The Water Main

Deal signs reservoir bill: New law allows public-private partnerships

2011-05-03T15:07:00.000-04:00

Gov. Nathan Deal today (May 2) signed SB 122, which allows the option for public-private partnerships in the development of water supply and infrastructure. Deal signed the legislation into law during remarks to the Georgia Chamber of Commerce at Cobb Galleria.

“Providing for a stable and dependable water supply for Georgia has ranked near the top of my agenda because it’s critical to the health of our residents and to our economic development,” Deal said. “This legislation is particularly useful at times such as these when budget cutbacks hinder our ability to invest in new infrastructure. This stretches public dollars by attracting partners to move forward with public works projects that will benefit the citizens of the state for generations. The lack of funding has hampered progress, even with a punishing drought in recent memory. This legislation will help us get projects moving before the next drought. Two years ago, Georgia made structural changes that vastly improved how we go about identifying and constructing reservoirs and other essential water infrastructure. The public-private partnership gives local governments the tools they need to take advantage of those changes.”

The bill was sponsored by Sen. Ross Tolleson (R-Perry).

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Georgians want clean water, local information

2011-04-25T11:18:00.000-04:00

More people value water quality over water quantity, according to a recent survey conducted by University of Georgia researchers. And, they trust local water information sources over federal ones.

The study, “Water Issues in Georgia: A Survey of Public Perceptions and Attitudes about Water,” was part of a national water effort funded by the United States Department of Agriculture. The goal of the larger project is to collect views on water issues from people around the country. So far, the survey has been conducted in 35 states.

The survey is “allowing us to compare states and see where we stand among states, to see our differences and similarities,” said Jason Evans, an environmental sustainability analyst with the UGA Carl Vinson Institute of Government.

The results of the Georgia survey were slightly surprising, said UGA Cooperative Extension engineer Mark Risse. “In general, it came out in the survey that people really place an importance on clean water,” he said. “Anything that had ‘clean’ in it ranked very high.”

Of the respondents, 94 percent ranked clean drinking water as very important. Following clean drinking water was clean rivers and lakes, at 76 percent, and clean groundwater, at 75 percent.

People were less concerned with interstate water issues, which have been debated heavily in recent years with Georgia’s bordering states. Survey respondents were also optimistic about how much water their communities will have in the future. And only 22 percent believed that an adequate water supply is currently a problem.

“Around the state, most of the planning has been focused on water quantity instead of water quality,” Risse said. “Part of the state water effort is identifying shortages, but Georgians also want it to be clean.”

Federal officials were surprised to see that those surveyed prefer to get their water information from local officials. “When we asked people who they trusted, local sources were trusted more than state, and state more than federal,” Risse said.

The local finding is an important one, he said, because Cooperative Extension, through the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, “is all about giving information at the local level. This survey points out that this is exactly what we need to be doing, giving local education on water. We in Extension can do that.”

The survey results are helping Risse and others in Extension plan water education programs. They’re now focusing more on drinking water in rural areas and septic tank upkeep.

Many of the respondents were from metro areas of Georgia and therefore on city sewage, while others used septic tanks, Evans noted. Only 15 percent said they had their septic tanks cleaned every four years. When tanks aren’t cleaned regularly, solids can build up, which can clog and destroy septic tank drain fields. Fixing those problems can be expensive.

As for well water, as long as it looks clean, most respondents said they weren’t worried.

“A thing that I found a little strange and discouraging was that only 5 percent had tested their water quality,” Risse said. “The bulk of respondents were municipal, but some are on wells. People feel like they have good water, but they don’t know whether they do unless they’re testing it.”

The 59-question survey was mailed to 1,998 randomly selected Georgia households. Of those, 26 percent (519 surveys) responded.

Researchers were not surprised to find that people conserve more water when they have concrete reasons to do so. “There were people adopting low-flow faucets,” Evans said, “but when you dig in a little for more detail, things like irrigation scheduling, which was required by state law, was more widely adopted. When people are forced to, they will change their practices.”

UGA recently implemented a new program called the 40 Gallon Challenge www.40gallonchallenge.org designed to encourage greater adoption of a variety of conservation practices.

Most survey respondents viewed groundwater as higher quality than surface water. Groundwater quality received 24 percent on “good or excellent;” surface water got 10 percent; and ocean water came in last at 8 percent. Most respondents indicated they did not know.

Evans and Risse found conflicting results when it came to water pollution sources. Respondents ranked industry problems the highest at 45 percent, followed by erosion from roads and/or construction, suburban development, stormwater and then agriculture. But, in a different part of the survey, 35 percent of respondents suspected or believed that fertilizers and pesticides from agricultural sources have some impact on their local water resources.

“Georgia as a state has done a great job of managing our water resources,” Risse said. “We do have areas where water is not as clean as others. Areas where we have high population, we generally have lower quality. Ultimately, people and their practices contaminate water, and they’re really the biggest problem when it comes to impaired water.”

For more information on water in Georgia, visit www.uga.edu/water.

By Stephanie Schupska

University of Georgia

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UGA weather monitoring network struggles to survive

2011-03-19T08:46:00.000-04:00

The Georgia Automated Environmental Monitoring Network, operated by the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, is in jeopardy due to key faculty and funding losses. Georgia farmers depend on the network for weather, soil and water information that helps them make the quick decisions needed to efficiently produce their crops.

“Originally, it looked as though we would have to start decommissioning the 81-station network in mid-April,” said J. Scott Angle, CAES dean and director. “We have since secured some funds to give us a bit wider window to find the full funds needed to keep the network afloat.”

The network cost more than $300,000 annually to operate.

Each station in the AEMN records rainfall, air and soil temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and direction, solar radiation, soil moisture and barometric pressure. Some stations record evaporation, water temperature and leaf wetness. All these values are read every second and averaged and recorded every 15 minutes on site.

The information doesn’t just help farmers. It helps a wide range of groups, including utility companies, which are the network’s heaviest users. The companies use the system to determine peak-usage times, which helps them make valuable production and billing decisions.

“The utility companies are the largest users of the network, but also reap the biggest benefits,” Angle said.

Other users include food brokers from around the world who need information about how Georgia crops are doing in order to make purchasing decisions. The system is used by event planners, golf course superintendents, schoolteachers and students, too.

For almost 20 years, anyone could use the system for free. The network website averages more than a half a million hits by over 60,000 separate visitors per month. Almost 300,000 of the hits come from within Georgia.

“Closing the system would cause serious problems for so many in the state,” Angle said. “We are doing all we can to avoid that. But, it is obvious that we will no longer be able to afford to offer this service for free.”

Angle said the college is looking at several models for making the system a sustainable service at a reasonable cost to users who need the information. In a recent discussion with Georgia commodity groups, farmers from across the state pledged support for a subscriber-based system.

“That was good to hear,” Angle said. “As growers already face high input costs this year from the rising prices of fuel and fertilizer, you hate to ask them to dip deeper into their profits to fund a service you have been providing for free. I was glad to hear they value this tool enough to want to chip in to help us keep it alive.”

Subscriptions will certainly help, Angle said, but to make the system sustainable long-term will require major contributions from organizations whose members rely on the system and have a vested interest in keeping it viable.

For regular updates about the status of the AEMN, or to learn more about it, go to the system’s website at http://www.georgiaweather.net

By J Faith Peppers
University of Georgia

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UGA Extension challenges Georgians to save 40 gallons of water each day

2011-03-15T09:04:00.000-04:00

A new University of Georgia Cooperative Extension program launched this year challenges Georgians to save 40 gallons of water per day. The 40-Gallon Challenge allows Georgians to compete against other Americans who are taking the challenge in their states.

At the program’s website, www.40gallonchallenge.org, Georgians can pledge to adopt water-saving practices and see how many gallons of water they can expect to save.

The website also shows the most popular practices being pledged, the pledged practices that are saving the most water daily, and counties and states that are pledging the most daily savings.

“It is our chance to see how we stack up,” said Paul Pugliese, the UGA Extension agent in Cherokee County, where the program was piloted in 2008. “You’ll learn how to save water as you take the pledge.

For example, shortening your daily shower by two minutes will save eight gallons per day. Repairing a leaky faucet will save 15 gallons per day. And replacing an old toilet with a new low-flush one will save eight gallons per day.”

By following the tips on the 40-Gallon Challenge website, anyone can save money on their water bills, too.

To start saving water and take the challenge, go to the website and complete the checklist of water-saving practices. The checklist includes both indoor and outdoor water-saving tips.

“Less than 1 percent of the Earth’s water is fresh water available for drinking, bathing, cleaning, cooking, manufacturing and growing agricultural crops,” Pugliese said. “From a global perspective, demands for fresh water will double every 20 years as the world population continues to grow. Saving water is the right thing to do for us and for future generations.”

For more information on the 40-Gallon Challenge and how to participate in your county, contact your local UGA Extension office at 1-800-ASK-UGA1.

By Sharon Dowdy
University of Georgia

Image Credit: Dana Mays

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Local Experts Warn About Frozen Pipe Disasters

2011-01-12T09:40:00.000-05:00

Nothing drains your wallet and gives your New Year a soggy start like coming home to a house full of water. According to Insurance industry experts, the average homeowner insurance claim for water damage and freezing is nearly $6,000, making frozen pipes one of the most costly problems facing homeowners every winter.

Come wintertime, homeowners can take simple precautions to keep the pipes intact and avoid pouring thousands of dollars into home repairs.

“Homeowners will plan every detail of a weekend trip when they’re headed out of town, but they often don’t think to prepare to prevent their pipes from freezing,” says Jeff Dudan, CEO and founder of AdvantaClean, a national water damage restoration company serving the local area. “Even in warm weather climates, there are measures you should take to protect your home from water damage when a cold snap hits.”

Consider This:

Second only to hurricanes, frozen and broken water pipes cause more losses in terms of the number of homes damaged and the total amount of claims paid by insurance companies nationwide than any other issue.

According to a 2006 issue of the Insurance Journal, every year, approximately a quarter-million homes and offices in the United States, have at least one room damaged by a frozen pipe, and a decade of these insurance claims have cost more than $4 billion.

What Can Homeowners do to Protect Their Property?

Ensure water tanks and pipes are insulated. Pipes in attics, crawl spaces and outside walls are more vulnerable to freezing.
Let the water run! Letting both hot and cold lines of a faucet drip in the extreme cold can prevent a pipe from bursting. A running faucet relieves pressure between the faucet and the ice. No pressure means no bursting.
Keep bathroom and kitchen cabinet doors open during a cold spell to let warm air circulate around the pipes.
Seal any leaks in your home, attic, basement or crawlspace that might allow cold air inside where pipes are located.

“If you turn on a faucet and only a trickle comes out, suspect a frozen pipe,” Dudan says. “Keep the faucet running and apply heat to the frozen section of pipe until full water pressure is restored. If you’re unable to locate or access the frozen area, call a licensed plumber. You’ll also want to check all of the other faucets in your home. If one pipe freezes, others may too.”

Protect Yourself Before You Go:

While traveling out of town during the winter months when the temperature is expected to drop, take the following precautions to reduce the risk of coming back to burst pipes and a soggy home.

Always keep your thermostat at 55 degrees or higher. Lowering your heat might save you some pennies on the heating bill, but you could end up paying a much bigger price when you return home.
Drain your water system before you leave town. To drain the system, shut off the main valve and turn on all water fixtures (cold and hot) until the water stops running. When you return, turn on the main valve and let each fixture run until water comes out and pressure returns.

“One of the most important things every member of your household should know is how to shut off the water main,” Dudan says. “If a pipe bursts, quick action will minimize the damage and prevent wet and flooded crawlspaces and basements from becoming a breeding ground for mold.”

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ADA Applauds HHS Action on Recommended Fluoride Level in Drinking Water

2011-01-07T10:26:00.000-05:00

/PRNewswir/ -- The American Dental Association (ADA) today commended the Federal agencies responsible for public health and safety for recalibrating the ratio of fluoride to water that they consider optimal based on scientific evaluation and the full appreciation of fluoride received from all sources.

As a science-based organization, the ADA supports the Department of Health and Human Services' recommendation to set the level for optimally fluoridated water at 0.7 parts per million. This adjustment will provide an effective level of fluoride to reduce the incidence of tooth decay while minimizing the rate of fluorosis in the general population.

"This is a superb example of a government agency fulfilling its mission to protect and enhance the health of the American people," said ADA President Dr. Raymond F. Gist, DDS. "We have always looked to the federal health agencies to guide us on this and other public health matters, and we will continue to do so. We applaud the Department of Health and Human Services for reaffirming the safety and efficacy of optimal community water fluoridation, with science on their side."

The ADA will continue working with federal and state governments and other stakeholders to educate people about the health benefits of optimally fluoridated drinking water. The Association strongly urges communities that already are doing so to continue fluoridating water at the levels the government recommends as safe and optimal. Communities among the minority that still do not already optimally fluoridate their municipal water systems now should act on the government's reaffirmation and, more than ever, do so. People who live in non-fluoridated communities should talk to their dentists about other ways to enjoy the health benefits of fluoride, such as supplements or topical applications.

"Dentistry has succeeded in preventing disease better than any other area of health care," said Dr. Gist. "Water fluoridation is one of our most potent weapons in disease prevention, and we want as many people as possible to have the benefits of this simple, safe, inexpensive and proven health care measure.

"The ADA has long advocated for all Americans to have the best possible oral health. The recommended levels for optimal fluoridation may be reduced, but the health benefits of fluoridation remain. The only real, known health risk is the dramatic increased levels of disease that are likely to afflict people without access to optimally fluoridated water."

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Canada’s Oil Sands Are The Largest Supplier Of Oil To The USA

2011-01-06T15:57:00.002-05:00

Canada’s oil sands are the largest supplier of oil to the USA and the Athabasca region alone is estimated to contain 870 billion to 1.3 trillion barrels of oil.

Operators are increasingly moving towards in situ methods for extraction to harness the potential of oil sands productions and require large amounts of water for the production of steam to reduce the viscosity of the bitumen. It is vital that the oil sands producers work together to cost-effectively minimize water usage and improve recyclability. In the wake of this realization, senior decision makers form accross the industry will be meeting in Calgarry in 3 weeks time.

The Oil Sands Water Management Initiative 2011 will take place on the 26-27th January and is the only event where the leading oil sands producers themselves provide solutions to the specific water management challenges in situ oil sands producers are facing. They will be breaking down water management solutions at every stage of production including sourcing, treating, recycling and disposing of water resources.

Industry Experts Include:
Brian Doucette, Director Of Environmental Excellence, Suncor
Peter Sametz, President & COO, Connacher
Chris Bloomer, COO, Petrobank
Calvin Watson, General Manager Thermal Heavy Oil, Devon
Mike Baker, Manager Of Environment & Regulatory Compliance, Shell
Vincent Saubestre, Manager Technology and R&D, Total
Ed Koshka, Vice President Engineering, Marketing & Infrastructure, Ivanhoe
K.C. Yeung, Manager Of Oil Sands Technology, Husky
Bruce McGee, President & CEO, E-T Energy
Margaret Klebek, Senior Hydrogeologist, Alberta Environment

Steve Tipton, from the global leading shale gas operator Newfield Exploration, will be offering transferable lessons from their success and experience with management of water resources offering new methods, strategies and techniques that can be utilised to drive down costs and minimize water usage.

The Oil Sands Water Management Initiative will bring together the experience and solutions from the leading oil sands operators in order to minimize water usage at every stage of production.

If you are interested in the future production of oil sands resources, join us January 26 – 27, 2011 at the Calgary Convention Centre.

Further Information can be found at: www.oil-sands-water-management.com

Proposed Water Transfer Rule Doesn’t Go Far Enough to Protect State’s Rivers, Communities

2010-12-20T14:57:00.000-05:00

Water diversions from Georgia rivers that impact more than half the state’s population may continue without proper oversight from state environmental regulators if a proposed rule presented to Georgia’s Department of Natural Resources Board (DNR Board) is implemented, according to advocates with the state’s leading water protection groups.

On Tuesday, Dec. 7, Georgia’s Environmental Protection Division (EPD) presented proposed changes to state rules governing water withdrawals involving interbasin transfers—the process of removing water from one river and using it and/or discharging it to another river.

The practice is particularly controversial because transfers can harm the health of rivers and reduce economic development potential in downstream communities.

EPD is now accepting public comments on the rule through close of business Jan. 10 and is expected to present a final version of the proposal to the Board at its Jan. 26 meeting.

“The proposed rule is a positive step forward. It includes specific criteria that should be evaluated before EPD allows an interbasin transfer. Unfortunately, the language in the rule does not require that EPD evaluate those criteria,” said Joe Cook, Executive Director of the Coosa River Basin Initiative in Rome, a member of the statewide Georgia Water Coalition. “It only regulates water transfers if EPD chooses to do so.”

At issue is one word in the rule: “should.” Currently, the rule reads that EPD “should” evaluate interbasin transfer criteria that are part of the State Water Plan adopted by the General Assembly and Governor in 2008. These criteria encourage EPD to consider, among other things, the availability of other water supplies, the effectiveness of a community’s water conservation program and the impacts of the transfer during drought conditions before allowing an interbasin transfer.

“These criteria are good, but the use of the word “should” is the equivalent of encouraging your child to clean up their room,” said Juliet Cohen, an attorney with Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper who spoke on behalf of the Coalition at the Board meeting. “If I want my children to clean up their rooms, I tell them they MUST clean up their rooms. For this rule to have any legal teeth, “should” needs to be replaced with “shall.”

During the 2010 General Assembly session, 22 senators and 67 representatives sponsored legislation that mimicked the proposed rule currently before the DNR Board. That bill required EPD to evaluate the interbasin transfer criteria outlined in the State Water Plan. The measure died when legislative leaders refused hear the bills in committee.

The timing of the proposed rule appears to be an effort to preclude legislative action during the 2011 session, according to the Coalition. EPD Director Allen Barnes has stated his preference to address interbasin transfer rules through the DNR Board rather than through the General Assembly.

Interbasin transfers occur in 28 Georgia counties, impacting 5.5 million people in those counties. Millions more downstream may be impacted by these water diversions. About 90 percent of the state’s water transfers occur in Metro Atlanta. Most of the water is diverted from the Chattahoochee, Coosa and Flint rivers.

Water transfers in the Flint River basin, are in large part responsible for a 60 percent reduction in low flows since the early 70s. Return of those water diversions to the Flint would improve flows by as much as 50 percent. Canoe and kayak outfitters on the Flint lost nearly 4,000 customers as a result of low flows during the 2010 paddling season.

The Chattahoochee loses 48 million gallons per day and the Coosa loses 10 million gallons per day.

“Communities downstream from Metro Atlanta are looking for help from state regulators; they want to know that their water interests are being considered,” said Cook. “The criteria outlined in the proposed rule should provide those assurances, but only if the rule requires that EPD consider the criteria.”

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Drought covers most of Georgia

2010-11-28T09:29:00.000-05:00

Drought conditions have expanded over the past three months to include most of Georgia. The major exceptions are north-central and northeast Georgia, where conditions are rated as abnormally dry. Additionally, Bibb, Crawford, Macon, Peach and Houston counties are classified as being abnormally dry.

During the late summer and fall, Georgia depends on tropical weather to bring much-needed rain. This fall has been very dry with most of the state receiving less than 70 percent of normal rain. Many locations in the coastal plain and coastal Georgia have received 50 percent or less of normal rain over the past three months.

Soil moisture conditions along the Georgia coast into southeast Georgia are near the 1st percentile for this time of year. Being at the first percentile, we would expect more moisture in the soils in these areas 99 out of 100 years.

Also, the Okefenokee Swamp is very dry.

Seasonally adjusted stream flows are slowly declining across the state. Stream flows respond to drought more slowly than soil moisture. The bountiful rain that Georgia experienced last winter and spring has helped to keep stream flows near normal for most of the fall. However, in recent weeks the dryness is starting to show in decreased stream flows. Flows are particularly low in northwest Georgia, where most streams are at the 10th percentile or lower, meaning stream flows would be greater 90 out of 100 years in this area.

Wildfire risks have increased across the state due to dry conditions and falling leaves. Anyone outdoors should be cautious when using equipment that can cause sparks. Special vigilance is needed with any outdoor fires. Check with the local fire department or the Georgia Forestry Commission concerning restrictions and outdoor burn permits.

Georgia depends on winter and spring rains combined with cool temperatures to recharge soil moisture, groundwater, streams and reservoirs. The fall and spring climate outlooks do not hold much promise for drought recovery. Climatic conditions are expected to be warmer than normal and drier than normal through the spring.

Georgia should see some improvement in soil moisture and stream flow conditions in early spring since moisture loss due to evaporation and plant water use is lower during cool months. This improvement in moisture can be misleading. Relative to normal recharge during this period and this winter is expected to be limited.

Up-to-date information on dry conditions across Georgia can be found at www.georgiadrought.org. Updated weather conditions can be found at www.georgiaweather.net.

