
WELCOME TO THE CITY OF
LAVONIA
It is my pleasure to welcome you to the City of Lavonia’s website. We are a growing community that takes seriously our partnerships with area businesses. Take a look around to learn more about our local area and our local government. Although we appreciate you visiting us virtually, we hope to see you in person soon.
IMPORTANT LAVONIA
INFORMATION
- City Hall hours: 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
- Staff can be reached by phone 706-356-8781
- Water Bills can be paid online (Pay online here)
- You can now sign up for Automatic Debit (ACH) (Sign-Up For ACH Here)

GOVERNMENT
CALENDAR
Events in December 2023
MonMonday | TueTuesday | WedWednesday | ThuThursday | FriFriday | SatSaturday | SunSunday |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
November 27, 2023
|
November 28, 2023
|
November 29, 2023
|
November 30, 2023
|
December 1, 2023
|
December 2, 2023
|
December 3, 2023
|
December 4, 2023
|
December 5, 2023
|
December 6, 2023
|
December 7, 2023
|
December 8, 2023
|
December 9, 2023
|
December 10, 2023
|
December 11, 2023
|
December 12, 2023
|
December 13, 2023
|
December 14, 2023
|
December 15, 2023
|
December 16, 2023
|
December 17, 2023
|
December 18, 2023
|
December 19, 2023
|
December 20, 2023
|
December 21, 2023
|
December 22, 2023
|
December 23, 2023
|
December 24, 2023
|
December 25, 2023
|
December 26, 2023
|
December 27, 2023
|
December 28, 2023
|
December 29, 2023
|
December 30, 2023
|
December 31, 2023
|
BILLING / PAYMENT
OPTIONS
For your convenience, we now offer online bill pay for our utility customers. Options to pay now include, Mastercard, Visa and American Express, credit or debit. The option for e-check is no longer available.

Lavonia Police Department receives a portion of the U.S. Department of Justice’s $334M COPS grants
The Lavonia Police Department is set to receive $250,000.00 in funding for 2 new police officers over the next 3 years after the United States Department of Justice announced $334M for 2,000 new officers. The money will come in the form of COPS (Office of Community Oriented Policing Services) grants, a program focused on supporting community policing within local law enforcement agencies.
“For almost 30 years, the COPS Office has worked to reduce crime and increase trust between law enforcement and the community through the many different grant programs that we offer,” said Director Hugh T. Clements Jr. of the COPS Office in a DOJ press release.
“The funds received from the DOJ will be instrumental in ensuring Lavonia is a safe place to live, work, and play by promoting community partnerships between the police department and the community it serves. Mayor Umbehant and the City Council are strong public safety supporters and want to ensure we have the resources to be the best in the State of Georgia. The officers of the Lavonia Police Department are committed to serving Lavonia and appreciate the support of our Mayor and Council by allowing us to apply for this grant. These funds will allow our officers to continue to engage with our citizens and provide the level of service they expect from a professional agency,” said Chief Shane Edmisten.
Mayor Umbehant said “We are excited to be able to accept these grants and expect to utilize the additional officers to keep our community safe and allow our officers to remain engaged. Our officers are committed to serving citizens of Lavonia and the State of Georgia with honesty, professionalism, and integrity.”
The Lavonia Police Department will be accepting applications for POST certified police officers through the end of the year. Applicants can obtain an application on the City of Lavonia website.



Taste and Odor
Typically, during the summer months the City of Lavonia’s water customers report a different taste and odor to the water. Customers usually report an “earthy” taste/smell. Thankfully, this is just a palatable issue and NOT a health or quality issue. The City of Lavonia takes great pride in treating the water provided to our citizens. Our employees diligently test the water at every step of the treatment process, and ensure that all the results indicate that the water is safe for drinking/consumption and for all other uses.
During this time of year, Lake Hartwell experiences what is known as “Lake Turnover.” This is a natural process that occurs when the environment experiences a change in air temperature. The lake, in turn, experiences an inversion of the surface water and deeper water which can result in both a taste/odor event. Lakes, like any body of water, are a constantly changing and moving ecosystem which can be influenced by changes in the environment.
During the summer lakes will “stratify”, which means a lake will form layers of different temperatures. The sun heats the water on the surface, but deep down the water is still cool. The oxygen in the water stays in the warmer layer. In the spring, the cooler surface layer warms and rises. When this cooler layer rises, it stirs up all the lake water. During Summer, the cooler surface water begins to warm and as the water warms it becomes denser causing it to sink. This dense water forces the water of the lower level of the lake to rise and switch places with the top levels, “turning over” the layers. Lake Turnover usually occurs every Fall and Spring when the temperatures are changing.
Please know we are aware of the issue and, our Water Treatment plant is dedicated to combating this inconvenience. The City has taken steps such as, increasing the frequency of our filter washes, and optimizing our chemical treatment processes as much as possible to improve the situation.
The taste and odor issues are temporary and will pass once the inversion of the surface water is complete. In the meantime, we appreciate your patience & understanding!
City of Lavonia Water Department.