utilities operate today compared to 30 years ago?
A: The difference is night and day. If you go back to 1995, we were just starting to see dial-up internet and basic computer use. Today, the level of technology we use—especially in water and wastewater treatment—is incredible.

For example, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Georgia’s Environmental Protection Division (EPD) have set incredibly tight standards for Our team won a statewide utility rodeo competition this year—it's a timed challenge using equipment like mini-excavators. It showcases the same skill and precision we use every day on real projects. water that’s returned to the environment after treatment. And thanks to today’s technology, we’re not just meeting those standards—we’re exceeding them.

To give you an idea: if you took a beaker of water straight from the discharge pipe of our wastewater treatment plant and set it next to a beaker of treated drinking water, you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. That’s how clean our treated wastewater is. In fact, in many cases, the water we return to rivers or lakes is cleaner than the source water we started with.

Q: Is Winder doing anything to reuse that highly treated water?
A: Yes—we already are. Our city owns The Chimneys golf course, and from April through October, we irrigate the entire course using treated wastewater. It keeps the greens and fairways lush while reducing how much treated water we discharge into local waterways.

We’re talking about using 1 to 1.5 million gallons of reclaimed water per day on the golf course during peak months. That’s a million-plus gallons we don’t have to send downstream, and we’re using it productively right here in our community.

Now, imagine if we had to use drinking water for that instead. That would put a huge strain on our water supply and limit our ability to grow. But because of the permits we have from the state and the technology we use, we’re able to reuse this water effectively, saving our drinking water supply for residential and commercial needs.

Q: Is there anything you want the public to know—something they might not realize or might take for granted about the work your team does?
A: Absolutely. Most people don’t realize what goes into keeping the water running, the toilets flushing, and the gas flowing every single day. We like to operate quietly in the background, but the work our crews do is anything but ordinary. Just a few weeks ago, we had our annual Touch-A-Truck event, and we brought out one of our excavators. That’s just one example of the equipment we use every day.

We’ve got about 40 technicians out there working 8- to 10-hour days, and sometimes much longer. For example, we had a water main break near Matthews School Road, and our crew was on-site for 30 straight hours without leaving. That kind of commitment is what keeps our system running safely and reliably.

We also believe in educating our community. If anyone wants to learn more about water, wastewater, stormwater—or even our gas system—we have an open-door policy at our Utilities Facility on Sweetwater Trail. You’re welcome anytime from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.. Whether it’s about conservation, infrastructure, or environmental stewardship, we’re here to serve the citizens of Winder.

Q: Winder recently posted about a “utilities rodeo” on LinkedIn. Can you tell us about that and how your team did?
A: Our team won a statewide utility rodeo competition this year—it's a timed challenge using equipment like mini-excavators. It showcases the same skill and precision we use every day on real projects.

Last year, our team came in third out of nearly 100 utilities across the state, and they weren’t happy about that. On rainy days and even in their own time, they practiced for months to get better. This year, they went back with a mission—and they won. We brought the trophy back to Winder. 

Q: That’s impressive! Any other recent wins you’d like to share?
A: Definitely. Our gas system was recently audited by the Georgia Public Service Commission, and we received zero findings. That’s incredibly rare and a huge accomplishment. It speaks to the attention to detail and dedication of our gas team. In fact, just two weeks ago, we were honored with another major award—which I’d be happy to talk more about.

And speaking of recognition, the Georgia Association of Water Professionals Spring Conference, the City of Winder was awarded Best Tasting Drinking Water in the State of Georgia. We’re now advancing to the national level with the American Water Works in just a few weeks.

Q: Any final thoughts as we wrap up today?
A: Just a sincere thank you. I want our residents to know that we’re not just here from 8 to 5. If you have an issue—whether it’s a leak, an outage, or anything else—you can call us anytime, day or night. We always have someone available to answer the call, and our typical emergency response time is just 15 to 20 minutes. We’re proud to serve, and we’re here for you.