By David E. Stooksbury
University of Georgia
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GEFA Approves Environmental Infrastructure Projects Totaling $6.9 Million for Seven Georgia Communities

2010-11-19T09:34:00.000-05:00

As part of Governor Sonny Perdue’s vision for sustainable economic development, the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA) announced yesterday the approval of financing for seven environmental infrastructure projects totaling $6,9 million. The GEFA board of directors approved the commitments to help finance water and wastewater system infrastructure improvements for the Henry County Water & Sewerage Authority (HCWSA), and the cities of Commerce, Jasper, Marshallville, Poulan, Ringgold and Thomasville.

“Investment in our state’s water infrastructure stimulates the economy, promotes the stewardship of our natural resources and helps to meet Georgia’s future water needs,” said Governor Perdue. “The projects approved today will improve water system efficiency and will ensure clean and safe water.”

“The water programs administered by GEFA assist local governments with improving their environmental infrastructure,” said GEFA Executive Director Kevin Clark. “Financing water projects encourages economic growth and the stewardship of our environment.”

Clark expressed appreciation to Governor Perdue and to the members of the General Assembly for their support. He credited Governor Perdue’s commitment to helping Georgia cities and counties finance infrastructure development as one of the main contributors to GEFA’s success.

“GEFA financing for water infrastructure helps communities in all areas of the state,” said J.C. Warren, acting chairman of the GEFA board of directors and member of the Screven County Board of Commissioners. “The projects that we agreed to finance today demonstrate that GEFA is investing in communities that are willing to invest in themselves.”

GEFA helps communities prepare for economic growth and development through the provision of low-interest loans.

The Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) is a federal loan program administered by GEFA for water infrastructure projects. Eligible projects include public health-related water supply construction.

The Georgia Fund is a state-funded program administered by GEFA for water, wastewater and solid waste infrastructure projects. The program has maximum flexibility and accessibility, and offers fast loan and grant approvals. The Georgia Fund provides loans and grants to local governments for projects such as water and sewer lines, treatment plants, pumping stations, wells, water storage tanks and water meters. Low-interest loans from this program are available up to $3 million.

Below are details of the loans approved:

City of Commerce
The city of Commerce was approved for a Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) loan of $575,000 to finance leak detection equipment, leak repairs and the replacement of old water meters. The city of Commerce will pay three percent interest on the one-year loan for $575,000. As a green project, 50 percent of the principal amount drawn will be forgiven. The 2010 DWSRF program guidelines direct the states to reserve 20 percent of the DWSRF funding for projects that address water or energy efficiency improvements or other environmentally-innovative activities.

Henry County Water & Sewerage Authority (HCWSA)

Henry County Water & Sewerage Authority was approved for a Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) loan of $2,652,000 to finance water main construction. HCWSA will pay three percent interest on the 20-year loan for $2,652,000 with 30 percent of the principal amount drawn to be forgiven.

City of Jasper

The city of Jasper was approved for a Georgia Fund loan of $700,000 to finance a new 500,000 gallon elevated water tank and the installation of a water line along a portion of Georgia Highway 515. The city of Jasper will pay 3.81 percent interest on the 20-year loan for $700,000. The balance of the project, $300,000, will be provided in the form of an Appalachian Regional Commission Grant from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs.

City of Marshallville

The city of Marshallville was approved for a Georgia Fund loan of $311,484 to finance a new water filtration system. The city of Marshallville will pay 3.81 percent interest on the 15-year loan for $311,484.

City of Poulan

The city of Poulan was approved for a Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) loan of $400,000 to finance water main construction to improve flow and pressure in the city’s water system. The city of Poulan will pay three percent interest on a 15-year loan for $400,000, with $107,337 in principal forgiveness.

City of Ringgold

The city of Ringgold was approved for a Georgia Fund Sewer Grant of $29,335.68 to finance construction of a sanitary sewer system that will serve 65 mobile home lots. The total project cost is $652,775, with the Georgia Department of Community Affairs providing $500,000 in a Community Development Block Grant (CBDG) and the city of Ringgold providing $123,439.32 in local funds.

City of Thomasville

The city of Thomasville was approved for a Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) loan of $2,250,000 to finance purchasing and replacing water meters and a GIS asset and work management system. The city of Thomasville will pay three percent interest on a 15-year loan for $2,250,000 the total amount of the project. As a green project, 50 percent of the principal drawn will be forgiven. The 2010 DWSRF program guidelines direct the states to reserve 20 percent of the DWSRF funding for projects that address water or energy efficiency improvements or other environmentally-innovative activities.

Cities and counties interested in more information regarding GEFA loans should visit www.gefa.org or call (404) 584-1000.

About the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (www.gefa.org)
The Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA) provides energy, land and water resources resulting in an improved quality of life for today and future generations. GEFA is the lead agency for state energy programs and is home to the Center of Innovation for Energy; directs the Georgia Land Conservation Program and maintains state-owned fuel storage tanks; and offers financing for reservoir and water supply, water quality, storm water and solid waste infrastructure. Since 1985, GEFA has approved financial commitments totaling more than $3 billion to local governments, businesses and nonprofit organizations. For more information, visit www.gefa.org.

Georgia Water Coalition Commercial Calls Voter Attention to Important Water Issues

2010-10-11T11:25:00.000-04:00

Today the Georgia Water Coalition launched television commercials aimed at educating Georgia voters about an important issue facing Georgia: water. The commercial calls attention to water waste in metro Atlanta and calls on voters to ask gubernatorial candidates how clean water can be assured for all Georgians.

“When it comes to water, it’s high time metro Atlanta becomes accountable for its own water needs and stops relying on the rest of Georgia for their water, especially when the metro area has too many leaks and not enough conservation,” said Gordon Rogers, the Flint Riverkeeper and member of the Georgia Water Coalition. “Already, metro Atlanta moves hundreds of millions of gallons of water per day among four major river basins, drying up certain portions of Georgia beyond reasonable use. As Georgia voters, we need to ask the candidates for Governor ‘How will metro Atlanta be held accountable?’ and ‘Who will protect our water?’”

For many years, metropolitan Atlanta has been one of the fastest-growing regions in the country. This growth has placed increasing pressure on Georgia’s finite water supply, and our next governor will likely face the long-running "Tri-State Water War" between Georgia, Florida and Alabama head-on once he gets into office.

The water war reached a new level on July 17, 2009, when U.S. District Court Judge Paul Magnuson ruled that metro Atlanta was illegally using Lake Lanier for water supply. Judge Magnuson gave Georgia three years to reach a water sharing agreement with Alabama and Florida that would include the use of Lanier as a drinking water supply. Without that agreement, the taps could literally be shut off to portions of metro Atlanta. When the new governor takes office, he will have only 18 months to solve this dilemma.

Governor Perdue last year appointed a task force to identify potential sources of water in light of the ruling, and that task force considered water transfers to metro Atlanta from other locations like Lake Burton, Lake Hartwell, the Tennessee River basin, Lake Jackson, and South Georgia groundwater.

While the Task Force did not recommend any of these solutions because of their financial and political costs, metro Atlanta is already supporting its expanding development with immense transfers of water that would have flowed to downstream communities if not diverted. Cartersville and Rome in the Coosa River basin lose an estimated 13 million gallons per day (MGD) through a water transfer that supports metro Atlanta’s growth. LaGrange, West Point and Columbus, downstream from Atlanta on the Chattahoochee, lose an estimated 48 MGD; and Flint River communities like Thomaston, Oglethorpe and Albany lose around 10 MGD. On the Flint River, at Thomaston, this amounts to nearly 50% of the present-day low flow.

On the Flint, these transfers are already impacting water levels. Low flows in the upper Flint basin have been eroded by 60% since the 1970s, with as much as half of this attributable to interbasin water transfers alone, according to an analysis by the Flint Riverkeeper. The organization estimates that modern-day low flows could be improved by almost 50% if existing transfers of water were returned.

The 48 MGD transfer from the Chattahoochee is enough to supply the current daily demands of the downstream communities in Newnan, LaGrange, and Columbus combined, according to the Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper.

In the Coosa basin, reductions in water transfers show that aggressive water conservation measures can help protect downstream communities. Transfers from the Coosa basin to metro Atlanta peaked in 2002 at 38 MGD, but have since declined steadily. During the drought year of 2008, water conservation efforts and drought-related watering restrictions kept the average monthly transfer below 18 MGD.

“This is the kind of success story we want to see more of from metro Atlanta,” said Joe Cook, Upper Coosa Riverkeeper. “It shows that if metro Atlanta gets serious about conservation, they can live within their means and protect water supplies for all Georgia communities like Rome, Albany and Columbus.”

“What has happened on the Coosa can happen on the Flint and Chattahoochee, too”, said Rogers. “Metro Atlanta has already demonstrated it can be more efficient, and share the water more equitably. We support these efforts, and want the next Governor to do all he can to move this ball down the field to a goal line of ‘no unreasonable impacts’ on downstream communities.”

Estimates show that metro Atlanta could save between 120 and 200 mgd by implementing water efficiency and conservation measures. Click here for a fact sheet with details on how. The commercial directs viewers to the “No Water Grabs” website where they can sign a petition asking the Governor to ensure any current and future interbasin transfers of water protect our natural resources and our economic future.

The television commercial is broadcasting in southwest Georgia over the next week, and is being broadcast over the internet on Georgia Water Coalition partners’ websites, YouTube, e-mail communications, and social networking sites.

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Nation Urged to Take Action to Head off Looming Freshwater Crisis

2010-09-15T10:34:00.000-04:00

/PRNewswire/ -- Citing a looming freshwater crisis that could affect the nation's economy, the livability of our communities and the health of our ecosystems, a diverse coalition of businesses, farmers, environmental not-for-profits and government agencies today issued a landmark call to action aimed at heading off a national crisis in water quality and supply.

"Charting New Waters: A Call to Action to Address U.S. Freshwater Challenges," is the culmination of an intensive two-year collaboration exploring solutions to U.S. freshwater challenges. It was presented to the Obama Administration at a meeting of federal agencies convened by the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), and released to the public during a noon forum at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center.

"There was broad consensus among participants that our current path will, unless changed, lead us to a national freshwater crisis in the foreseeable future," the Call to Action reports. "This reality encompasses a wide array of challenges ... that collectively amount to a tenuous trajectory for the future of the nation's freshwater resources."

The report identifies serious challenges to the quality and supply of freshwater, such as pollution and scarcity; competing urban, rural and ecosystem water needs; climate change; environmental and public health impacts; and a variety of economic implications. The document offers actions to confront these threats and a plan to ensure that our freshwater resources are secure for the 21st century.

While a great deal of progress has been made since landmark freshwater legislation in the 1970s, many freshwater challenges persist, the report says. It sees some as acute and obvious, such as severe droughts and broken water mains. Others are characterized as more subtle and chronic, building quietly over the years - such as endocrine disrupting chemicals in rivers and drinking water and the slow but steady depletion of aquifers and declining snowpack in parts of the country.

The document is believed to be the first such comprehensive, cross-sector examination of U.S. freshwater challenges and solutions. It represents consensus recommendations of diverse interests convened by The Johnson Foundation at Wingspread in Racine, Wisconsin.

Reliable freshwater supplies are an essential underpinning of U.S. economic security, with energy generation, manufacturing, food production and many activities of daily life dependent on access to freshwater, the report says. It notes that an estimated 41 percent of U.S. freshwater withdrawals are for thermoelectric power generation, primarily coal, nuclear and natural gas; 37 percent go toward irrigated agriculture.

"For too long, our society has treated water as a cheap, non-strategic and infinitely available resource. Not anymore. Threats to water quality and access are putting our businesses, communities and way of life in jeopardy. The time to act is now," said S. Curtis Johnson, chairman of Diversey Inc., a leading global provider of cleaning and hygiene solutions to the institutional marketplace and co-signer of the Call to Action.

The document proposes a series of shared actions across sectors to ensure sustainable and resilient freshwater resources so that we have the ability to absorb changes, sudden or otherwise, through flexible water management strategies.

The Call to Action's recommendations include a range of freshwater management strategies to head off a potential crisis, such as streamlining and better coordinating fragmented governance among federal, state and local jurisdictions. Another key need identified in the report is modernizing our freshwater regulatory framework, developed in the 1970s to deal with the acute environmental issues of that era.

"For decades, U.S. water strategy has been cobbled together from diverse, incomplete, and sometimes conflicting policies. We can no longer afford to manage our water that way. The good news is that smart, effective, and innovative solutions to the nation's water problems exist and can be implemented. That's what this report recommends," said Dr. Peter Gleick, President of the Pacific Institute, one of the nation's leading water scientists and a co-signer of the Call to Action.

The report also calls for better accounting of the full cost of services delivered by municipal water and wastewater utilities and sharing this information with consumers. Revised pricing structures that more accurately reflect the full cost of services could be one step toward financing badly needed upgrades to U.S. water and wastewater systems.

"Freshwater is our most precious resource and the lifeblood of our economy - industry, agriculture and energy generation all depend heavily on adequate supplies of freshwater. Water quality in our natural and municipal freshwater systems is vital to the health and livability of our communities," said Helen Johnson-Leipold, chairman of The Johnson Foundation at Wingspread. "The Foundation and its many partners in this collaboration offer the Call to Action as a means of bringing overdue attention to our nation's freshwater challenges and sparking action to address them."

A leading representative of the agriculture community commended the process that led to today's announcement.

"It's enabled a range of participants who seldom engage each other to arrive at some potentially significant and effective recommendations, such as those regarding water quality and the Farm Bill, guidelines for the work and composition of the proposed Freshwater Commission, and emphasis on the importance of local and state leadership in developing co- beneficial solutions based on sound data in local watersheds," said Ray Gaesser, past president of the Iowa Soybean Association and co-signer of the Call to Action.

In addition to signing onto the Call to Action, the parties in this groundbreaking initiative also made commitments as individual organizations to take actions to address freshwater challenges. For additional information about these commitments and the Call to Action, or to learn more about The Johnson Foundation at Wingspread, please visit www.johnsonfdn.org.

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Waterborne Diseases Could Cost over $500 Million Annually in U.S.

2010-08-22T08:25:00.000-04:00

Hospitalizations for three common waterborne diseases cost the health care system as much as $539 million annually, according to research presented last month at the International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases.

"These cost data highlight that water-related diseases pose not only a physical burden to the thousands of people sickened by them each year, but also a substantial burden in health care costs, including direct government payments through Medicare and Medicaid," says Michael Beach of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an author of the study.

Currently, there are no well-documented data on the total health care costs associated with all waterborne diseases. However, using data from a large insurance claims database between 2004 and 2007, Beach and his colleagues estimated the hospitalization cost of three common waterborne diseases in the United States: Legionnaires' disease, cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis. For each case of disease, they calculated the cost paid by the insurer, the out-of-pocket cost to the patient, and the total amount paid.

Total estimated costs for hospitalization for the three diseases was $154-539 million, including $44-147 million in direct government payments for Medicare and Medicaid. Estimated annual costs for the individual diseases were: giardiasis, $16-63 million; cryptosporidiosis, $37-145 million; and Legionnaires' disease, $101-321 million.

Inpatient hospitalization costs per case averaged more than $34,000 for Legionnaires' disease, approximately $9,000 for giardiasis and more than $21,000 for cryptosporidiosis.

"When people think about these diseases, they usually think of a simple case of diarrhea, which is a nuisance but quickly goes away. However, these infections can cause severe illness that often result in hospital stays of more than a week, which can quickly drive up health care costs," Beach says.

Other symptoms can include rashes, eye and ear infections and respiratory or neurological symptoms and can even be fatal.

Modest investments in preventing these diseases could lead to reduced disease and significant healthcare cost savings, Beach says. Some examples of possible, low-cost interventions include public education campaigns, appropriate maintenance of building water systems, and regular inspection of pools and other recreational water facilities.
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Abnormally dry conditions return to parts of Georgia

2010-07-22T10:09:00.000-04:00

Following a wet winter and early spring, Georgia’s summer has been generally hot and dry. Much of northwest, north-central, southwest, east and coastal Georgia are abnormally dry. Over the past month, less than half of normal rainfall has fallen in some of these areas.

Over the past two months, many areas in Georgia have received only 70 percent of normal rainfall. For this month through July 19, Athens has received 42 percent, Augusta at Bush Field 29 percent, Columbus 44 percent and Savannah 44 percent of normal rainfall.

Counties in northwest and north-central Georgia currently classified as abnormally dry are Haralson, Polk, Bartow, Cherokee, north-Fulton, Forsyth, Dawson, Lumpkin and Union, inclusive.

In southwest Georgia, counties classified as abnormally dry are Muscogee, Chattahoochee, Stewart, Webster, Sumter, Crisp, Lee, Dougherty, Baker, Decatur, Grady, Thomas and Brooks, inclusive.

In coastal and east Georgia, counties classified as abnormally dry are Madison, Elbert, Clarke, Oglethorpe, Wilkes, Lincoln, Taliaferro, Warren, McDuffie, Columbia, Richmond, Burke, Wilcox, Ben Hill, Dodge, Telfair, Laurens, Wheeler, Montgomery, Treutlen, Emanuel, Jenkins, Candler, Evans, Screven, Bulloch, Effingham, Chatham, Bryan, Liberty, Long, McIntosh, Wayne, Glynn, Brantley and Camden.

Exceptions to the drying trend include much of the central and west piedmont and the north-central and south-central coastal plain. Atlanta has received 102 percent of normal rain over the past month. Macon has received 234 percent of normal rain over the past month.

With temperatures remaining in the 90s and low 100s with little or no rain, soils statewide will continue to dry. This will lead to increased plant stress.

As of late July, stream flows and reservoir layers are near normal to above normal across the state. Water resources are anticipated to be near normal over the next few months.

The ocean-atmosphere system has switched into a La Niña pattern. According to the Florida State University’s Center for Ocean-Atmospheric Prediction Studies, the La Niña pattern increases the likelihood that the East Coast will experience a land-falling tropical system compared to normal. If an active tropical storm season develops as forecasted, dry conditions could be relieved by summer and fall tropical systems.

However, the La Niña pattern is associated with dry and warm winters across much of the Southeast. This means that we may have minimal recharge of the hydrologic system this winter. This increases the probability of widespread and significant drought for next year. It is too early to tell exactly how the La Niña pattern will impact Georgia, but we need to be aware of the possible short-term tropical impacts and the long-term drought impacts.

Up-to-date information on dry conditions across Georgia can be found at www.georgiadrought.org. Updated weather conditions can be found at www.georgiaweather.net.

By David E. Stooksbury
University of Georgia

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Governor Announces $4.2 Million in Water and Sewer Infrastructure Projects for Three Georgia Communities

2010-07-21T19:51:00.002-04:00

Governor Sonny Perdue announced today that the GEFA executive committee approved the financing for three environmental infrastructure projects totaling $4.2 million. The executive committee approved the commitments to help finance water and sewer infrastructure improvements for the city of Dublin, Nicholson Water Authority in Jackson County and Oconee County.

“Investment in our state’s water and sewer infrastructure stimulates the economy, promotes the stewardship of our natural resources, and helps to meet Georgia’s future water needs,” said Governor Perdue. “The projects approved today will improve water system efficiency and will ensure clean and safe water.”

“The water, sewer and solid waste programs administered by GEFA assist local governments with improving their environmental infrastructure,” said GEFA Executive Director Phil Foil. “Financing water, sewer and solid waste projects encourages economic growth and the stewardship of our environment.”

Foil expressed appreciation to Governor Perdue and to the members of the General Assembly for their support. He credited Governor Perdue’s commitment to helping Georgia cities and counties finance infrastructure development as one of the main contributors to GEFA’s success.

“GEFA financing for water, sewer and solid waste infrastructure helps communities in all areas of the state,” said Gerald Thompson, chairman of the GEFA board of directors and mayor of the city of Fitzgerald. “The projects that we agreed to finance today demonstrate that GEFA is investing in communities that are willing to invest in themselves.”

GEFA helps communities prepare for economic growth and development through the provision of low-interest loans. The Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) is a federal loan program administered by GEFA for wastewater infrastructure and water pollution abatement projects. Eligible projects include a wide variety of storm water and wastewater collection and treatment projects. The Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) is a federal loan program administered by GEFA for water infrastructure projects. Eligible projects include public health-related water supply construction.

Below are details of the loans approved today:

City of Dublin

The city of Dublin was approved for a Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) loan of $2,040,000 to finance replacing and repairing sanitary sewer line and approximately 50 manholes. The city will pay three percent interest on the 20-year loan for $2,040,000. The total project cost is $2,400,000 with the city receiving $360,000 in principal forgiveness.

Nicholson Water Authority

The Nicholson Water Authority was approved for a Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) loan of $700,000 to finance new wells and well rehabilitation; replacing a water main; storage improvements; installing new meters, including reading and billing software; and training. The Authority will pay three percent interest on a 20-year loan for $700,000. The total project cost is $1,000,000, with the Authority receiving $300,000 in principal forgiveness.

