ELLABELL, Ga. (WSAV) – The Hyundai Metaplant in Bryan County is looking to a neighboring county for water supply, but some people who live there are not happy about it.

A petition called “It’s About the Water” has more than 800 signatures after nearly a month on Change.org.

Jesse Rabideau, a Brooklet resident, supports the petition and says he feels there has been a lack of research shared with the public.

“I don’t think that they’ve really looked into the effect it’s going to have on people’s wells, especially those with shorter wells,” he said.

But News 3 has learned that the Environmental Protection Division is conducting studies now, in addition to preliminary research.

Chairman Roy Thompson with the Bulloch County Commission says he understands this concern.

“That’s one thing we do not want to occur,” Thompson said. “If something like that should happen, the state would step in and take care of all of the issues like digging deeper wells and things like that.”

According to Bulloch County Manager Tom Couch, this could bring $50 million worth of water and wastewater infrastructure to the county.

There will be four new wells created, two owned by Bulloch County and two owned by Bryan County.

“For two wells, Bulloch County stands to make approximately $1.5 million to $2 million per year for the use of the wells and so on. I mean, if it all works out, it’s going to benefit everybody in this whole region down here,” Thompson said.

It is his hope that more information will be given to the public in the coming months.

And he says this to those who signed the petition… “what I would share with them is just patience because I can assure them that we are going to have to be sure that there’s water and this will work guaranteed by the EPD.”

It’s important to note that while the plant will benefit from these water services, the Savannah Joint Development Authority is handling the infrastructure for this project.