Return Flow Pipeline Work Starts Feb. 10 at Sanders and Buford Dam

Construction to install the Lake Lanier Return Flow System is scheduled to begin at the intersection of Sanders Road and Buford Dam Road on Tuesday, Feb. 10, and is expected to continue through the end of February, weather permitting, Forsyth County advised in a Feb. 4 advisory. The county named the work as part of its Return Flow Project and set the location and timeframe for residents and motorists.

Local traffic impacts are already being signaled. A Threads post accompanying the notice said, "Expect lane closures and delays between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday." That window suggests peak commuting periods may be affected, particularly for drivers using Buford Dam Road to access I-985, nearby neighborhoods, and recreational areas around Lake Lanier.

The official county advisory contains a truncated motorists notice that begins, "Motorists should exp" in the published excerpt, and the social media messages available to the press were also cut off in places. A Facebook excerpt mirrored the county headline with the line, "Construction for the Return Flow Pipeline is scheduled for the intersection of Sanders Road and Buford Dam Road. Work will begin Tuesday" but did not include the rest of the message. Threads likewise included a partial technical line, "The Return Flow System will convey highly treated water from" before the sentence was cut off. Those omissions mean several specifics remain unconfirmed in the public excerpts: the full motorists guidance, the origin or destination of the treated water, contractor names, contact points for inquiries, and detailed traffic-control or detour plans.

Forsyth County’s Feb. 4 publication is the authoritative scheduling notice currently available. The county’s "Return Flow Project" headline and metadata provide the official start date and the caveat that work will continue only as weather permits. Until the county releases the full advisory text or follows up with traffic maps and contact information, commuters should treat the stated weekday work hours and lane-closure warning as the operational baseline.

For Forsyth County drivers, landscapers, school transport routes, and businesses that rely on timely deliveries, the practical implication is clear: allow extra travel time between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday near Sanders Road and Buford Dam Road through February, and watch for signage and lane controls. County-issued updates and complete advisory text should clarify detours, safety measures, and the water-system details that remain truncated in the excerpts now circulating. The project's progress and any weather-related schedule changes will determine whether the anticipated end-of-February completion holds.