Oconee County

Oconee County was approved for a Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) loan of $1,530,000 to finance replacing sewer pipe, deteriorating manholes, and an aging pump station to eliminate leaks in the system. The County will pay three percent interest on the 20-year loan. The total project cost is $1,800,000, with Oconee County receiving $270,000 in principal forgiveness.

Cities and counties interested in more information regarding GEFA loans should visit www.gefa.org or call (404) 584-1000.

About the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (www.gefa.org)
The Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA) provides energy, land and water resources resulting in an improved quality of life for today and future generations. GEFA is the lead agency for state energy programs and is home to the Center of Innovation for Energy; directs the Georgia Land Conservation Program and maintains state-owned fuel storage tanks; and offers financing for reservoir and water supply, water quality, storm water and solid waste infrastructure. Since 1985, GEFA has approved financial commitments totaling more than $2 billion to local governments, businesses and nonprofit organizations. For more information, visit www.gefa.org.

Summertime heat hits Georgia hard

2010-07-15T13:16:00.000-04:00

The heat was on in Georgia in June. And pop-up thunderstorms scattered rainfall and wind damage across the state.

Temperatures were warmer than normal everywhere across the state. In Atlanta, the monthly average temperature was 81.4 degrees F (4.6 degrees above normal), in Athens 80.6 degrees (4.3 degrees above normal), Columbus 82.7 degrees (3.5 degrees above normal), Macon 82 degrees (4 degrees above normal), Savannah 83.6 degrees (4.8 degrees above normal), Brunswick 82.9 degrees (3.5 degrees above normal), Alma 82.3 degrees (3 degrees above normal), Valdosta 83 degrees (4.6 degrees above normal) and Augusta 82.8 degrees (5.3 degrees above normal).

Soaring into the 100s

Record-high minimum temperatures were set in Savannah and Augusta June 14. The 102 degrees in Savannah beat the old record of 100 set in 1921. The 103-degree measurement in Augusta surpassed the old record of 101 set in 2000. Augusta also had a record daily high temperature June 15 with 104 degrees, breaking the old record of 100 set in 1971.

Atlanta recorded its highest June average minimum temperature since records started at the airport in 1928. The average daytime high was the seventh hottest. It was the area's second hottest June, beat only by June 1952.

Rainfall above and below normal

Parts of the state received above-normal rainfall. However, almost half the state experienced below-normal precipitation, particularly in a narrow band along the coast and in the northwestern third of the state.

The highest monthly rainfall total from National Weather Service reporting stations was 8.78 inches in Alma (3.29 inches above normal). The lowest was in Brunswick at 1.42 inches (3.63 inches below normal). Valdosta received 4.52 inches (.84 inch below normal), Macon 5.73 inches (2.19 inches above normal), Athens 4.55 inches (.61 inch above normal), Atlanta 5.21 inches (1.58 inches above normal), Columbus 2.45 inches (1.06 inches below normal), Savannah 5.79 inches (.30 inch above normal) and Augusta 2.19 inches (2 inches below normal).

Record daily rainfalls were set in Alma on June 4 and June 30. June 4, Alma received 1.05 inches, surpassing the old record of .85 inch set in 1995. June 30, Alma received 1.39 inches, eliminating the old record of .96 inch set in 1999.

The highest single-day rainfall from the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network stations was 5.13 inches near Manor in Ware County in southeast Georgia June 30. An observer in Tift County received 4.25 inches that day. The highest monthly rainfall total in June was 10.09 inches from an observer northeast of Pearson in Atkinson County.

Lightning kills one

There were no tornadoes reported in Georgia last month. However, severe weather hit somewhere in the state 21 separate days in the month. Several Georgians were injured by lightning. One teen was killed in Henry County south of Atlanta June 30 when lightning struck near where he was standing outside his home. Lightning was also reported to have caused several house fires. Another person was injured June 5 when a roof of a pole barn collapsed near Lovett in Laurens County.

Heat stressed crops particularly in areas that did not receive normal rainfall. In the northeast part of the state, wine grapes were affected by the heat, and in other areas corn and wheat were stressed. However, in spite of the heat, most crops continue to be in good condition.

By Pam Knox
University of Georgia

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Water restrictions loosened in Georgia

2010-07-05T16:21:00.000-04:00

New watering rules give Georgians more flexibility in their watering habits. Effective June 1, they can now run automated irrigation systems, lawn sprinklers or water by hand daily as long as they do so from 4 p.m. until 10 a.m.

Under the Georgia Water Stewardship Act (SB370), the new rules state that outdoor water can be applied daily during the specified hours for the purposes of planting, growing, managing or maintaining ground cover, trees, shrubs or other plants.

What is called gray water or reclaimed waste water can be used any time for irrigation. Water from private wells or surface water used by the owner or operator of such wells or surface water is also allowed any time.

Water can also be applied with no time or day limits for the following outdoor uses:
Agricultural operations.
Personal food gardens.
New or replanted plant, seed or turf in landscapes, golf courses, or sports turf fields during installation and for a period of 30 days immediately following installation.
Drip irrigation or soaker hoses.
Hand-watering with a hose with automatic cutoff or handheld container (including chemical applications).
Horticultural crops held for sale, resale or installation.
Athletic fields, golf courses or public recreational areas.
Installation, maintenance or calibration of irrigation systems.
Hydroseeding.

The odd-even day schedule remains in effect for nonlandscape outdoor water use like pressure washing by homeowners, car washing at home or for charity, hosing driveways, outdoor cleaning or topping-off pools.

Even addresses may water on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. Odd addresses water on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.

Even though Georgia’s drought is in the past and the water restrictions have been loosened, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension experts encourage homeowners to keep a water-saving mindset.

“During the summer months, outdoor municipal water use increases between 30 to 50 percent,” said UGA Cooperative Extension turfgrass specialist Clint Waltz. “Most of this is from outdoor uses like filling swimming pools, washing cars and watering lawns and landscapes.”

To conserve water, Waltz offers homeowners the following tips:
Select plants that match light conditions and require less water.
Match surface and soil drainage conditions to plant moisture requirements.
Choose plants that grow well in your area.
Preserve established plants. They have an extensive root system and require less water than newly planted ones.
Space plants with their mature size in mind to reduce competition.
Concentrate seasonal color in small, high-impact areas to reduce overall water requirements.
Avoid constructing raised beds under trees due to root competition for water.
Develop a landscape plan before designing an irrigation system.
Incorporate shade trees in the landscape to reduce evaporative water loss.
Select and group plants according to their water needs.
Divide the landscape into water-use zones. Avoid small, irregular-shaped island plantings in turfgrass areas. They are difficult to irrigate.
Consider irrigation sprinklers when designing turfgrass areas or planting beds.
Move or eliminate plants not suited to existing site.

For more information, contact your local UGA Extension office at 1-800-ASK-UGA1.

By Sharon Dowdy
University of Georgia

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First published study of 2009 Atlanta floods may hold clues to recent urban flooding in other U.S. cities-warnings, too

2010-06-23T19:32:00.000-04:00

September is normally a hot, dry month around Atlanta, Ga. The first hints of autumn usually don’t arrive until the end of the month, if then. So it was a surprise last fall when record rainfall turned much of the metro area and north Georgia into a lake, plunging such attractions as Six Flags Over Georgia underwater and in places exceeding flood levels expected only once every 500 years.
Now, in what is likely the first scholarly published study of the floods, a team of climatologists, meteorologists, geologists and hydrologists, led by the University of Georgia, has shown that a convergence of record-setting events, perhaps unprecedented in the area’s history, combined to cause tens of millions of dollars in damages and at least 10 deaths.

And while the future of such floods is unclear, as are possible ties to global warming, conditions may be ripe for a reoccurrence, said Marshall Shepherd, lead author of the study just published in the online edition of the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society.

“More frequent or intense flooding events, coupled with expanding impervious surfaces like roads and parking lots, will affect the ecosystem and the very fabric of societal infrastructure,” said Shepherd. “We are thus going to need revolutionary designs, management and policies if we are going to mitigate the impact of future events.”

Other authors of the paper are Thomas Mote, John Dowd and Mike Roden, who with Shepherd are in the UGA Franklin College of Arts and Sciences; Pamela Knox of the Office of the State Climatologist; Steven McCutcheon of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; and Steven Nelson of the National Weather Service in Peachtree City, Ga.

Recent studies have noted that regions of the southeastern U.S. face an increasing vulnerability to climatic extremes because of population growth and the addition of impervious surfaces. The floods this year in Oklahoma City (June) and Nashville (May) point out how serious the issue has become, and even in a sparsely populated area of Arkansas, authorities reported at least 19 dead in a flash flood in June.

But even the knowledge of an increased threat couldn’t have prepared metro Atlanta leaders for what befell them last September.

“Just as an example, the U.S. Geological Survey measured the largest flow ever recorded on Sweetwater Creek near Austell, which has a streamflow record dating back to August 1904,” said Shepherd. “And a climatological assessment by the National Weather Service showed that September 2009 was fifth wettest in Atlanta’s history.”

While newscasters and commentators have turned the phrase “perfect storm” into one of the most-used clichés of the age, no two words describe better what led to the Atlanta flooding, the new research shows.

First, of course, was the massive and unrelenting rainfall, caused by an odd combination of events. Prior to the record rainfall in north Georgia, a low-pressure system stalled over parts of a three-state area called “ArkLaTex,” pulling moisture from the Gulf of Mexico. Many days of rainfall nearly saturated the soil and filled many streams, rivers and reservoirs over the Southeast. Remnants of two tropical storms in the Pacific and Atlantic (and evaporation from the Gulf of Mexico) generated some of the wettest air observed over the Southeast. Inherent instability in the atmosphere and the mountains northwest and north of Atlanta produced “training” or repeated heavy rainfall.

The spark that set the floods metaphorically afire, though, may have been all the concrete and paving of the metro area itself. The water, unable to soak into the ground, overfilled sewers and drainage and flooded roads, schools, neighborhoods, Interstate-20 and Six Flags Over Georgia, all designed to rarely be submerged.

Satellite data, multi-sensor Doppler radar estimates, traditional National Weather Service gauges and a relatively new community volunteer network, defined the multifaceted causes of flooding during the event.

“Though the meteorological set-up was unique, the role of Atlanta’s impervious surfaces and rapid continued growth should not be missed,” said Shepherd “This increase in roofs, roads and parking is known to alter runoff intensity and, in the future, make flooding potentially just as bad and in many cases worse.”

Another possibility is that large cities may initiate or alter storms through so-called heat-island, convergence and pollution effects. How (or if) this played a part in the Atlanta floods will be the subject of future research by Shepherd, who plans to recreate the event using computer simulations, though without Atlanta included.

“The September 2009 flooding that definitively ended the drought in Georgia is consistent with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change projections that the frequency and severity of extreme hydroclimate events such as droughts and floods will likely increase,” the authors say in their study—bad news for areas such as Atlanta, Nashville and Oklahoma City, which have had enough already.

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Test well water to insure it's safe to drink, use

2010-06-23T07:21:00.000-04:00

Clean drinking water is a top priority for families. But homeowners who rely solely on well water can be open to certain risks.

If your water is provided by a city or county source, it isn’t necessary to have it tested unless an in-house contamination is suspected. Public and municipal water supplies are routinely tested and must meet Environmental Protection Agency standards.

Homeowner's responsibility

Well water can become contaminated from various sources and can make homeowners sick. Since there are no federal or state monitoring regulations for private wells, it is the homeowner’s responsibility to make sure their well water is safe to drink.

Well water may not be safe to drink if:

You have frequent and unexplained illnesses in your household.
Your neighbors find toxic chemicals in their well water.
You are concerned about the lead pipes or soldering in your home.
You detect a difference in the taste, smell or color of the water.
You are buying a new home with a well that has been out of use.
It comes from an improperly sealed or unprotected well, spring or cistern.
You spill fertilizers, pesticides, oil, gasoline or other toxic substances on the ground in or near the well.

Water isn't just for drinking

Poor water quality not only affects drinking water. It can also affect a variety of household functions. Contaminated water used for cooking may affect your health, while an excess of certain minerals can hamper cleaning tasks in laundry or bathroom.

Unfortunately, no single test can provide information on all possible contaminants.

Bacteriological tests determine if water is free of disease-causing bacteria. But there are many types of tests that cover a variety of bacteria. The most common bacteriological test checks for E. coli and total coliform bacteria, which can come from fecal contamination.

Mineral tests can determine if the mineral content is high enough to affect either health or the water’s aesthetic or cleaning capacities. This test often pinpoints calcium, magnesium, manganese, iron, copper and zinc. An abundance of these minerals can cause hard water, plumbing and laundry stains or bad odors.

Pesticide and chemical tests are generally performed only if there is reason to believe a specific contaminant has entered the water system, such as pesticides.

Inspect regularly

It is important to regularly inspect your well for sources of contamination.

Other potential problems can exist with the slab, the well screen, the building covering the well or landscaping. University of Georgia Cooperative Extension offers well assessment through the HOME*A*SYST program. These self-assessments determine the risks associated with your well.

If you suspect a problem with your well water, contact a licensed well driller to inspect the well and have it tested for bacteria. This test should be done at least once a year, especially after well water disinfections.

Have water tested

Well testing can be done through local UGA Extension offices. Water samples are tested through the UGA Agricultural and Environmental Services Laboratory in Athens.

A basic test, which tests for pH, hardness and more than 15 minerals, is $15. An expanded water test, which tests for minerals, soluble salts and alkalinity, is $50.

Contact your UGA Extension office at 1-800-ASK-UGA1 for information on troubleshooting water quality issues or testing your well water for bacteria.

Contact your county health department for information on how to take proper care of your septic system. Septic system problems can affect well water quality.

By Paul Pugliese
University of Georgia

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Georgia's summer likely warmer, drier than normal

2010-06-17T10:54:00.000-04:00

Georgia’s summer will likely be warmer and drier than normal through at least early August. Temperatures and rainfall in late summer and early fall will depend on the number and tracks of tropical weather systems.

The early summer following an El Niño winter climate pattern – like we had this past winter -- is typically warmer and drier than normal. With the warmer temperatures and drier-than-normal conditions, soil moisture will quickly decrease over the next two months. However, because of the abundant rain this past winter and early spring, water resources are expected to remain in good shape across the state through this summer.

Tropical question

By August the southeastern U.S. will be entering into the heart of the tropical storm season. Will temperatures remain high and rainfall low? At this point, it’s hard to say. Again, this will depend on tropical weather systems. At this time, we do not have the ability to forecast the tracks of tropical storms this early in the season. We can only give general forecasts of the number of storms.

The number of tropical storms this summer is expected to be above normal. Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico sea surface temperatures are currently above normal. This favors the formation of tropical systems, including tropical depressions, storms and hurricanes.

An additional factor favoring the development of tropical systems is the atmosphere transitioning from an El Niño climate pattern to a neutral climate pattern. Neutral and La Niña climate patterns favor the formation of tropical weather systems. The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is not expected to have any impact on the number nor on the intensity of tropical weather systems.

Transition time

An El Niño climate pattern typically transitions into a neutral pattern for several months. However, it appears that the ocean-atmosphere system will only spend a few months in the neutral pattern before changing into a La Niña pattern.

Historically, the East Coast, including Georgia, is more likely to be directly impacted by hurricanes when the atmosphere is in the La Niña climate pattern. There is a good chance that atmosphere will be near transition to or in a La Niña by the heart of hurricane season.

As Georgia enters the winter, it appears that we will be in a La Niña climate pattern. Typically this means that south Georgia can expect winter to be warmer and drier than normal. Across north Georgia, a La Niña climate pattern generally brings a warmer-than-normal winter. For north Georgia, a weak La Niña climate pattern is associated with near-normal to wetter-than-normal winters. However, a moderate to strong La Niña climate pattern is associated with drier-than-normal conditions across north Georgia.

It is too early to know if this winter will bring a weak, moderate or strong La Niña climate pattern. If the La Niña climate pattern develops this winter, then Georgia may be set up for a drought in 2011.
Up-to-date weather information is available at the website www.georgiaweather.net. Historic climate data is available at the website climate.engr.uga.edu.

By David E. Stooksbury
University of Georgia

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Prepare for Rising Water

2010-06-16T08:16:00.000-04:00

Precautions taken at the first sign of rising water can help save lives and help minimize damage during a flood. Typically, your standard homeowners insurance policy will not cover flood damage, though federal flood insurance is available through most insurance agencies, if your community participates in the National Flood Insurance Program. If you have flood insurance, your agent will advise you how to file a claim.

Whether you have flood insurance or not, Allstate recommends you take the following steps as soon as a flood watch is issued, or news of rising water hits, which may prevent thousands of dollars in unnecessary damage.

-- Keep informed by listening to a battery-operated radio. That way, you
can track the storm or follow the progress of rising water and make a
better decision about any further action that you should take,
including the possibility of evacuating your home.

-- Fill bathtubs, sinks and containers with clean water so you will have
a ready supply in case the community's water supply becomes
contaminated.

-- Move outdoor possessions indoors, such as patio furniture, chairs and
bicycles.

-- Elevate valuable furnishings and possessions from basements or first
floors to upper floors or move them away to higher ground if you have
time.

-- If advised by local authorities, shut off all utilities including gas,
electricity and water.

-- Prepare to evacuate by gathering your emergency supplies. Don't forget
flashlights and extra batteries, essential medicines, cash, credit
cards, food, water and a battery-operated radio with extra batteries.
If you have pets, make sure they have an adequate supply of food and
water, in a safe place, on an upper floor, or prepare to take the pets
and such provisions with you. Do not leave pets chained or fenced
outside.

-- Once rising waters reach your home, school or business, your first
priority is occupant safety. If you're advised to leave, do so
immediately and follow the evacuation instructions given. Travel to
higher ground by whatever means is available and stay there. The
sooner you leave the better your chances of avoiding flooded,
congested roads.

-- Do not attempt to drive through flooded roads. Turn around and go
another way. If your car stalls, leave it immediately and walk to
higher ground. More people drown in their cars than anywhere else
during floods.

-- If avoidable, do not attempt to walk through floodwater. Drowning is
the top cause of death during floods, in many cases because people
underestimate the power of even a small amount of water. A mere six
inches of quickly flowing water can knock you down. In areas covered
by standing water, use a long pole or stick to make sure the ground is
firm. Be especially cautious with children.

Information on the National Flood Insurance Program can be found at http://www.fema.gov/business/nfip/.

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Water Efficiency Incorporated in Federal Legislation?

2010-05-11T10:50:00.000-04:00

With water as a valuable resource, doesn't it make sense to for us to try and use it wisely?

Senator Ron Wyden (OR) has proposed an amendment to Home Star Energy Retrofit Act of 2010. This Watersense Amendment would add product water efficiency retrofits on a short term basis.

Take some time and learn more about the amendment at the Alliance for Water Efficiency. Let your senators know your views on conserving water.

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Georgia's April weather warmer than normal

2010-05-07T11:01:00.000-04:00

The combination of a cool March with a warm early April compressed Georgia’s pollen season, leading to higher-than-normal pollen counts across the state in April.

For the most part, temperatures across the state were warmer than normal.

Mostly warmer temps

In Atlanta, the monthly average temperature was 65.2 degrees F (3.6 degrees above normal), in Athens 63.9 degrees (33 degrees above normal), Columbus 65.6 degrees (1.4 degrees above normal), Macon 65 degrees (2.3 degrees above normal), Savannah 67 degrees (1.7 degrees above normal), Brunswick 66.8 degrees (.3 degree above normal), Alma 65.9 degrees (.8 degree below normal), Valdosta 68.6 degrees (3.4 degrees above normal) and Augusta 64.3 degrees (1.9 degrees above normal).

Athens set a record high temperature April 5, when the maximum temperature of 88 degrees broke the old record of 87 degrees set in 1988. Augusta set a record high of 91 degrees on April 6, breaking the old record of 90 degrees set in 1967.

Mostly below-normal rainfall

Most of the state received below-normal rainfall, except for a swath of rain in south-central Georgia and a wider band across the northern counties.

The highest monthly total from National Weather Service reporting stations was 2.63 inches in Valdosta (.94 inch below normal). The lowest was in Brunswick at .89 inch (1.91 inches below normal). Atlanta received 2.56 inches (1.06 inches below normal), Macon 1.36 inches (1.78 inches below normal), Athens 1.86 inches (1.49 inches below normal), Augusta 1.20 inches (1.74 inches below normal), Columbus 1.61 inches (2.23 inches below normal), Savannah 1.40 inches (1.92 inches below normal) and Alma 2.74 inches (.42 inch below normal).

Record daily rainfalls were set at Columbus with a daily rainfall of 1.04 inches April 25 and Alma with a daily rainfall of 1.36 inches April 20.

Rabun Gap records most rainfall

The highest single-day rainfall from Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network stations was 5.13 inches in Rabun Gap in far northeast Georgia April 25. This station also had the highest monthly total of 6.70 inches. Stations near McKaysville and Dillard received 6.58 inches and 6.21 inches, respectively, during the month.

Two tornadoes were reported. A small tornado hit 2 miles north of Bostwick in Morgan County April 8, knocking down trees and the roof of a chicken house. Another small tornado hit 3 miles north of Cloudland in Chattooga County near the Alabama border April 24, causing tree damage. Severe weather, including high winds, hail of over 1 inch or tornadoes, was observed on five days in April.
The drier conditions improved soil moisture levels through the month, although in some areas the dry conditions impeded planting and germination. Some irrigation of new corn was needed to counteract the dry conditions. Generally, the warm temperatures were favorable for planting, and crops were planted at a rapid pace across the state.

Pam Knox
University of Georgia

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Gwinnett Water Plant Holds Open House

2010-04-27T18:57:00.002-04:00

The public is invited to tour one of Gwinnett County’s two water plants on Saturday, May 1, to celebrate the 36th anniversary of the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act.

The Shoal Creek Filter Plant, located at 1755 Buford Dam Road in Buford, will be open from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. There will be facility tours, a hayride, arts and crafts, complimentary lunch and refreshments. There is no admission fee and kids are welcome to come learn about safe drinking water.

Gwinnett’s Shoal Creek Filter Plant won the Plant of the Year award for 2010 from the Georgia Association of Water Professionals at its Spring Conference in Columbus recently. This is the second time the plant has won the award.

The Safe Drinking Water Act was passed by Congress in 1974 and amended in 1986 and 1996. It requires many actions to protect drinking water and its sources including rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and public groundwater wells in the United States. The law authorizes the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to set national health-based standards to protect against both natural and manmade contaminants in drinking water.

Commission Chairman Charles Bannister said, “We’re very proud of our Water Resources staff for winning this award again and for providing our residents with high quality drinking water every day of the year. This operation never stops, and we appreciate all the hard work that goes into it. Safe drinking water is vital for our health and well-being. We take this public health responsibility seriously every day.”
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Candidates for Georgia Governor to Debate Water Issues at UWG

2010-04-07T19:55:00.000-04:00

The University of West Georgia will hold a forum on Friday, April 23, to discuss the state’s water issues, highlighted by a debate among the candidates for Georgia governor from both major parties.

The forum, “Legal and Operational Challenges to Water Conservation,” will feature discussions by water experts from across the region and nation, and will include a luncheon provided by the conference.

The event will conclude with the gubernatorial candidates sharing their ideas for conservation and management of Georgia’s water resources – a key issue to be faced by the next governor.

Candidates who have confirmed their participation include Republicans Jeff Chapman, Nathan Deal, Ray McBerry, John Oxendine and Austin Scott and Democrats Carl Camon, DuBose Porter and David Poythress.

The candidates’ forum will be moderated by Fox 5 Atlanta TV news anchor Deidra Dukes and will begin at 7 p.m. in the UWG Coliseum.

All events are open to the public.

For more information, visit www.westga.edu/water.
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Senate votes in favor of Pearson’s Bill to increase Georgia’s Water Supply

2010-03-24T16:13:00.000-04:00

The Georgia State Senate today voted to pass Sen. Chip Pearson’s (R-Dawsonville) legislation to facilitate the expansion of existing reservoirs in Georgia. Senate Bill 380 is a key component of Pearson’s efforts this year to ensure Georgia has access to an adequate water supply.

“Georgia will remain the economic engine of the South only if we ensure there is enough water to support our state’s future population growth. The passage of this bill is an important step to proactively secure water for our state,” said Pearson. “This measure simply allows the state environmental authority to loan money to local governments to expand existing reservoirs when funding is available.”

The legislation establishes a clear process in Georgia law for the Water Supply Division (WSD) of the Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority to loan funds to local governments to expand existing reservoirs. Under SB 380, the WSD has the power to make loans and grants to a local government to pay all or any part of the cost of expanding and increasing the capacity of existing reservoirs. The bill also outlines what criteria must be used when considering requests for funding assistance, including the effect of recurring droughts on the region, the interconnectivity of the reservoir with surrounding local governments, how to facilitate public-private partnerships and any unique regional conditions.

The bill stipulates that the WSD can make the loans or grants when funding is available. Beginning this year, all funding requests must be submitted by July 1, and any awards will be issued no later than October 1 of that year.

Last week, the Senate also passed Pearson’s bill to allow for the development of public-private partnerships to build and expand reservoirs. Pearson has noted that in such difficult economic times, it’s imperative to incentivize the private sector to help expand Georgia’s water supply. Under Senate Bill 321, the WSD and local governments can enter into a water use agreement with the owner of any private reservoir.

Sen. Chip Pearson serves as chairman of the Economic Development Committee. He represents the 51st Senate District, which includes Dawson, Fannin, Gilmer, Lumpkin, Pickens, and Union counties and portions of Forsyth and White counties. He may be reached at 404.656.9221 or via e-mail at chip.pearson@senate.ga.gov.
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Governor Announces GEFA Approval of Water and Sewer Projects Totaling $46 Million for Seven Georgia Communities

2010-03-23T16:09:00.000-04:00

Governor Sonny Perdue announced today that the Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority (GEFA) has approved of funding for seven environmental infrastructure projects totaling $46 million. The GEFA board of directors approved the commitments to help finance water and sewer system improvements for Augusta-Richmond County, the cities of Blairsville, Crawfordville, Lookout Mountain, Meigs and Port Wentworth, and the Henry County Water and Sewerage Authority.

“Investment in our state’s water and sewer infrastructure stimulates the economy, promotes the stewardship of our natural resources, and helps to meet Georgia’s future water needs,” said Governor Perdue. “The projects approved today will improve water system efficiency and will ensure clean and safe water.”

“The water and sewer programs administered by GEFA assist local governments with improving their environmental infrastructure,” said GEFA Executive Director Phil Foil. “Financing water and sewer projects encourages economic growth and the stewardship of our environment.”

Foil expressed appreciation to Governor Perdue and to the members of the General Assembly for their support. He credited Governor Perdue’s commitment to helping Georgia cities and counties finance infrastructure development as one of the main contributors to GEFA’s success.

“GEFA financing for water and sewer infrastructure helps communities in all areas of the state,” said Gerald Thompson, chairman of the GEFA board of directors and mayor of the city of Fitzgerald. “The projects that we agreed to finance today demonstrate that GEFA is investing in communities that are willing to invest in themselves.”

GEFA helps communities prepare for economic growth and development through the provision of low interest loans. The Georgia Fund is a state funded program administered by GEFA for water, wastewater and solid waste infrastructure projects. The Georgia Fund provides loans to local governments for projects such as water and sewer lines, treatment plants, pumping stations, wells, water storage tanks and water meters. The Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) is a federal loan program administered by GEFA for wastewater infrastructure and water pollution abatement projects. Eligible projects include a wide variety of storm water and wastewater collection and treatment projects. The Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) is a federal loan program administered by GEFA for water infrastructure projects. Eligible projects include public health-related water supply construction.

Below are details of the loans approved today:

Augusta-Richmond County

Augusta-Richmond County was approved for a Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) loan of $23,530,950 for the Butler Creek Interceptor East project. The project will extend sanitary sewer pipe from the J. B. Messerly Water Pollution Control Plant to the trunk main along Butler Creek. Augusta-Richmond County will pay three percent interest on the 20-year loan. The total project cost is $23,530,950 with GEFA providing the entire amount.

City of Blairsville

The city of Blairsville was approved for a Georgia Fund loan of $195,500 to extend its water system along Old Blue Ridge Highway. The total project cost is $572,500 with the balance being provided by a $300,000 OneGeorgia grant and $77,000 in local funds. The city will pay 3.81 percent interest on the five-year loan.

City of Crawfordville

The city of Crawfordville was approved for a Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) loan of $115,000 to finance repairs to the city’s water tank. The total project cost is $115,000 with the DWSRF providing the entire amount. The city will pay three percent interest on the 20-year loan.

City of Lookout Mountain

The city of Lookout Mountain was approved for a $100,000 sewer grant to help replace the failing Flintstone Subdivision sewage collection system with a septic tank effluent pump (STEP) system. The total project cost is $550,000, with the Georgia Department of Community Affairs providing $200,000 through an Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) grant and $50,000 through an Immediate Threat and Danger program grant. Dade County Water and Sewer Fund is providing $50,000 and Covenant College is providing $150,000.

City of Meigs

The city of Meigs was approved for a Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) loan of $437,881 to improve its wastewater treatment facility and the sanitary sewer collection. This project includes the restoration of sand filters and outlet control structure gates and inspection of the collection system for inflow and infiltration. The total project cost is $437,881 with the Clean Water State Revolving Fund providing the entire amount. The city will pay three percent interest on the 20-year loan.

City of Port Wentworth

The city of Port Wentworth was approved for a grant of $100,000 for the installation of a reuse water line. EMD Chemicals will use 150,000 gallons per day of the city’s highly treated recycled wastewater in place of water from the Floridan aquifer, a practice that will help prevent the advance of saltwater intrusion into wells along the Georgia coast. The total project cost is $360,000 with GEFA providing $100,000, EMD Chemicals providing $250,000 and Port Wentworth providing $10,000.

Henry County Water and Sewerage Authority

The Henry County Water and Sewerage Authority (WSA) was approved for a Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) loan of $21,342,866 for Phase II funding for the expansion of the Walnut Creek Water Reclamation Facility (WRF). The loan will also fund additional construction to the WRF such as an additional storage pond and a land application wastewater treatment system. The total project cost is $43,844,498 with the CWSRF providing $21,342,866 in Phase II, $20,000,000 in Phase I (approved April 21, 2008) and $2,501,632 in potential future funding. Henry County WSA will pay three percent interest on the 20-year loan.

Cities and counties interested in more information regarding GEFA loans should visit www.gefa.org or call (404) 584-1000.

About the Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority (www.gefa.org)

The Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority (GEFA) provides financial assistance and administers programs that encourage stewardship of the environment and promote economic development statewide. GEFA is the lead state agency for energy planning and alternative fuels; manages the Governor’s Energy Challenge and the Georgia Land Conservation Program; maintains state-owned fuel storage tanks; and offers financing for reservoir and water supply, water quality, storm water and solid waste infrastructure.
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California American Water Call for Continuing Water Conservation in its San Diego County Service District

2010-02-06T13:58:00.001-05:00

Utility urges customers to turn off outdoor irrigation as California drought continues despite local rainfall and improved snowpack levels

California American Water is continuing the call for water conservation by urging all of its San Diego County customers to turn off outdoor irrigation systems as rain storms are predicted to return to the region this weekend. The oncoming storms will cut the need for outdoor watering. Given the forecast, California American Water is asking customers to leave their sprinklers and other irrigation systems turned off for at least seven days after the rains end.

“The storms that passed over Southern California two weeks ago dumped more than six inches of rain in some areas. With forecasters calling for more rain there is no need to turn on our sprinklers for a week or more,” said Todd Brown, California American Water’s general manager. “We are encouraging our customers to conserve water by refraining from turning irrigation systems back on too early. The ongoing drought and other challenges to our water supply remind us to use water wisely. Keeping our sprinkler systems off is smart for the environment and the pocketbook.”

Even with the California Department of Water Resources reporting last week that the snowpack water content is 115 percent of normal statewide, significant long-term challenges still remain to improving reliability of Southern California’s water supplies from the Bay-Delta. The level of precipitation over the second half of the winter will have a major impact on determining final supply deliveries for the remainder of 2010.

“We welcome the news that the snowpack’s water content thus far is above average. However, regulatory restrictions are expected to continue to reduce water deliveries to Southern California for the foreseeable future,” Brown said. “The restrictions, coupled with the prolonged drought, have caused both our state and local reservoir levels to drop well below normal and limit the ability of water agencies to refill them.” Pumping restrictions to protect endangered fish species in the Sacramento Delta region have cut water deliveries from the State Water Project by as much as 30 percent, limiting the amount of water that can be stored during wet years.

California American Water offers rebates on water-saving appliances, free water wise surveys, leak detection kits for toilets and other conservation tools and ideas. California American Water customers can sign-up for these services by stopping by its local office located at 1019 Cherry Avenue, Imperial Beach, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:15 p.m., or by calling
(619) 435-7515.

California American Water, a wholly owned subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), provides high-quality and reliable water and/or wastewater services to more than 600,000 people. California American Water’s San Diego County service district includes approximately 21,000 households and businesses, or a population of about 95,000 people, in the cities of Coronado, Imperial Beach, south Chula Vista, and parts of south San Diego.

Founded in 1886, American Water is the largest investor-owned U.S. water and wastewater utility company. With headquarters in Voorhees, N.J., the company employs more than 7,000 dedicated professionals who provide drinking water, wastewater and other related services to approximately 15 million people in 32 states and Ontario, Canada. More information can be found by visiting www.amwater.com.
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Water Contingency Task Force Presents Final Recommendations

2009-12-30T08:44:00.002-05:00

A statewide task force of business leaders, elected officials, community representatives and conservation organizations presented their final recommendations to Governor Sonny Perdue December 22 for creating a contingency plan to address Georgia’s water issues if a federal judge’s ruling from this summer remains in effect in 2012.

“The task force has done a tremendous job of analyzing all possible options and providing fact-based feedback that will drive the decisions we make moving forward,” said Governor Perdue. “I am very appreciative of the commitment shown by the co-chairs, the time invested by task force members and the professional analysis provided pro bono by The Boston Consulting Group and the rest of the technical team. Their dedication will help us as we move forward to find solutions for Georgia.”

More than 80 business, environmental and government officials have been studying a long list of options since October, after Judge Paul Magnuson ruled that metro Atlanta’s use of Lake Lanier for drinking water would be reduced in 2012.

“We believe in a three part strategy - conserve, capture and control,” said John Brock, chairman and CEO of Coca-Cola Enterprises and co-chair of the Water Contingency Task Force. “There’s no single magic solution. We must conserve more water, capture the water we do receive, and control our water supplies through progressive water policies.”

On a separate track, Governor Perdue is pursuing a legal appeal, congressional action and negotiations with Florida and Alabama. But the job of the Water Contingency Task Force was to consider options if the judge’s ruling stands.

The final report reaffirms the gap cannot be closed between the water we have and the water we need by 2012 under the reduced withdrawals called for in the judge’s ruling. As Governor Perdue has said repeatedly, using Lake Lanier for water supply is our most cost-effective and environmentally friendly option. The thorough analysis of the different options, likely worth more than $2 million, was provided at no cost by The Boston Consulting Group and a team of expert engineering and consulting firms.

The task force found that if given additional time past the 2012 deadline, more options become available. These additional contingency options can be implemented by 2015 and 2020. Emergency solutions are extremely costly, but having a few more years gives more and better choices should the judge’s ruling stand.

The task force found metro Atlanta alone would take a $26 billion annual hit to its economy if no action is taken to address the judge’s ruling, causing a devastating ripple effect throughout Georgia and the Southeast.

“Our work is not over,” said Tim Lowe of Lowe Engineers and co-chair of the Water Contingency Task Force. “In fact, now an even more critical chapter begins. As the Georgia General Assembly convenes in January, we will continue to work with the Governor and elected officials as our recommendations are considered.”

More information and the full report from the Water Contingency Planning Task Force can be found on Governor Perdue’s website at http://gov.georgia.gov/00/channel_modifieddate/0,2096,78006749_154453222,00.html.

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November rain sets records

2009-12-12T08:47:00.001-05:00

Tropical Storm Ida brought more wet days to Georgia in November, setting rainfall records in what is normally a dry month.

Rainfall across most of the state was well above normal, according to radar estimates, particularly due to Ida’s heavy rains on Nov. 10. Many areas north of the fall line from Columbus to Augusta received more than 5 inches of rain. Southern Georgia, particularly the southeastern section, received below-normal rainfall, with the lowest values occurring near Brunswick.

The highest monthly total from National Weather Service reporting stations was 6.75 inches in Columbus (2.78 inches above normal). The lowest was in Brunswick at .71 inch (1.78 inches below normal). Atlanta received 5.75 inches (1.65 inches above normal), Macon 3.87 inches (.67 inch above normal), Athens 5.17 inches (1.46 inches above normal), Augusta 5.61 inches (2.93 inches above normal), Savannah 2.31 inches (.09 inch below normal) and Alma 1.41 inches (1.16 inches below normal).

Many stations within the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network also reported wet conditions for the month. The highest monthly totals of 10.80 inches and 10.46 inches were both reported in Rabun County in far northeast Georgia. On Nov. 11 with the passage of Ida, the highest one-day reports of 6.09 inches and 6.10 inches came from two observers in Monroe County in central Georgia.

The Georgia Automated Environmental Monitoring sites at Tiger in Rabun County and at Gainesville in Hall County both reported 7.89 inches for the month.

Daily record maximum rainfalls occurred Nov. 10 with Ida. At official NWS airport stations, Atlanta broke a daily maximum rainfall with an observation of 4.05 inches. Athens received 1.94 inches. Columbus received 5.44 inches, and Macon received 2.53 inches during this storm Nov.12. Alma also reported a daily record rainfall of .92 inches Nov. 22.

Because of the unusually high rainfall in September, October and November, Athens, Atlanta, Macon and Columbus airports set their records for the wettest fall seasons ever recorded. Athens reported 24.13 inches, Atlanta 23.31 inches, Columbus 18.43 inches and Macon 20.94 inches during the three-month period.

Temperatures across the state were near normal. In Atlanta, the monthly average temperature was 53.8 degrees F (.4 degree above normal), in Athens 54.8 degrees (2.1 degrees above normal), Columbus 55.4 degrees (1.3 degrees below normal), Macon 55.6 degrees (.5 degree above normal), Savannah 59.4 degrees (.7 degree above normal), Brunswick 61.7 degrees (.1 degree above normal), Alma 58.3 degrees (2.4 degrees below normal) and Augusta 55.7 degree (1.2 degrees above normal). No temperature records were set in November.

Most of the state had not yet experienced a killing freeze, or temperatures below 28 degrees, by the end of the month.

Georgians did not experience any severe weather in November.

The Department of Natural Resources reported there are more black bears roaming Georgia this year due to both the large acorn crop caused by drought-stressed oak trees in 2008 and the rainy conditions this year, which provided ample vegetation to fatten the bears up. They are predicting a record bear hunting season due to the increase in size and number of bears.

During November, the rains in northern Georgia due to Ida caused problems for farmers trying to harvest hay and other crops. Some grub infestations were reported. In the first and third weeks, dry conditions allowed good progress to be made on harvesting of peanuts, soybeans and cotton. Rain showers benefited the planting of small grains.

By Pam Knox
University of Georgia

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National Water Expert Provides Case for Metro Atlanta to Pursue Water Conservation and Efficiency to Meet Water Supply Needs

2009-12-10T15:44:00.001-05:00

Today, the Georgia Water Coalition hosted a media briefing conference call with Mary Ann Dickinson, President and CEO, Alliance for Water Efficiency.

To listen to a recording of the media briefing, click here: http://www.garivers.org/gawater/DickinsonBriefing.htm

The Georgia Water Coalition (GWC) hosted the media briefing for Ms. Dickinson to present the opportunity that Metro Atlanta has to meet much of its water needs through water conservation and efficiency and at a cost significantly less than other options. She offered examples from other metropolitan areas in the Southeast and across the nation where communities have met their water needs through conservation and efficiency and saved millions – in gallons of water and dollars.

On Monday, November 23, consultants for the Governor’s “Water Contingency Task Force” unveiled a list of water supply options for Metro Atlanta and rationale for their implementation. The Task Force’s list currently has a $2.3 billion price tag and includes many proposals that if pursued would place a strain on Georgia taxpayers, threaten the economic future of communities outside Metro Atlanta, and sacrifice the health of our rivers, lakes and streams. Though water conservation and efficiency measures were included in the Task Force options, the Task Force has the opportunity to recommend much greater savings.

Tomorrow, Dec. 11, the Task Force meets in Atlanta for its third and final time and is expected to unveil its findings. The Governor is expected to use recommendations from the Task Force to formulate legislative measures to introduce in the 2010 General Assembly session which begins Jan. 11.

For more information on the opportunities available for Georgia, you can also view the American Rivers report: “Hidden Reservoir: Why Water Efficiency is the Best Solution for the Southeast.”

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Millions of Taxpayer Dollars Flow to Bottled Water

2009-12-09T13:40:00.000-05:00

/PRNewswire/ -- States in the Northeast have spent between $228,874 and $527,107 a year for bottled water, according to a new report Getting States Off the Bottle released today by Corporate Accountability International. The states surveyed include four Northeastern states: Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont and Pennsylvania -- all known for their high quality tap water.

The findings come as public water systems face a $24 billion annual shortfall, and during financial times where states can ill afford to be spending public dollars on such a non-essential use of an essential public resource.

"Not only is the spending patently wasteful at a time when states can not afford unnecessary expenses, but it broadcasts the absolute wrong message about our high quality tap water," said Connecticut State Representative Richard Roy, Chair of the House Environmental Committee.

Roy is one of hundreds of public officials nationwide that are now calling for taxpayer dollars to cease flowing to bottled water. In 2008, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, representing more than 1,200 mayors, passed a resolution encouraging mayors to phase out city spending on bottled water. To date, more than 100 cities have taken action to cut spending on bottled water or support public water systems as well as three states, including Illinois, Virginia and New York.

Governors and mayors are stewards of public water systems, responsible for overseeing budgets that provide the overwhelming majority of public funding for this essential public service. But the need for greater investment in these systems is growing rapidly, while public funding for these systems languishes.

A major cause of the gap in funding has been the marketing and promotion of bottled water. Marketing campaigns, such as Nestle's Born Better, have convinced one in five people to believe the only place to get clean drinking water is from a bottle. And as public confidence in tap water has waned, so too has the political will to invest in public water.

"Swift action by governors to cut bottled water spending can be a strong first step in restoring public water systems and the public's confidence in them," said Kelle Louaillier, executive director of Corporate Accountability International.

After all, up to forty percent of bottled water sold comes from the same source as tap water. Tap water is also more highly regulated than what comes in the bottle.

Public education campaigns like Think Outside the Bottle are, however, restoring confidence in public water systems. A recent Harris Poll found that 29 percent of people switched from bottled to tap water in the last year. An overall decline in the North American bottled water market reflects this shift. Nevertheless, state action is still lagging. While each state profiled in the report has taken some steps to allocate funding towards water infrastructure -- such as dedicating funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to water systems -- even these steps are a drop in the bucket compared to what will be needed to close the gap.

"During these tough economic times our states need to be thinking, 'we should only spend scarce public dollars on projects that grow the economy at large not just the bottom line for a handful of private corporations,'" said Louaillier. "Investment in public water is, in this respect, one of the wisest investments we can make."

According to a U.S. Conference of Mayors report, every dollar invested in public water generates more than six for the economy at large in the long term.

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Georgia, Alabama and Florida Governors to Meet About Water

2009-12-08T13:26:00.002-05:00

Governor Sonny Perdue announced December 7 that he will meet with the governors of Alabama and Florida in Montgomery, Alabama on Tuesday, December 15 at 1:30 p.m. Eastern time (12:30 p.m. Central time) to discuss the ongoing water dispute between the three states.

The meeting will take place at the Wynfield Estate at the Wynton M. Blount Cultural Park in Montgomery.

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Do you know your water bill?

2009-11-25T13:58:00.001-05:00

When you turn on a faucet, run a load of laundry or wash the car are you thinking about how much water you are using? Or what it costs? When they get a water bill, most Georgians simply look at the total amount due, write a check and never think twice.

“By educating yourself on the basics of your utility’s rates and rate structure, you can determine how your water bill is calculated, double check to make sure you are being charged the correct amount and make the most cost-effective decisions for reducing your bill through water conservation,” said Brian Kiepper, a biological and agricultural engineer with University of Georgia Cooperative Extension.

Other than the total amount due, the item on your bill you should pay most attention to is your water consumption, he said. If monitored from month to month, you should be able to see a trend in how much water your household uses. Once you get an idea of your average monthly consumption, it is easier to notice if something is wrong with your bill, especially in the case of leaks.

Kiepper also suggests performing home water audits to track how much water you are using. This will make you more aware of what household tasks use the most water and help you find ways to reduce consumption. A simple Internet search for “home water audits” will point you to several free Web sites showing how you can do one.

It is important to make sure you are not being billed for a service you don’t receive. Many households that receive their water from a utility have their wastewater treated by an on-site septic system. In these cases, check your water bill to be sure you aren’t being charged for sewer services that you don’t use.

If your wastewater does go to the local sewer system, it is important to note that since it is difficult to measure how much sewage you put out, water and sewage companies use the amount of water you are consuming to calculate your bill. This happens whether the water goes down a drain or is used to water the plants.

The amount you pay for water and sewer services in Georgia varies based on location. Most utilities charge a base rate. The base rate covers water consumption up to a certain amount of water, typically 2,000 gallons. If you use more than the base amount, then other rates are applied. The rate for your water can increase, decrease or stay the same once you exceed the base rate. The best way to find out the charges and rates is to contact your utility provider directly and ask.

Knowing how much water you use compared to the base rate is important because you could be using more water without having to pay more for it. If you have a leak, the charge alone will not reflect that you are wasting water if the amount of water lost is still under your base rate. By monitoring your consumption amount, you can help conserve water.

It can be hard to compare bills from different utility providers because there are many different variables that can affect them, he said. Because of this, what you pay for water may be nowhere near the state average despite moderate water usage.

Rather than comparing yourself to someone else, Kiepper stresses the importance of becoming familiar with your system and understanding how your family uses water. Then you can make the appropriate changes to your lifestyle to make sure you aren’t paying for water you could live without.

By Andrea Gonzalez
University of Georgia

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Volatile October sets record temps in Georgia

2009-11-13T09:24:00.001-05:00

Northern Georgia continued to see wet conditions as the southeastern part of the state dried in October. Several record high and low temperatures were set with an active weather pattern that sent both warm and cold fronts moving across the state.

Scattered locations along a line north of Columbus to Rabun Gap received in excess of 10 inches of rain in October. Below-normal rain amounts were reported in southern Georgia, with the lowest reported in Brunswick (2.15 inches, or 1.76 inches below normal), according to radar estimates. None of the rainfall was from tropical cyclones.

The highest monthly total from National Weather Service reporting stations was 9.14 inches in Athens (5.67 inches above normal). Atlanta received 8.71 inches (5.60 inches above normal), Macon 6.37 inches (4 inches above normal), Columbus 6.39 inches (4.06 inches above normal), Augusta 5.10 inches (1.9 inches above normal), Savannah 3.41 inches (.29 inch above normal), and Alma 2.71 inches (.08 inch below normal).

Fifty-three stations with the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network, or CoCoRaHS, reported 10 inches of rain or more for their monthly totals. The highest was 12.38 inches near LaGrange in Troup County. Other monthly rainfall totals more than 12 inches were reported at Emma, Stockbridge and Manchester. The highest 24-hour rainfall was 4.5 inches, reported east of Gainesville in Hall County Oct. 12.

The Georgia Automated Environmental Monitoring site at Alpharetta in Fulton County reported 10.84 inches for the month, including 3.84 inches on the Oct. 12 and 2.19 inches on Oct. 27.

Lake Lanier reached full pool mid-month for the first time since Sept. 6, 2005. Lake Allatoona was 12 feet above full pool.

Daily record maximum rainfalls occurred on several days. At official NWS airport stations, Atlanta broke a daily record with 2.5 inches and Athens 3.84 inches on Oct. 12. Columbus set daily records Oct. 14 and 27.

Temperatures across the state were variable. In Atlanta, the monthly average temperature was 61 degrees (1.8 degrees below normal), in Athens 60.7 degrees (1.1 degrees below normal), Columbus 64.5 degrees (1.3 degrees below normal), Macon 64.5 degrees (.6 degree above normal), Savannah 68.5 degrees (1.5 degrees above normal), Brunswick 71.5 degrees (1.9 degree above normal), Alma 68.9 degrees (.4 degree above normal) and Augusta 63.2 degrees (.1 degree above normal). In general, the coolest spots were where the most rain occurred.

Savannah reported a record high temperature of 93 degrees Oct. 9. Augusta, Savannah and Alma reported record low temperatures in the 50s and 60s Oct. 17. Athens had a record low temperature of 33 degrees and Macon tied its low temperature of 35 degrees Oct. 19. Scattered frost occurred in northern, low-lying locations during this cold outbreak.

There was one tornado reported. The EF-1 tornado touched down south of Americus and severely damaged a grocery store Oct. 15. More than 100 trees were snapped.

The heavy rainfall damaged many rural roads during the month. A motorist sustained minor injuries near Glennville when wind toppled a tree onto the car Oct. 27. There were scattered reports of strong winds or small hail somewhere in Georgia on 4 days. Flooding occurred in low-lying areas Oct. 13 with the heavy rainfalls and storms across northern Georgia. Dense fog in Atlanta Oct. 27 caused multiple traffic accidents during the morning commute.

The rains in northern Georgia caused problems for farmers trying to harvest hay and other crops. Many counties reported problems with rot in the cotton and hay and sprouted corn that was exposed to wet conditions. Peanuts in central Georgia were reported to be on track for a record late harvest. Fieldwork came to a stop in many areas. In other areas of the state the rain was beneficial to crops and harvesting was proceeding at a good pace.

By Pam Knox
University of Georgia

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GEFA Approves Five Water, Sewer Infrastructure Projects Totaling $6.7 Million for Georgia Communities

2009-10-26T09:28:00.002-04:00

Governor Sonny Perdue announced October 20 the approval of five environmental infrastructure project loans totaling just over $6.7 million. Two of the projects were fully financed by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) at a total of $936,550. The GEFA board of directors approved the commitments to help finance water and sewer infrastructure projects in five communities throughout Georgia.

“Investment in our state’s water and sewer infrastructure stimulates the economy, promotes the stewardship of our natural resources, and helps to meet Georgia’s future water needs,” said Governor Perdue. “The projects approved today will improve water system efficiency and will ensure clean and safe water.”

“The federal water and sewer programs administered by GEFA assist local governments with improving their environmental infrastructure,” said GEFA Executive Director Phil Foil. “Financing water and sewer projects encourages economic growth and the stewardship of our environment.”

Foil expressed appreciation to Governor Perdue, Georgia’s Congressional delegation and the members of the General Assembly for their support. He credited Governor Perdue’s commitment to helping Georgia cities and counties finance infrastructure development as one of the main contributors to GEFA’s success.

“The projects that we agreed to finance today illustrate how GEFA helps communities of all sizes, in all areas of the state,” said Matt Beasley, chairman of the GEFA board of directors and mayor of the city of Hartwell. “From the smallest of communities to the largest, GEFA is investing in communities that are willing to invest in themselves.”

GEFA helps communities prepare for economic growth and development through the provision of low interest loans. The Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) is a federal loan program administered by GEFA for wastewater infrastructure and water pollution abatement projects. Eligible projects include a wide variety of storm water and wastewater collection and treatment projects. The Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) is a federal loan program administered by GEFA for water infrastructure projects. Eligible projects include public health-related water supply construction.

In February, Congress approved and the President signed the ARRA, which included a substantial investment in the CWSRF and the DWSRF programs. The ARRA also directs the states to reserve 20 percent of the ARRA funding for “…projects to address green infrastructure, water or energy efficiency improvements or other environmentally innovative activities.”

Under the ARRA financing terms adopted by the GEFA board of directors, cities or counties that are OneGeorgia-eligible qualify for a 70 percent subsidy. Cities or counties that are not OneGeorgia-eligible qualify for a 40 percent subsidy. Cities or counties with eligible green projects qualify for a 60 percent subsidy. For example, if a OneGeorgia-eligible community applies for a $1 million loan, then 70 percent of the loan will be forgiven, up to a maximum of $700,000, subject to the loan contract provisions. The community will close on a loan of up to$300,000 at a three percent interest rate. OneGeorgia-eligible communities are located outside the state’s metropolitan areas and have a population of 50,000 or less with a poverty rate of ten percent or greater. The unprecedented amounts of subsidy in the ARRA financing terms will help Georgia meet the ARRA’s short-term goals of job creation and economic stimulus.

Georgia local governments expressed a tremendous amount of interest in the ARRA funds. Cities and counties submitted more than 1,600 clean water, drinking water and green projects with total costs exceeding $6 billion. Total available funding for projects through the ARRA is $144 million. Funding is obligated to projects on a first-come-first-served basis.

Below are details of the loans approved:

Eatonton-Putnam County Water and Sewer Authority (WSA)

Financed through the ARRA, Eatonton-Putnam County WSA was approved for a green project through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF). The loan of $128,620 and a DWSRF subsidy of $192,930 were approved to upgrade commercial and residential water meters to increase meter reading accuracy. The total project cost is $321,550 with GEFA providing the entire amount. Consistent with GEFA’s ARRA financing terms for green projects, 60 percent (up to a maximum of $192,930) of the principal will be forgiven, subject to the loan contract provisions. The Eatonton-Putnam County WSA will pay three percent interest on the loan portion, up to a maximum of $128,620, for 20 years.

City of Hagan

The city of Hagan was approved for a Georgia Fund loan of $110,000 to help finance a new well, pump and pumphouse for the city’s water system. The city will pay 3.81 percent interest rate on the 15-year loan. The total project cost is $220,000 with a grant of $110,000 from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs providing the remainder.

Macon Water Authority

The Macon Water Authority was approved for a Georgia Fund loan of $5,100,348 to help finance new lines in the city’s sanitary sewer system. The Macon Water Authority will pay a 3.81 percent interest rate on the 20-year loan. The total project cost is $5,100,348 with GEFA financing the entire amount.

City of Waleska

Financed through the ARRA, the city of Waleska was approved for a Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) loan of $369,000 and a DWSRF subsidy of $246,000 for the replacement of water mains. The total project cost is $615,000 with GEFA providing the entire amount. Consistent with GEFA’s ARRA financing terms for communities that are not OneGeorgia-eligible, 40 percent (up to a maximum of $246,000) of the principal will be forgiven, subject to the loan contract provisions. The city will pay three percent interest on the loan portion, up to a maximum of $369,000, for 20 years.

City of Walthourville

The city of Walthourville was approved for a Georgia Fund loan of $556,500 for a new well, well house and chemical feed equipment. The city will pay 3.81 percent interest rate on the 20-year loan. The total project cost is $556,500 with GEFA financing the entire amount.

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Soggy September floods north Georgia

2009-10-02T15:26:00.002-04:00

Heavy rains caused record flooding in north Georgia in mid-September, while other parts of the state experienced and normal to below-normal rainfall.

A large, slow-moving low-pressure system brought extremely humid air into Georgia mid-month. It triggered days of intense rainfall, producing what was estimated to be a 500-year flood around Atlanta, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The highest rain totals estimated by National Weather Service radars were 15 inches to 20 inches in Douglas County and other areas east and west of downtown Atlanta.

Twenty-one counties were declared eligible for federal disaster funds. Preliminary damage estimates were $500 million to $1 billion. Thousands of homes were affected, and 500 were destroyed or significantly damaged.

The flood is considered the worst since 1919, when flood waters almost destroyed West Point in western Georgia.

Parts of four interstates were closed. I-20 remained closed for more than 24 hours as flood waters rose 3 feet over the pavement and inundated Six Flags Over Georgia.

Following the rain, Lake Lanier rose 1.5 feet in 24 hours. Lake Allatoona rose almost 9 feet during the week after. More than 130 dams and many bridges now require stability inspections.

Four water-treatment plants in Atlanta were damaged and dumped raw sewage into the Chattahoochee River. A pipe in a levee near Macon broke and discharged millions of gallons of raw sewage into the Ocmulgee River at the end of the month. Citizens were urged to stay out of the flood water. Some communities issued advisories to boil water.

Ten people were killed, most while driving onto roads covered by moving water. Seven deaths were in Douglas County, where the heaviest rainfall occurred. Additional deaths occurred in Carroll, Chattooga and Gwinnett counties.

The highest monthly total from National Weather Service reporting stations was 10.68 inches in Macon (7.42 inches above normal). The lowest was in Alma at 1.59 inches (1.75 below normal). Atlanta received 8.94 inches (4.85 inches above normal), Athens 9.86 inches (6.33 inches above normal), Columbus 5.30 inches (2.23 inches above normal), Augusta 3.63 inches (.15 inch above normal), Savannah 2.43 inches (2.65 inches below normal) and Brunswick 4.57 inches (1.67 inches below normal).

Forty-eight Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network observers reported 15 inches or more total rainfall for the month. The highest single monthly total was 22.86 inches near Kennesaw in Cobb County. However, two observers in Douglas County reported overflowing rain gauges. An observer in Lilburn in Gwinnett County reported 21.79 inches.

The highest daily rainfall reported by a CoCoRaHS observer exceeded 11 inches in a few hours near Douglasville on Sept. 21, when the rain gauge overflowed. The Carrollton observer nearest the area of maximum rainfall reported 10.64 inches in 24 hours ending that morning.

The Georgia Automated Environmental Monitoring site at Dallas in Paulding County reported 16.15 inches for the month, including 5.61 inches on the Sept. 20 and 4.54 inches on Sept. 21.

Numerous daily and monthly rainfall records occurred at National Weather Service cooperative observing stations around the state. Dallas and Carrollton broke 30-year records of heaviest daily rainfall. Atlanta broke a daily maximum rainfall of 3.52 inches on Sept. 19, and Macon broke daily records with 2.32 inches on Sept. 17.

No tornadoes were reported. Scattered reports of strong winds or small hail where reported four days resulting in toppled trees or scattered power outages.

The heavy rains in north Georgia caused extensive damage to nurseries, vineyards and hay fields. Many counties reported rot in cotton and insect infestations. Fieldwork came to a stop in many areas. In other areas, the rain was beneficial to crops and harvesting proceeded at a good pace.

Temperatures across the state were near normal in September except in Augusta where the average temperature was 75.6 degrees (1.6 degrees above normal).

By Pam Knox
University of Georgia

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Governor Announces Water Contingency Task Force

2009-10-01T14:45:00.002-04:00

Earlier this week, Governor Sonny Perdue announced the creation of a task force that will help develop contingencies for water consumption as a result of the recent water ruling limiting the access of Lake Lanier for water supply.

Contingency planning is part of the Governor’s four-pronged strategy for addressing the impact of the ruling. The other strategies include congressional action, negotiations and appeal of the decision.

“While I am confident we will be successful in securing the ability to draw water supply from Lake Lanier, we cannot take that for granted and must plan accordingly,” said Governor Perdue. “We will consider conservation measures as well as opportunities to enhance our water supply options.”

The task force will include several dozen leaders from business, government and environmental organizations.

Coca-Cola Enterprises CEO John Brock and Tim Lowe of Lowe Engineers have agreed to co-chair the task force, which will meet throughout the fall and present recommendations before the January 2010 legislative session.

“We applaud Governor Perdue for taking this action and convening this water task force to address conservation and water supply,” Brock said. “Water is the most pressing issue facing Metro Atlanta and Georgia today. The business community stands ready to support this effort and lead, where necessary, to ensure that our quality of life and economy are sustainable for the long term.”

“We are honored to assist Governor Perdue in this important endeavor and are confident that this task force will be able to identify a number of sound recommendations to meet this critical challenge,” Lowe added.

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Gwinnett Files Notice to Appeal in Water Wars Decision

2009-09-17T20:30:00.001-04:00

Gwinnett County has filed a notice of appeal in response to the July 17, 2009, decision of Judge Paul Magnuson in the Jacksonville, Fla., District Court on the long-running “Water Wars” cases in which Gwinnett County is a party. Summarized, the judge ruled that if no congressional resolution is reached in three years, Gwinnett County must cease taking water for drinking and fire protection purposes from Lake Lanier.

Commission Chairman Charles Bannister said, “It is imperative that we protect our citizens from this draconian ruling that would jeopardize the public health, public safety and economic well-being of every Gwinnett County resident. We cannot simply stand by and hope others solve the severe water resources problem for us, but must take positive action to protect our citizens and our economy. Gwinnett continues to support the efforts of Gov. Perdue, the State of Georgia and the other water providers in the region to solve this problem with our neighbors to the west and south. We are optimistic that the three governors can reach agreement on this water use problem and that Congress will pass legislation to solve this matter once and for all.”

Gwinnett County, which has a withdrawal permit from the State of Georgia for 150 million gallons per day (monthly average), takes an average of 80 million gallons per day from Lake Lanier during a typical year. Early next year, the County will begin putting reclaimed water back into Lake Lanier.

“We have a permit from the Georgia Environmental Protection Division to discharge 40 million gallons per day back to the lake,” said Lynn Smarr, Acting Director of Gwinnett’s Water Resources Department. “We have initiated dialog with the EPD that will allow us to use this permit to the maximum capacity, based upon flows at the Hill Plant, just as soon as the pipeline construction is complete.”
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August weather a mixed bag across Georgia

2009-09-04T03:53:00.002-04:00

Rainfall across east Georgia was below normal in August. However, the coastal area received heavy flooding. West Georgia received above normal rainfall, too.

The highest monthly total from National Weather Service was 8.26 inches in Columbus (4.48 inches above normal). The lowest was in Augusta at 2.26 inches (2.08 inches below normal).

Atlanta received 6.14 inches (2.47 inches above normal), Athens 2.70 inches (1.08 inches below normal), Macon 3.83 inches (.04 inches above normal), Alma 5.79 inches (.29 inches above normal), Savannah 7.86 inches (.66 inches above normal), and Brunswick 7.10 inches (.94 inches above normal).

So far, Athens has seen its driest summer since 1993.

Savannah reported severe flooding on August 3, with most of the rain falling in a 2-hour period coinciding with high tide. An observer at Pooler reported 4.62 inches for the day.

The highest monthly total rainfall from the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network was 15.14 inches measured on Wilmington Island near Savannah. Two other Savannah area observers reported 14.93 and 14.22 inches. An observer in Effingham County reported 14.03 inches for the month.

The highest daily rainfall reported by a CoCoRaHS observer was 5.10 inches in Grovetown in Columbia County on Aug. 13, followed by 3.82 inches in Martinez and 3.79 inches on Skidaway Island. On Aug. 28, 3.74 inches fell in north Atlanta in DeKalb County. Snellville got 3.72 inches on Aug.15.

The Georgia Automated Environmental Monitoring site in Randolph County reported 12.52 inches for the month, including 4.84 inches on Aug. 28, the highest amount reported in southwestern Georgia.

Three daily record maximum rainfalls occurred in August. One was in Atlanta, where a daily maximum rainfall of 1.57 inches was reported on August 28. The second was in Columbus, which received 2.32 inches on Aug. 11. The other was in Brunswick, where a daily rainfall of 2.34 inches was reported on Aug. 12.

The monthly average temperature in Atlanta was 78.9 degrees F (exactly normal), in Athens 79.7 degrees (1.3 degrees above normal), Columbus 79.6 degrees (1.7 degrees below normal), Macon 80 degrees (normal), Savannah 81.2 degrees (.4 degrees above normal), Brunswick 81.1 degrees (.2 degrees below normal), Alma 80.6 degrees (.5 degrees below normal) and Augusta 80.4 degrees (1.1 degrees above normal). Brunswick tied their record low with 70 degrees on August 5.

No tornadoes were reported. There were reports of strong winds or small hail on 13 days. Damage was mainly from toppled trees and scattered power outages. Lightning associated with some of the storms did cause several house fires in the metro Atlanta area, particularly at the end of the month. A 14-year-old boy was severely injured by a lightning strike during a football practice Aug. 12 in Evans County.

Scattered rains helped crops in some locations but hindered harvesting in other areas. Corn yield may be better than expected due to timely rains.

By Pam Knox
University of Georgia

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Georgia Farms Will Need More Water in the Future

2009-09-03T18:00:00.001-04:00

A recent University of Georgia report shows that Georgia farmers will need 20 percent more water to grow their crops in the next four decades. They'll need it to meet increased food demand and to compete globally.

“Without irrigation, in many places, there is no farming,” said Jim Hook, a professor with the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. “And for many regions of the state, agriculture is still the best economic bet for growth.”

The Georgia Environmental Protection Division commissioned the report, which was produced by a team of UGA crop and weather experts. Its purpose is to provide information to the state's regional water councils meeting throughout the state this month, said Hook, who is the team's leader.

The councils will consider the report as they develop water plans for their regions, which will then be added to the overall state water plan. The state plan will also include forecasts for population and economy, energy use, land use and water and wastewater demands.

The forecast predicts the water farmers will need to irrigate pecans and major row crops like cotton, peanuts, corn and soybeans, which account for 85 percent of the current irrigation needs. Vegetables, orchards, blueberries, sod farms and nurseries were also included. It specifies whether the water will come from groundwater (underground water) or surface water (water from ponds, rivers or streams).

It includes how much water farmers will need in a dry, average or wet year. In Georgia, Mother Nature can be a bit mischievous in when and where rainfall hits.

“In Western states, it's easier to know how much water you have each year. It's either collected in reservoirs or stored as mountain icecaps,” Hook said. “That's not the case in Georgia, where recharge is less predictable.”

For example, if 2011 is a dry year from spring through fall, farmers will need 800 million gallons of water per day from underground sources and 300 million gallons per day from surface sources, according to the forecast. If 2050 is a dry year, they will need 1 billion gallons per day from underground sources and 400 million gallons per day from surface water.

“Georgia's agriculture sector will continue to be a major water user in the state,” he said.
The forecast is broken down by water planning regions, counties, river basins and sub-basins. The county data includes monthly water demands, crop projections and current irrigated fields.
Existing computer models were used to make the forecast, he said, which took 9 months to complete.

Economic models from the U.S. Department of Agriculture were used to predict farmers' crop choices over the next decade, focusing particularly on farmers in the Southeast. Crop models developed by CAES researchers were used to foretell crop water needs and climate data.
Geographical Information System, or GIS, images were used to locate the 23,000 fields in Georgia that have irrigation systems, including more than 15,000 center pivots, or large systems that rotate in a field.

Future irrigation use will happen in places where the practice is already established, particularly in southwest Georgia, the state's row-crop and vegetable production hub. The area's water needs are fueled by one of the largest water supplies in the country: the Floridan aquifer. It starts near the state's fall line and runs east into extreme southern South Carolina and south through Florida.

“The Floridan is a massive water supply,” Hook said.

The aquifer is recharged by water that falls in south Georgia, he said. Its levels are not connected to any rainfall or use in north Georgia, where water comes from surface water supplies that don't make it into the aquifer.

Irrigation use exploded in 1970s and ‘80s in Georgia, when irrigated acres jumped from 200,000 acres to 1 million acres, he said. Since then, it has been a steady increase to the 1.5 million irrigated acres today.

It is estimated that farmers have invested almost $3 billion in today's dollars in irrigation equipment and infrastructure in the state over the past four decades, he said, an investment that is responsible for much of the $3 billion to $4 billion in annual crop sales in Georgia.
To view the entire forecast, visit
www.nespal.org/sirp/waterinfo/state/awd/agwaterdemand.htm.

By Brad Haire
University of Georgia
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GEFA Approves 22 Water, Sewer Infrastructure Projects Totaling $41 Million for Georgia Communities

2009-08-27T17:16:00.002-04:00

Governor Sonny Perdue announced August 25the approval of 22 environmental infrastructure project loans totaling $41 million. Sixteen of the projects were either fully or partially financed by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) at a total of $33.7 million. The GEFA board of directors approved the commitments to help finance water and sewer infrastructure projects in 22 communities throughout Georgia.

“Investment in our state’s water and sewer infrastructure stimulates the economy, promotes the stewardship of our natural resources, and helps to meet Georgia’s future water needs,” said Governor Perdue. “The projects approved today will improve water system efficiency and will ensure clean and safe water.”

“The federal water and sewer programs administered by GEFA assist local governments with improving their environmental infrastructure,” said GEFA Executive Director Phil Foil. “Financing water and sewer projects encourages economic growth and the stewardship of our environment.”

Foil expressed appreciation to Governor Perdue, Georgia’s Congressional delegation and the members of the General Assembly for their support. He credited Governor Perdue’s commitment to helping Georgia cities and counties finance infrastructure development as one of the main contributors to GEFA’s success.

“The projects that we agreed to finance today illustrate how GEFA helps communities of all sizes, in all areas of the state,” said Matt Beasley, chairman of the GEFA board of directors and mayor of the city of Hartwell. “From the smallest of communities to the largest, GEFA is investing in communities that are willing to invest in themselves.”

GEFA helps communities prepare for economic growth and development through the provision of low interest loans. The Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) is a federal loan program administered by GEFA for wastewater infrastructure and water pollution abatement projects. Eligible projects include a wide variety of storm water and wastewater collection and treatment projects. The Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) is a federal loan program administered by GEFA for water infrastructure projects. Eligible projects include public health-related water supply construction.

In February, Congress approved and the President signed the ARRA, which included a substantial investment in the CWSRF and the DWSRF programs. The ARRA also directs the states to reserve 20 percent of the ARRA funding for “…projects to address green infrastructure, water or energy efficiency improvements or other environmentally innovative activities.”

Under the ARRA financing terms adopted by the GEFA board of directors, cities or counties that are OneGeorgia-eligible qualify for a 70 percent subsidy. Cities or counties that are not OneGeorgia-eligible qualify for a 40 percent subsidy. Cities or counties with eligible green projects qualify for a 60 percent subsidy. For example, if a OneGeorgia-eligible community applies for a $1 million loan, then 70 percent of the loan will be forgiven, up to a maximum of $700,000, subject to the loan contract provisions. The community will close on a loan of up to$300,000 at a three percent interest rate. OneGeorgia-eligible communities are located outside the state’s metropolitan areas and have a population of 50,000 or less with a poverty rate of ten percent or greater. The unprecedented amounts of subsidy in the ARRA financing terms will help Georgia meet the ARRA’s short-term goals of job creation and economic stimulus.

Georgia local governments expressed a tremendous amount of interest in the ARRA funds. Cities and counties submitted more than 1,600 clean water, drinking water and green projects with a total cost exceeding $6 billion. Total available funding for projects through the ARRA is $144 million. Funding is obligated to projects on a first-come-first-served basis.

Below are details of the loans approved Tuesday:

City of Allentown

The city of Allentown was approved for a Georgia Fund loan of $45,275 for improvements to the city’s water system. The city will pay a two percent interest rate on the 10-year loan. The total project cost is $90,550, with a grant of $45,275 from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) providing the remainder.

BanksCounty

Financed through the ARRA, Banks County was approved for a Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) loan of $777,480 and a DWSRF subsidy of $1,814,120 for the construction of a new one million gallon clear well, pump station and associated water main. The total project cost is $2,591,600 with GEFA providing the entire amount. Consistent with GEFA’s ARRA financing terms for OneGeorgia-eligible communities, 70 percent (up to a maximum of $1,814,120) of the principal will be forgiven, subject to the loan contract provisions. Banks County will pay three percent interest on the loan portion, up to a maximum of $777,480, for 20 years.

City of Blakely

Financed through the ARRA, the city of Blakely was approved for a Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) loan of $486,750 and a CWSRF subsidy of $1,135,750 for the replacement or repair of manholes and sewer mains. The total project cost is $1,622,500 with GEFA providing the entire amount. Consistent with GEFA’s ARRA financing terms for communities that are OneGeorgia-eligible, 70 percent (up to a maximum of $1,135,750) of the principal will be forgiven, subject to the loan contract provisions. The city of Blakely will pay three percent interest on the loan portion, up to a maximum of $486,750, for 15 years.

City of Calhoun

Financed through the ARRA, the city of Calhoun was approved for a green project through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF). The loan of $600,000 and a DWSRF subsidy of $900,000 were approved for the upgrade of approximately 5,500 water meters to transmit information to a new automated meter reading system. The total project cost is $1,500,000 with GEFA providing the entire amount. Consistent with GEFA’s ARRA financing terms for green projects, 60 percent (up to a maximum of $900,000) of the principal will be forgiven, subject to the loan contract provisions. The city of Calhoun will pay three percent interest on the loan portion, up to a maximum of $600,000, for ten years.

Carroll County Water Authority

Financed through the ARRA, the Carroll County Water Authority was approved for a green project through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF). The loan of $1,870,000 and a DWSRF subsidy of $2,805,000 were approved for the replacement of 17,000 water meters to transmit information to a new automated meter reading system. The total project cost is $4,675,000 with GEFA providing the entire amount. Consistent with GEFA’s ARRA financing terms for green projects, 60 percent (up to a maximum of $2,805,000) of the principal will be forgiven, subject to the loan contract provisions. The Carroll County Water Authority will pay three percent interest on the loan portion, up to a maximum of $1,870,000, for 20 years.

City of Clayton

Financed through the ARRA, the city of Clayton was approved for a green project through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF). The loan of $237,320 and a DWSRF subsidy of $355,980 were approved for the replacement of 2,000 water meters and the upgrade of 1,000 water meters to transmit information to a new automated meter reading system. The total project cost is $593,300 with GEFA providing the entire amount. Consistent with GEFA’s ARRA financing terms for green projects, 60 percent (up to a maximum of $355,980) of the principal will be forgiven, subject to the loan contract provisions. The city of Clayton will pay three percent interest on the loan portion, up to a maximum of $237,320, for ten years.

City of Cumming

Financed through the ARRA, the city of Cumming was approved for a Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) loan of $711,884 and a DWSRF subsidy of $474,589 for modifications to the settling basins at the city’s Potable Water Production Facility. The total project cost is $1,186,473 with GEFA providing the entire amount. Consistent with GEFA’s ARRA financing terms for communities that are not OneGeorgia-eligible, 40 percent (up to a maximum of $474,589) of the principal will be forgiven, subject to the loan contract provisions. The city of Cumming will pay three percent interest on the loan portion, up to a maximum of $711,884, for 20 years.

City of Demorest

The city of Demorest was approved for a Georgia Fund loan of $360,000 for improvements to the city’s water system. The city will pay a 3.81 percent interest rate on the 20-year loan. The total project cost is $660,000, with a $300,000 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission providing the remainder.

Ellijay-GilmerCountyWater and Sewerage Authority

Financed through the ARRA, the Ellijay-Gilmer County Water and Sewerage Authority was approved for a Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) loan of $1,032,227 and a DWSRF subsidy of $2,408,531 for water infrastructure upgrades within the Coosawattee River Resort residential development. The total project cost is $3,440,758 with GEFA providing the entire amount. Consistent with GEFA’s ARRA financing terms for OneGeorgia-eligible communities, 70 percent (up to a maximum of $2,408,531) of the principal will be forgiven, subject to the loan contract provisions. The Ellijay-Gilmer County Water and Sewerage Authority will pay three percent interest on the loan portion, up to a maximum of $1,032,227, for 20 years.

Heard County Water Authority

Financed through the ARRA, the Heard County Water Authority was approved for a Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) loan of $30,000 and a CWSRF subsidy of $70,000 for the replacement of the pumps and controls at a wastewater lift station. The total project cost is $100,000 with GEFA providing the entire amount. Consistent with GEFA’s ARRA financing terms for communities that are OneGeorgia-eligible, 70 percent (up to a maximum of $70,000) of the principal will be forgiven, subject to the loan contract provisions. The Heard County Water Authority will pay three percent interest on the loan portion, up to a maximum of $30,000, for five years.

City of Hiawassee

The city of Hiawassee was approved for a Georgia Fund loan of $400,000 for improvements to the city’s sewer system. The city will pay a 3.81 percent interest rate on the 20-year loan. The total project cost is $700,000, with a $300,000 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission providing the remainder.

City of Lawrenceville

Financed through the ARRA, the city of Lawrenceville was approved for a Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) loan of $990,000 and a DWSRF subsidy of $660,000 for the extension and replacement of water mains. The total project cost is $1,650,000 with GEFA providing the entire amount. Consistent with GEFA’s ARRA financing terms for communities that are not OneGeorgia-eligible, 40 percent (up to a maximum of $660,000) of the principal will be forgiven, subject to the loan contract provisions. The city of Lawrenceville will pay three percent interest on the loan portion, up to a maximum of $990,000, for 20 years.

City of Lula

Financed through the ARRA, the city of Lula was approved for a Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) loan of $2,574,144 and a CWSRF subsidy of $6,006,336 for the construction of a wastewater treatment plant. The total project cost is $8,580,480 with GEFA providing the entire amount. Consistent with GEFA’s ARRA financing terms for communities that are OneGeorgia-eligible, 70 percent (up to a maximum of $6,006,336) of the principal will be forgiven, subject to the loan contract provisions. The city of Lula will pay three percent interest on the loan portion, up to a maximum of $2,574,144, for 20 years.

Nicholson Water Authority

The Nicholson Water Authority was approved for a Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) loan of $1,000,000 for the construction of a new well, the rehabilitation of an existing well and the replacement of water mains. The Authority will pay a three percent interest rate on the 20-year loan. The total project cost is $1,000,000 with GEFA providing the entire amount.

City of Rockmart

The city of Rockmart was approved for a Georgia Fund loan of $460,000 for improvements to the city’s water and sewer systems. The city will pay a 3.81 percent interest rate on the 20-year loan. The total project cost is $760,000, with a $300,000 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission providing the remainder.

City of Savannah

The city of Savannah was approved for a Georgia Fund loan of $5,000,000 for improvements to the city’s sanitary sewer system. The city, a WaterFirst community, will pay a 2.81 percent interest rate on the 20-year loan, one percent lower than the current Georgia Fund rate. WaterFirst communities are certified by DCA as having met and maintained stringent standards for system management and water conservation. Participants are entitled to a lower interest rate on certain GEFA loans. GEFA will consider a phase two loan of $5,000,000 for the project next year.

City of Stockbridge

Financed through the ARRA, the city of Stockbridge was approved for a Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) loan of $2,499,900 and a DWSRF subsidy of $1,666,600 for the replacement of asbestos-cement water mains and the relocation of service connections. The total project cost is $4,166,500 with GEFA providing the entire amount. Consistent with GEFA’s ARRA financing terms for communities that are not OneGeorgia-eligible, 40 percent (up to a maximum of $1,666,600) of the principal will be forgiven, subject to the loan contract provisions. The city of Stockbridge will pay three percent interest on the loan portion, up to a maximum of $2,499,900, for 20 years.

City of Summerville

Financed through the ARRA, the city of Summerville was approved for a green project through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF). The loan of $192,000 and a CWSRF subsidy of $288,000 for the construction of a pump station that transfers treated wastewater for reuse in carpet manufacturing. The total project cost is $480,000 with GEFA providing the entire amount. Consistent with GEFA’s ARRA financing terms for green projects, 60 percent (up to a maximum of $288,000) of the principal will be forgiven, subject to the loan contract provisions. The city of Summerville will pay three percent interest on the loan portion, up to a maximum of $192,000, for 20 years.

City of Suwanee

Financed through the ARRA, the city of Suwanee was approved for a Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) loan of $288,026 and a DWSRF subsidy of $192,018 for the construction of a new well and the replacement of water lines. The total project cost is $480,044 with GEFA providing the entire amount. Consistent with GEFA’s ARRA financing terms for communities that are not OneGeorgia-eligible, 40 percent (up to a maximum of $192,018) of the principal will be forgiven, subject to the loan contract provisions. The city of Suwanee will pay three percent interest on the loan portion, up to a maximum of $288,026, for 15 years.

City of Tennille

Financed through the ARRA, the city of Tennille was approved for a green project through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF). The loan of $100,000 and a DWSRF subsidy of $150,000 were approved for the replacement of approximately 780 aging water meters with electronic meters. The financing will also fund a system-wide leak detection study. The total project cost is $250,000 with GEFA providing the entire amount. Consistent with GEFA’s ARRA financing terms for green projects, 60 percent (up to a maximum of $150,000) of the principal will be forgiven, subject to the loan contract provisions. The city will pay three percent interest on the loan portion, up to a maximum of $100,000, for 10 years.

City of Tifton

Financed through the ARRA, the city of Tifton was approved for a green project through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF). The loan of $800,000 and a CWSRF subsidy of $1,200,000 were approved for the upgrade of wastewater treatment equipment with a system that reduces maintenance efforts and lowers operating costs. The total project cost is $2,000,000 with GEFA providing the entire amount. Consistent with GEFA’s ARRA financing terms for green projects, 60 percent (up to a maximum of $1,200,000) of the principal will be forgiven, subject to the loan contract provisions. The city of Tifton will pay three percent interest on the loan portion, up to a maximum of $800,000, for 20 years.

City of Villa Rica

Financed through the ARRA, the city of Villa Rica was approved for a Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) loan of $255,000 and a DWSRF subsidy of $170,000 for the installation of water mains. The total project cost is $425,000 with GEFA providing the entire amount. Consistent with GEFA’s ARRA financing terms for communities that are not OneGeorgia-eligible, 40 percent (up to a maximum of $170,000) of the principal will be forgiven, subject to the loan contract provisions. The city of Villa Rica will pay three percent interest on the loan portion, up to a maximum of $255,000, for 15 years.

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Possible Alternate Reservoir for Lake Lanier?

2009-08-25T09:39:00.003-04:00

Note: We stumbled across this story and thought this would be of interest to our readers. The debate is hot right now as Atlanta and Georgia seek to define their future water source for the area.

Dawson Forest May Host Reservoir Alternative To Lake Lanier

Since 1971 Dawson Forest on the western side of Lake Lanier has been owned by Atlanta and Hartsfield-Jackson Airport with the intention of using the land for a second airport. However, pressure for another airport diminished when Hartsfield-Jackson added a fifth runway in 2006 and now, in the aftermath of the court decision potentially restricing Georgia's access to Lake Lanier, some developers are renewing previous talk of building a new reservoir in the forest....http://www.lakelanier.com/200908241048/news/dawson-forest-reservoir-lake-lanier/

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Updated: Build Reservoirs Now or Leave Georgians without Drinking Water in Three Years

2009-08-18T08:24:00.001-04:00

Recently, a federal judge ruled that metro Atlanta residents have no right to tap Lake Lanier for their drinking water. Because that function was not originally authorized when the lake was built 50 years ago, 3 million people could be without a single source of water if a compromise with Florida and Alabama is not reached within three years. While I understand the need to follow the letter of the law, we must also consider what’s practical. We cannot leave 3 million citizens without drinking water.

We need a MacArthur plan for Georgia’s water future. Out of the three states embroiled in this issue, ours has the most to lose. The time for action is now. The Governor should issue an executive order setting forth clear objectives to ensure sustainable water resources for every Georgian today and in the future. This should begin immediately and include a three year water plan that puts us in a position of meeting our current and future water needs, regardless of the ruling’s ultimate outcome.

Increase water storage capacity. The simple fact is that Georgia has plenty of water, mainly from precipitation, however we obviously lack adequate water storage for current and future needs. By implementing the provisions of the Water Conservation and Drought Relief Act (SB 342), communities can apply for state funding to enlarge existing reservoirs and obtain permits to construct new ones. Then, under the current Statewide Water Plan, require all affected counties and municipalities to immediately identify their water needs and determine the best sites for new reservoirs as well as increasing freeboards and existing reservoirs. Every corner of the state is a potential place for water storage. To the north, a reservoir on public and private property, as well as Chattahoochee National Forest land, could supplement water inflow to Lanier, maintain adequate water levels and provide direct access to drinking water (as described in SR 107). There are also many appropriate sites in North Georgia that could afford large regional reservoirs. We can tap into the aquifers throughout South Georgia and use the Oconee National Forest for more storage. Finally, let’s not overlook the Georgia coast and opportunities to build desalination plants potentially co-located with power generation, as it has been successfully done in other states.

Permit new reservoirs immediately. The Drought Relief Act provides a streamlined permitting process for new reservoirs. As counties identify new and existing reservoir sites, the Environmental Protection Division should be permitting in 90 days or less. Certainly the Corps of Engineers will require a federal 404 permit and a state-issued 401 permit. We can start the 404 permitting process right away, but shouldn’t wait to begin construction. If Congress can do one thing of vital importance for us, they can simply waive the 404 permitting requirement prior to construction for reservoirs where we are simply raising the dam and increasing the freeboard. There are hundreds of soil conservation reservoirs in North Georgia whose dams can be easily raised. The implementation of these reservoirs is crucial to ensure Georgians have enough drinking water.

Provide funding to increase water storage. The state should immediately move toward funding reservoir development. Starting with next year’s budget, the state should dedicate a huge portion, maybe even a majority, of the bond package for the next three years to fund reservoir construction and water distribution projects. We must get design, permitting and construction underway immediately. With the number of unemployed civil engineers, planners, and construction workers, we can work around the clock to see this effort through and ultimately secure their economic future and that of the state.

Raise the lake level. We must also remember that while it is a strained resource, Lake Lanier is not entirely tapped out. While petitioning Congress for access to our only existing water source, we should also petition to raise the lake level two feet and claim that water as Georgia’s. This would be an additional 85,000 acre feet of water storage solely for our state’s consumption.

Georgia has few alternatives over the next three years. The Governor and his team, headed by Mike Garrett, will pursue all options; including negotiating with our neighbors, potentially appealing the judge’s decision and looking for new water sources. The fact remains that the water in the Chattahoochee River and basin falls on Georgia land, and by definition, that water is ours. We should store the necessary amounts of that water for the livelihood and prosperity of our state and its citizens. The time for talk and study is over. The time for action is now. The question is, do we have the resolve?

By Sen. Chip Pearson

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Sen. Chip Pearson: Build Reservoirs Now or Leave Georgians without Drinking Water in Three Years

2009-08-13T17:52:00.001-04:00

Recently, a federal judge ruled that metro Atlanta residents have no right to tap Lake Lanier for their drinking water. Because that function was not originally authorized when the lake was built 50 years ago, 3 million people could be without a single source of water if a compromise with Florida and Alabama is not reached within three years. While I understand the need to follow the letter of the law, we must also consider what’s practical. We cannot leave 3 million citizens without drinking water.

We need a MacArthur plan for Georgia’s water future. Out of the three states embroiled in this issue, ours has the most to lose. The time for action is now. The Governor should issue an executive order setting forth clear objectives to ensure sustainable water resources for every Georgian today and in the future. This should begin immediately and include a three year water plan that puts us in a position of meeting our current and future water needs, regardless of the ruling’s ultimate outcome.

Increase water storage capacity. The simple fact is that Georgia has plenty of water, mainly from precipitation, however we obviously lack adequate water storage for current and future needs. By implementing the provisions of the Water Conservation and Drought Relief Act (SB 342), communities can apply for state funding to enlarge existing reservoirs and obtain permits to construct new ones. Then, under the current Statewide Water Plan, require all affected counties and municipalities to immediately identify their water needs and determine the best sites for new reservoirs as well as increasing freeboards and existing reservoirs. Every corner of the state is a potential place for water storage. To the north, a reservoir on public and private property, as well as Chattahoochee National Forest land, could supplement water inflow to Lanier, maintain adequate water levels and provide direct access to drinking water (as described in SR 107). There are also many appropriate sites in North Georgia that could afford large regional reservoirs. We can tap into the aquifers throughout South Georgia and use the Oconee National Forest for more storage. Finally, let’s not overlook the Georgia coast and opportunities to build desalination plants potentially co-located with power generation, as it has been successfully done in other states.

Permit new reservoirs immediately. The Drought Relief Act provides a streamlined permitting process for new reservoirs. As counties identify new and existing reservoir sites, the Environmental Protection Division should be permitting in 90 days or less. Certainly the Corps of Engineers will require a federal 404 permit and a state-issued 401 permit. We can start the 404 permitting process right away, but shouldn’t wait to begin construction. If Congress can do one thing of vital importance for us, they can simply waive the 404 permitting requirement prior to construction for reservoirs where we are simply raising the dam and increasing the freeboard. There are hundreds of soil conservation reservoirs in North Georgia whose dams can be easily raised. The implementation of these reservoirs is crucial to ensure Georgians have enough drinking water.

Provide funding to increase water storage. The state should immediately move toward funding reservoir development. Starting with next year’s budget, the state should dedicate a huge portion, maybe even a majority, of the bond package for the next three years to fund reservoir construction and water distribution projects. We must get design, permitting and construction underway immediately. With the number of unemployed civil engineers, planners, and construction workers, we can work around the clock to see this effort through and ultimately secure their economic future and that of the state.

Raise the lake level. We must also remember that while it is a strained resource, Lake Lanier is not entirely tapped out. While petitioning Congress for access to our only existing water source, we should also petition to raise the lake level two feet and claim that water as Georgia’s. This would be an additional 85,000 feet of water storage solely for our state’s consumption.

Georgia has few alternatives over the next three years. The Governor and his team, headed by Mike Garrett, will pursue all options; including negotiating with our neighbors, potentially appealing the judge’s decision and looking for new water sources. The fact remains that the water in the Chattahoochee River and basin falls on Georgia land, and by definition, that water is ours. We should store the necessary amounts of that water for the livelihood and prosperity of our state and its citizens. The time for talk and study is over. The time for action is now. The question is, do we have the resolve?
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Georgia sees record low temps in July

2009-08-07T03:00:00.001-04:00

July was cool and dry across most of Georgia, with many places receiving record low temperatures.

In Atlanta, the monthly average temperature was 78.1 F (1.9 degrees below normal), in Athens 79.2 degrees (.6 degrees below normal), Columbus 79.8 degrees (2.2 degrees below normal), Macon 80.1 degrees (1 degree below normal), Savannah 80.9 degrees(1.2 degrees below normal), Brunswick 81.4 degrees (1 degree below normal), Alma 80.8 degrees (1.2 degrees below normal) and Augusta 79.9 degrees (.9 degree below normal).

Many daily low temperature records were broken mid-month as cool dry air from the northwest entered the state. Macon's daily low temperature on July 21 was 56 degrees, 9 degrees below the previous record set in 1967. On the same day Columbus reported 61 degrees, 6 degrees below the previous record set in 1974.

Rainfall across most of the state was below normal, according to radar estimates. However, rainfall amounts as much as 8 inches were observed along the Georgia coast, particularly near Brunswick, St. Mary and Savannah, and also along the southwest border near Clay County, according to the Georgia Automated Environmental Monitoring Network.

The highest monthly total from National Weather Service reporting stations was 7.17 inches in Brunswick (2.36 inches above normal) and the lowest was in Athens at 1.33 inches (3.08 inches below normal).

Atlanta received 5.02 inches (.1 inch below normal), Columbus 3.83 inches (1.21 inches below normal), Macon 2.19 inches (2.13 inches below normal), Alma 1.91 inches (4.10 inches below normal), Savannah 6.57 inches (.53 inch above normal), and Augusta 3.29 inches (.78 inch below normal).

The highest monthly total rainfall from the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network was 15.29 inches near St. Mary in the far southeastern corner of the state. Another observer near St. Mary reported 14.57 inches. An observer in Morganton reported 11.49 inches for the month, and an observer in Kingsland reported 10.31 inches.

The high daily rainfall reported by CoCoRaHS observers were 4.80 inches in Carnesville on July 11, followed by 4.68 inches in St. Mary on the July 10, 4.44 inches in Tucker on July 13 and 4.29 inches on Skidaway Island on the July 11.

Two one-day record rainfalls occurred in July. One was in Atlanta, where 1.89 inches fell on July 13, and the other in Brunswick where 2.59 inches fell on July 3.

There were no tornadoes reported. There were scattered reports of hail or strong winds somewhere in Georgia on 13 days. Damage from these events was limited to a few trees down or temporary power outages to a few locations.

The dry conditions aided hay harvesting but caused stress on many field crops. The hit-or-miss rainfalls did not provide any wide-spread relief through the state, although some local areas benefitted.

By Pam Knox
University of Georgia

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Atlanta: A Clean Water Success Story

2009-08-05T10:11:00.001-04:00

The last decade has seen a remarkable success story unfold in the City of Atlanta, a success story that has had profound repercussions for the City’s future and that of the entire Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin. It’s the product of billions of dollars in spending, the unrelenting patience of Atlanta residents and the expertise and hard work of thousands of people.

It has not come cheap. Atlantans are paying among the highest water/sewer rates of any major metropolitan area in the nation. But what they have gotten in return is priceless: cleaner and safer rivers and streams for Atlantans and our downstream neighbors.

Cleaner rivers and streams
It’s easy to forget where Atlanta has been: frightening headlines, millions of dollars in fines, human waste floating through the City’s creeks. In June, 1997, an article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution entitled, “A Tide of Pollution That Keeps on Flowing,” contained this paragraph: “The three-mile long Clear Creek, which begins in Piedmont Park, flows through the Ansley Park golf course and empties into Peachtree Creek, is an example of how badly the city’s streams have suffered … The stream is often carpeted with toilet paper, condoms, sanitary napkins and other debris spewing from the CSO upstream. Needles and syringes, some still filled with blood or other substances, are found occasionally in the creek.” Virtually every week saw a new similar story.

“These stories are not fiction,” says Sally Bethea, executive director of Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper (UCR), which, in 1995, sued the City for violations of the state and federal Clean Water Acts. “There were regular health advisories. Residents complained they couldn’t go into their backyards because the smell from the creeks was so strong.” Mayor Shirley Franklin was elected shortly after the signing of two consent decrees mandating that the City reduce combined and sanitary sewer overflows and make improvements to its treatment plants.

“We could have whined and complained,” she says. “But that wouldn’t have gotten the work done, and the work had to be done. So we came up with a plan to do the work and then we implemented it.”

Twelve years after that AJC article appeared, its author, environmental reporter Charles Seabrook joined Mayor Franklin, Department of Watershed Management Commissioner Rob Hunter, City officials and environmental activists to munch on hors d’ouvres and sip punch in a CSO facility. “I never thought I would see this day,” said Seabrook, who served as Master of Ceremonies for the party celebrating the completion of the West Area CSO Tunnel and, with it, the first consent decree.

That tunnel, along with other CSO projects and SSO projects under the ongoing First Amended Consent Decree, have reduced the number of sewer spills into Atlanta’s rivers by 75 percent and the volume of those spills by almost 90 percent.

Sewer capacity relief
Besides the obvious health hazards, Atlanta faced another serious concern because of its antiquated sewer system. Sewers too small to support the City’s astounding growth from 1970 on would regularly back up and overflow. The problem became so acute that, in 2003, the State Environmental Protection Division said that failure to reduce pollution could subject Atlanta to water and sewer system connection moratoriums. In other words, no new development would be allowed. Such moratoriums can have dire consequences for a City’s tax base and ability to generate revenue.

Capacity relief projects undertaken as part of Clean Water Atlanta have nullified that threat and led to an estimated $17.7 billion worth of development that might not have been permitted without the increased capacity. The capacity certification program has allowed development to proceed for 53,100 multi-family units, 24,200 single-family homes, and 2,100 commercial and other non-residential units. (The $17.7 billion is based on estimated selling prices and does not include the economic contribution associated with new businesses and residents.)

Paying for clean water
The UCR lawsuit, which was targeted at the City’s combined sewer overflow (CSO) systems and settled via consent decree in November 1998, prompted a second complaint, this one by the state and federal environmental agencies that targeted Atlanta’s sanitary sewer systems and problems at the treatment plants. That complaint resulted in a 1999 settlement that created what was termed the First Amended Consent Decree. (Atlanta was already under a state consent order mandating improvements in its systems.)

The Consent Decrees were brutal, both in their scope and in their abbreviated deadlines; 2007 (extended by agreement to 2008) for the CSO program and 2014 for the sanitary sewer overflow (SSO) program. Other cities under similar consent decrees were given from 20 to 30 years to implement their solutions. Under Mayor Franklin’s leadership, Clean Water Atlanta, a plan to comply with the consent decrees through a massive overhaul of the City’s sewer system, was born.

Initially, City officials were counting on paying one-third of the program cost through water/sewer rates, one-third through state money and one-third through federal grants. Unfortunately, Clean Water Atlanta came into being during a period of nationwide disinvestment in infrastructure, and the burden of paying for the program fell largely to the City’s residents. Two successive packages of rate increases and voter approval (twice) of a one-cent Municipal Option Sales Tax have provided the bulk of the Clean Water Atlanta financing.

Atlantans are paying those rates despite the fact that the economic crisis has produced an unemployment rate of 10.4 percent in the City, and almost one-quarter of its households are at or below the poverty level. The current monthly water and sewer bill for an average household is more than $120 (6,000 gallons). A household using 10,000 gallons per month has a bill in excess of $215. The MOST indirectly adds an estimated $25 to the monthly bill.

The five cities with the highest water/sewer rates in the country are Seattle, Atlanta, San Francisco, San Diego and Austin, Texas. The other cities have significantly higher median household incomes than Atlanta.

Completed and ongoing projects
Under Clean Water Atlanta, the City has already:
Constructed the 8-mile-long, 16-foot-diameter Nancy Creek Tunnel, which has reduced SSOs in the North Atlanta/Dunwoody area by 70 percent (1,000 overflows in 2000; fewer than 300 in 2008);
Built the Custer Avenue Storage and Dechlorination Facility, which can store up to 10 million gallons of combined sewage for transfer to the South River treatment plant;
Separated 33 miles of combined sewers, reducing stormwater-related overflows in three sewer basins;
Purchased about 2,000 acres of streamside property in eight metro area counties for protection in perpetuity; and
Constructed the 8.5-mile-long, 24 foot-diameter West Area CSO Tunnel, which can store up to 177 million gallons of combined sewage for transfer to a dedicated treatment plant.
Additionally, though it was not required to do so under the consent decrees, the City has replaced about 100 miles of water mains that were aged and leaking.

Infrastructure programs currently ongoing include:
The Sewer System Evaluation Survey and related rehab, under which the City is inspecting every inch of its 1,600 miles of sewer pipe and repairing those that are cracked, leaking or otherwise damaged (to date, 1,287 of a total of 1,580 miles, 82 percent, have been inspected; 314 miles of the estimated 607 that will need repair have been completed);
Cleaning sewers under Operation Clean Sewer, a program to reduce spills associated with stormwater infiltration and blockages from debris and grease, with a goal (exceeded) of 25 percent of the system per year;
Design and construction of a 2.5-billion-gallon drinking water reservoir in Northwest Atlanta, a $190 million project construction of which will likely be accelerated as the City attempts to mitigate the effects of Judge Paul Magnuson’s order in the Tri-State Water Wars;
Grease management inspections that kept 1.15 million gallons of grease of out the system in the first quarter of 2009
Construction of the South River Tunnel, which will capture and store sanitary sewer overflows in South Atlanta;
Construction of new water mains in the Georgia Tech Midtown area;
Meter replacement program, under which the City is replacing or retrofitting 150,000 meters with Automated Meter Reading capability;
Implementation of the Valve & Hydrant Program, under which the City is locating and identifying its valves and hydrants, making necessary repairs and collecting information for inclusion in a Geographic Information System;
Reduction of backlog in the past three years from 3,100 meter leaks to under 100 and from 2,400 service leaks to 150; this stepped-up leak repair program has resulted in the repair of about 750 leaks per month, the same number United Water was repairing a year when it was operating the City’s drinking water system from 1999-2003.
Development and implementation of an upgraded backflow compliance program;
Implementation of a large meter asset management program in January 2009;
Reduction in the number of boil water advisories from nine in 2002 to zero in 2008 and one in 2009;
Design of a number of transmission mains to improve service in a number of South Atlanta communities.

That the projects have been completed on time and on budget, is nothing short of amazing, according to Judge Thomas Thrash, the U.S. District Court Judge who oversees compliance with the consent decrees. “Frankly, I expected excuses, delays, obstruction, incompetence,” the judge said in a 2008 status hearing. “And, under Mayor Franklin’s administration, none of that’s happened. The work’s been done. It’s been done on time, I think pretty much done within budget. And it really is a remarkable accomplishment.”

Population growth and usage reduction
From 2000 to 2008, Atlanta experienced unprecedented population growth, adding almost 30 percent to its population. But it has done so with an emphasis on proper resource management – smart growth policies, infill housing instead of sprawl, extensive capital investment in its systems, a diligent leak detection and repair program and conservation. In fact, Clean Water Atlanta served as a launching pad for green initiatives like construction of a green roof at City Hall, land acquisition for parks, energy conservation projects and a Green Building Ordinance currently pending before the City Council.

A severe drought that began in 2007 and ended earlier this year prompted Atlanta to take serious steps to further reduce water use. The City declared Level 4 restrictions – the strongest – several months before the State implemented them and created a number of conservation programs, distribution of water conservation kits, flush valves and “instant-off” devices for faucets; free water audits; rain barrel construction programs; educational workshops for residents, landscapers and large users; toilet rebates; new toilet installations for low-income, elderly customers; and establishment of the Save Water Atlanta Team to enforce watering restrictions. It already had put in place a three-tiered conservation rate structure that rewards low use.

All those initiatives combined to help Atlantans reduce their drinking water usage by more than 20 percent over the eight years starting in 2000 despite the population boom. And, while Clean Water Atlanta is an infrastructure program, it also is one of Atlanta’s strongest and most extensive green programs.

A model for infrastructure rebuilding
In infrastructure terms, Clean Water Atlanta has become a 21st century model for water and sewer system rebuilding. The program has resulted in cleaner rivers and streams, allowed development to proceed and been accomplished on time and on budget despite oppressively tight deadlines.

“Without Mayor Franklin’s support and encouragement, the Clean Water Atlanta program never would have happened,” Sally Bethea says. While continued investment must be made to finish all the work by 2014, the City and its neighborhoods are already benefiting, thanks to a healthier environment.”

Governor Schedules Water Stakeholder Meetings in Columbus, Albany

2009-07-31T22:02:00.001-04:00

Governor Sonny Perdue today announced that he has scheduled water stakeholder meetings in Columbus and Albany next week. A wide array of business people, local officials, elected leaders, agriculture representatives and board members of regional water councils have been invited to the briefings.

“Judge Magnuson’s ruling has impacts up and down the Chattahoochee and Flint basin,” Governor Perdue said. “While much of the media’s focus has been on Atlanta, it is also vitally important that Georgians outside the metro area understand the key role they will play in protecting and managing our water resources.”

The Columbus meeting will take place at Columbus Technical College next Wednesday. On Thursday, the Governor will visit Darton College in Albany. At both meetings, Governor Perdue will meet with local media as well.

North Georgians Continue to Conserve, Even Without Restrictions

2009-07-29T22:27:00.001-04:00

June 2009 use up only 1.8 percent from last year, 18 percent lower than June 2007

Georgians have continued to conserve water, even with relaxed outdoor water use restrictions in place, according to June 2009 water use data compiled by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD).

“These numbers indicate that Georgians have made water conservation part of their daily lives,” said Governor Sonny Perdue. “Conservation is obviously critical during drought, but I am particularly encouraged to see our efforts continue now that the rains have returned and the drought is over.”

According to water use data collected from water utilities and local governments throughout the 55-county north Georgia area, water use in June rose an average of just 1.8 percent as compared to June 2008. Most types of outdoor water use had been prohibited in those 55 counties since September of 2007. Non-drought schedules took effect June 10, which allow people to water any time of the day up to three days a week determined by odd and even-numbered addresses.

Even more impressive are the comparisons to June 2007 before the drought worsened and outdoor water use was allowed midnight to 10 a.m. three days a week. June 2009 water use was down 18.4 percent as compared to the 2007 data, even though the current schedules are for times of non-drought.

For example, some of the largest metropolitan Atlanta water systems showed significant water savings during June, including the city of Atlanta and Gwinnett, Clayton and Cobb counties. Other large metro water users saw only modest increases in water use, including North Fulton, Cherokee and Fayette counties, and the city of Marietta. EPD is working closely with communities to continue to improve water conservation practices.

Monthly water use data is posted on the EPD web site at www.georgiaepd.com. To learn more about water conservation go to www.conservewatergeorgia.net.
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GEFA Approves Water, Sewer Infrastructure Projects for Communities Around Georgia

2009-07-21T14:57:00.001-04:00

Twenty-six projects total $43.1 million

Governor Sonny Perdue announced today the approval of 26 environmental infrastructure project loans totaling $43.1 million. Twenty-three of the projects were either fully or partially financed by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) at a total of $39 million. The GEFA board of directors approved the commitments to help finance water and sewer infrastructure projects in 24 communities.

“Investment in infrastructure creates jobs, promotes economic development and increases our citizens’ quality of life,” said Governor Perdue. “Improving public health and safety is critical to a community’s economic growth and prosperity.”

“The federal water and sewer programs administered by GEFA assist local governments with improving their environmental infrastructure,” said GEFA Executive Director Phil Foil. “Financing water and sewer projects encourages economic growth and the stewardship of our environment.”

Foil expressed appreciation to Governor Perdue, Georgia’s Congressional delegation and the members of the General Assembly for their support. He credited Governor Perdue’s commitment to helping Georgia cities and counties finance infrastructure development as one of the main contributors to GEFA’s success.

“The projects that we agreed to finance today illustrate how GEFA helps communities of all sizes, in all areas of the state,” said Matt Beasley, chairman of the GEFA board of directors and mayor of the city of Hartwell. “From the smallest of communities to the largest, GEFA is investing in communities that are willing to invest in themselves.

GEFA helps communities prepare for economic growth and development through the provision of low interest loans. The Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) is a federal loan program administered by GEFA for wastewater infrastructure and water pollution abatement projects. Eligible projects include a wide variety of storm water and wastewater collection and treatment projects. The Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) is a federal loan program administered by GEFA for water infrastructure projects. Eligible projects include public health-related water supply construction.

In February, Congress approved and the President signed the ARRA, which included a substantial investment in the CWSRF and the DWSRF programs. The ARRA also directs the states to reserve 20 percent of the ARRA funding for “…projects to address green infrastructure, water or energy efficiency improvements or other environmentally innovative activities.”

Under the ARRA financing terms adopted by the GEFA board of directors, cities or counties that are OneGeorgia-eligible qualify for a 70 percent subsidy. Cities or counties that are not OneGeorgia-eligible qualify for a 40 percent subsidy. Cities or counties with eligible green projects qualify for a 60 percent subsidy. For example, if a OneGeorgia-eligible community applies for a $1 million loan, then 70 percent of the loan will be forgiven and the community will close on a 20-year loan of $300,000 at a three percent interest rate. OneGeorgia-eligible communities are located outside the state’s metropolitan areas and have a population of 50,000 or less with a poverty rate of ten percent or greater. The unprecedented amounts of subsidy in the ARRA financing terms will help Georgia meet the ARRA’s short-term goals of job creation and economic stimulus.

Georgia local governments expressed a tremendous amount of interest in the ARRA funds. Cities and counties submitted more than 1,600 clean water, drinking water and green projects with a total cost exceeding $6 billion. Total available funding for projects through the ARRA is $144 million. Funding is obligated to projects on a first-come-first-served basis.
Below are details of the loans approved today:

City of Blairsville

Financed through the ARRA, the city of Blairsville was approved for a Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) loan of $322,800 and a CWSRF subsidy of $753,200 for the rehabilitation of a portion of the city’s sewer system. Consistent with GEFA’s ARRA financing terms for communities that are OneGeorgia-eligible, 70 percent ($753,200) of the principal will be forgiven and the city will pay three percent interest on a ten-year loan of $322,800. The total project cost is $1,076,000 with GEFA providing the entire amount.

City of Braselton

The city of Braselton was approved for two Georgia Fund loans totaling $1,240,000. The loans will finance upgrading and replacing two wastewater pump stations. The total cost of both projects is $1,540,000, with the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) committing $300,000 through an Appalachian Regional Commission grant. The city, a WaterFirst community, will pay a 2.81 percent interest rate on the loans, one percent lower than the current Georgia Fund rate. WaterFirst communities are certified by DCA as having met and maintained stringent standards for system management and water conservation. WaterFirst participants are entitled to a lower interest rate on certain GEFA loans.

City of Byron

Financed through the ARRA, the city of Byron was approved for a Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) loan of $816,246 and a CWSRF subsidy of $1,904,574 for the rehabilitation of the city’s wastewater collection system. Consistent with GEFA’s ARRA financing terms for communities that are OneGeorgia-eligible, 70 percent ($1,904,574) of the principal will be forgiven and the city will pay three percent interest on a 20-year loan of $816,246. The total project cost is $2,720,820 with GEFA providing the entire amount.

City of Clarkesville

Financed through the ARRA, the city of Clarkesville was approved for a Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) loan of $528,000 and a CWSRF subsidy of $1,232,000 for the installation of improvements to the city’s wastewater treatment facility. Consistent with GEFA’s ARRA financing terms for communities that are OneGeorgia-eligible, 70 percent ($1,232,000) of the principal will be forgiven and the city will pay three percent interest on a 20-year loan of $528,000. The total project cost is $1,803,200 with GEFA providing $1,760,000 and the city of Clarkesville providing $43,200.

City of Colquitt

Financed through the ARRA, the city of Colquitt was approved for a Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) loan of $420,000 and a CWSRF subsidy of $980,000 for the rehabilitation of the city’s wastewater collection system. Consistent with GEFA’s ARRA financing terms for communities that are OneGeorgia-eligible, 70 percent ($980,000) of the principal will be forgiven and the city will pay three percent interest on a 20-year loan of $420,000. The total project cost is $1,400,000 with GEFA providing the entire amount.

City of Commerce

Financed through the ARRA, the city of Commerce was approved for a Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) loan of $330,000 and a CWSRF subsidy of $770,000 for improvements to two water pollution control plants. Consistent with GEFA’s ARRA financing terms for communities that are OneGeorgia-eligible, 70 percent ($770,000) of the principal will be forgiven and the city will pay three percent interest on a 20-year loan of $330,000. The total project cost is $1,100,000 with GEFA providing the entire amount.

City of Darien

Financed through the ARRA, the city of Darien was approved for a Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) loan of $280,890 and a CWSRF subsidy of $655,410 for the rehabilitation and replacement of equipment at the city’s water pollution control plant. Consistent with GEFA’s ARRA financing terms for communities that are OneGeorgia-eligible, 70 percent ($655,410) of the principal will be forgiven and the city will pay three percent interest on a 20-year loan of $280,890. The total project cost is $936,300 with GEFA providing the entire amount.

City of Demorest

Financed through the ARRA, the city of Demorest was approved for a Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) loan of $153,000 and a CWSRF subsidy of $357,000 for the construction of a sludge dewatering building at the city’s water pollution control plant. Consistent with GEFA’s ARRA financing terms for communities that are OneGeorgia-eligible, 70 percent ($357,000) of the principal will be forgiven and the city will pay three percent interest on a ten-year loan of $153,000. The total project cost is $510,000 with GEFA providing the entire amount.

City of Donalsonville

Financed through the ARRA, the city of Donalsonville was approved for a Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) loan of $150,000 and a CWSRF subsidy of $350,000 for the expansion of the city’s wastewater treatment facility. Consistent with GEFA’s ARRA financing terms for communities that are OneGeorgia-eligible, 70 percent ($350,000) of the principal will be forgiven and the city will pay three percent interest on a 15-year loan of $150,000. The total project cost is $510,000 with GEFA providing $500,000 and the city of Donalsonville providing $10,000.

Gwinnett County

Financed through the ARRA as a green project, Gwinnett County was approved for a Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) loan of $2,000,000 and a CWSRF subsidy of $3,000,000 for the installation of a power generator that will be fueled by gas drawn from anaerobic digesters. The electricity will be used to help power the wastewater treatment facility. Consistent with GEFA’s ARRA financing terms for green projects, 60 percent ($3,000,000) of the principal will be forgiven and the county will pay three percent interest on a 20-year loan of $2,000,000. The total project cost is $5,500,000 with GEFA providing $5,000,000 and Gwinnett County providing $500,000.

City of Helen

Financed through the ARRA, the city of Helen was approved for a Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) loan of $386,400 and a CWSRF subsidy of $901,600 for the rehabilitation of the city’s wastewater collection system. Consistent with GEFA’s ARRA financing terms for communities that are OneGeorgia-eligible, 70 percent ($901,600) of the principal will be forgiven and the city will pay three percent interest on a 20-year loan of $386,400. The total project cost is $1,288,000 with GEFA providing the entire amount.

City of Hinesville

The city of Hinesville was approved for a Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) loan of $2,583,965. The loan will finance watershed improvements at three sites for stormwater control. The city will pay a 3 percent interest rate on the 20-year loan. The total project cost is $2,583,965 with GEFA providing the entire amount.

City of Jefferson

Financed through the ARRA as a green project, the city of Jefferson was approved for a Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) loan of $218,000 and a CWSRF subsidy of $327,000 for the replacement of an impervious-surfaced parking lot with grass filter strips. Consistent with GEFA’s ARRA financing terms for green projects, 60 percent ($327,000) of the principal will be forgiven and the city will pay three percent interest on a 20-year loan of $218,000. The total project cost is $545,000 with GEFA providing the entire amount.

City of LaGrange

Financed through the ARRA, the city of LaGrange was approved for a Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) loan of $4,350,000, which includes $3,572,666 financed through the ARRA. The ARRA portion of the loan includes a CWSRF subsidy of $1,429,066. The loan and subsidy will help finance improvements to the city’s Long Cane Creek water pollution control plant. GEFA’s commitment includes $3,572,666 financed through the ARRA and $777,334 financed by a regular CWSRF loan. Consistent with GEFA’s ARRA financing terms for communities that are not OneGeorgia-eligible, 40 percent ($1,429,066) of the principal on the ARRA portion of the loan will be forgiven and the city will pay three percent interest on a 20-year loan of $2,143,600. The non-ARRA CWSRF loan of $777,334 that finances the remainder of the project is also a 20-year loan with a three percent interest rate. The total project cost is $4,350,000 with GEFA providing the entire amount.

City of Maysville

Financed through the ARRA, the city of Maysville was approved for a Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) loan of $225,000 and a CWSRF subsidy of $525,000 for the rehabilitation of the city’s wastewater collection system. Consistent with GEFA’s ARRA financing terms for communities that are OneGeorgia-eligible, 70 percent ($525,000) of the principal will be forgiven and the city will pay three percent interest on a 20-year loan of $225,000. The total project cost is $750,000 with GEFA providing the entire amount.

City of Milledgeville

Financed through the ARRA, the city of Milledgeville was approved for a Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) loan of $362,085 and a DWSRF subsidy of $844,865 for the replacement of failing water lines in the residential neighborhoods of Allenwood and Brookwood. Consistent with GEFA’s ARRA financing terms for OneGeorgia-eligible communities, 70 percent ($844,865) of the principal will be forgiven and the city will pay three percent interest on a 15-year loan of $362,085. The total project cost is $1,206,950 with GEFA providing the entire amount.

City of Moultrie

Financed through the ARRA, the city of Moultrie was approved for a Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) loan of $1,015,350 and a CWSRF subsidy of $2,369,150 for the installation of improvements to the city’s wastewater treatment facility. Consistent with GEFA’s ARRA financing terms for communities that are OneGeorgia-eligible, 70 percent ($2,369,150) of the principal will be forgiven and the city will pay three percent interest on a 20-year loan of $1,015,350. The total project cost is $3,384,500 with GEFA providing the entire amount.

Financed through the ARRA as a green project, the city of Moultrie was approved for a Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) $1,400,000 loan and a CWSRF subsidy of $2,100,000 for the installation of a biogas recovery system that will provide process heat for the city’s wastewater treatment plant digester. Consistent with GEFA’s ARRA financing terms for green projects, 60 percent ($2,100,000) of the principal will be forgiven and the city will pay three percent interest on a 20-year loan of $1,400,000. The total project cost is $3,500,000 with GEFA providing the entire amount.

City of Sardis

Financed through the ARRA, the city of Sardis was approved for a Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) loan of $330,000 and a CWSRF subsidy of $770,000 for improvements to the city’s wastewater treatment plant. Consistent with GEFA’s ARRA financing terms for communities that are OneGeorgia-eligible, 70 percent ($770,000) of the principal will be forgiven and the city will pay three percent interest on a 20-year loan of $330,000. The total project cost is $1,100,000 with GEFA providing the entire amount.

City of Sparks

Financed through the ARRA, the city of Sparks was approved for a Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) loan of $84,000 and a CWSRF subsidy of $196,000 for the replacement of a wastewater pump station. Consistent with GEFA’s ARRA financing terms for communities that are OneGeorgia-eligible, 70 percent ($196,000) of the principal will be forgiven and the city will pay three percent interest on a one-year loan of $84,000. The total project cost is $300,000 with GEFA providing $280,000 and the city of Sparks providing $20,000.

City of Tennille

Financed through the ARRA, the city of Tennille was approved for a Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) loan of $90,000 and a CWSRF subsidy of $210,000 for the replacement of a wastewater pump station. Consistent with GEFA’s ARRA financing terms for communities that are OneGeorgia-eligible, 70 percent ($210,000) of the principal will be forgiven and the city will pay three percent interest on a five-year loan of $90,000. The total project cost is $300,000 with GEFA providing the entire amount.

City of Thomaston

Financed through the ARRA, the city of Thomaston was approved for a Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) loan of $1,020,000 and a DWSRF subsidy of $2,380,000 for the replacement of water mains within the city’s Westside service area. Consistent with GEFA’s ARRA financing terms for OneGeorgia-eligible communities, 70 percent ($2,380,000) of the principal will be forgiven and the city will pay three percent interest on a 20-year loan of $1,020,000. The total project cost is $3,400,000 with GEFA providing the entire amount.

City of Toccoa

Financed through the ARRA, the city of Toccoa was approved for a Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) loan of $300,000 and a CWSRF subsidy of $700,000 for improvements to the Eastanollee Creek Waste Water Treatment Plant. Consistent with GEFA’s ARRA financing terms for communities that are OneGeorgia-eligible, 70 percent ($700,000) of the principal will be forgiven and the city will pay three percent interest on a five-year loan of $300,000. The total project cost is $1,000,000 with GEFA providing the entire amount.

City of Union Point

Financed through the ARRA, the city of Union Point was approved for a Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) loan of $360,000 and a CWSRF subsidy of $840,000 for the rehabilitation of the city’s wastewater collection system. Consistent with GEFA’s ARRA financing terms for communities that are OneGeorgia-eligible, 70 percent ($840,000) of the principal will be forgiven and the city will pay three percent interest on a 20-year loan of $360,000. The total project cost is $1,200,000 with GEFA providing the entire amount.

City of Warrenton

Financed through the ARRA, the city of Warrenton was approved for a Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) loan of $600,000 and a CWSRF subsidy of $1,400,000 for improvements to the city’s wastewater collection system. Consistent with GEFA’s ARRA financing terms for communities that are OneGeorgia-eligible, 70 percent ($1,400,000) of the principal will be forgiven and the city will pay three percent interest on a 15-year loan of $600,000. The total project cost is $2,000,000 with GEFA providing the entire amount.

Cities and counties interested in more information regarding GEFA loans should visit www.gefa.org or call (404) 584-1000.

The Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority (GEFA) provides financial assistance and administers programs that encourage stewardship of the environment and promote economic development statewide. GEFA is the lead state agency for energy planning and alternative fuels; manages the Governor’s Energy Challenge and the Georgia Land Conservation Program; maintains state-owned fuel storage tanks; and offers financing for reservoir and water supply, water quality, storm water and solid waste infrastructure.
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Atlantans Urged To Continue To Respect Limited Water Resources

2009-07-20T12:46:00.000-04:00

Mayor Shirley Franklin has urged Atlantans not to take advantage of the fact that the statewide drought declaration has been lifted, noting, “Our water resources are not unlimited. The City of Atlanta is doing its part with the $4 billion Clean Water Atlanta water and sewer infrastructure overhaul, and we hope that Atlantans continue to do their part by conserving water wherever possible.”

Atlantans rose to the challenge over the last two years during the recent drought, cutting their usage by 17 percent over pre-drought usage. In addition, Atlantans’ outdoor water use is very low compared with that of our neighbors, with a 23 percent to 26 percent increase during the summer months; many of the metro area counties see an increase between 50 percent and 100 percent over the summer.

Programs put in place to encourage water conservation in the commercial/industrial community have yielded impressive results, as well. Atlanta’s Top 50 users, which range from hotels to soft drink plants to tourist destinations like the Georgia Aquarium have cut their use dramatically. All 50 have shown usage decreases, some by as much as 45 percent.

Hotels and the hospitality industry have shown great leadership in water conservation; other facilities like the Aquarium and Delta Air Lines have been extremely creative in their use of water efficiency technologies; and other facilities, like Zoo Atlanta and Atlanta’s City Hall, have instituted educational campaigns and gone to great lengths to change customer behavior.

The City itself has implemented numerous programs designed to encourage conservation, including distribution of water conservation kits, flush valves and “instant-off” devices for faucets; free water audits; rain barrel construction programs; educational workshops for residents, landscapers and large users; toilet rebates; new toilet installations for low-income, elderly customers; establishment of the Save Water Atlanta Team to enforce watering restrictions; and implementation of three-tiered conservation rates that reward low use.

Additionally, at Mayor Franklin’s direction, the City has created a Sustainable Building Ordinance that significantly tightens water efficiency standards for new buildings, The ordinance is currently pending before the City Council.

Programs completed or currently under way as part of Clean Water Atlanta also are contributing to decreased usage by eliminating leaks that waste millions of gallons of water. The City is spending hundreds of millions of dollars to inspect every inch of its 1,600 miles of sewer pipe, repairing or replacing pipe when it is deemed necessary. To date, Atlanta has evaluated almost 1,300 miles of pipe and completed rehabilitation of 314 miles of the 600 miles it is estimated will need to be rehabbed.

Atlanta also purchased the Bellwood gravel quarry, which will eventually be a 1.2-billion-gallon reservoir. Design on the project, which will be part of what will become the City’s largest park, is ongoing.

The City also has replaced about 100 miles of water mains, some of which were originally installed in the early 1900s, and it is repairing more than 750 reported leaks every month (for comparison purposes, the contractor that ran the drinking water system prior to 2003 repaired about 750 leaks a year!)

In fact, Clean Water Atlanta is the largest water/sewer infrastructure overhaul currently under way in the United States.

It is not only dramatically reducing leaks, it also is resulting in a cleaner, healthier Chattahoochee River. Sally Bethea, executive director of the river’s watchdog, the Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, says that the work the City is doing is having a demonstrable effect on the river’s health. Improvements to the City’s combined and sanitary sewer systems, including construction of two eight-mile-long tunnels and separation of three combined sewer basins, are ensuring that the wastewater returned to the river meets and exceeds all federal Clean Water standards. (Of the water taken from the Chattahoochee for drinking and other purposes, the City returns about 85 percent in the form of highly treated wastewater.)

Despite all this, however, Mayor Franklin urges Atlantans to continue their conservation efforts. “Take shorter showers,” she advises. “Turn off the tap when you brush your teeth, limit your outdoor water use, if you have leaks at your house, repair them. Running toilets can waste thousands of gallons of water a day! The State has lifted its drought declaration, but those of us who have been around a while know that another drought could be – and, in fact, very likely is – lurking around the corner. We need to conserve to make sure that our children and their children have access to clean, safe drinking water and can enjoy the same quality of life that we have.”
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Graves’ Statement Regarding Tri-State Water Dispute

2009-07-20T10:03:00.000-04:00

Republican State Representative Tom Graves (R-Ranger), candidate for the 9th Congressional District of Georgia, released the following statement after last Friday’s ruling by U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson that shifts Lake Lanier’s water allocation to Congress concerning the tri-state water dispute:

“I am troubled by the federal judge’s decision regarding Lake Lanier’s water. His ruling Friday could be one of the largest takings of state’s rights that this country has seen in modern history. Giving the federal government this enormous power to decide a dispute that should be delegated among the states is unconscionable. I urge our Governor to take the necessary steps to a speedy resolution of this matter. As the next Congressman for North Georgia, I will vehemently oppose attempts by those in Washington to try and take our most precious resource whose genesis is in the mountains of North Georgia and will unite with other Georgia leaders to fight for a fair and equitable solution that's right for Georgia.”
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Statement of Governor Perdue Regarding Ruling in Water Litigation

2009-07-17T18:15:00.001-04:00

Governor Sonny Perdue issued the following statement today regarding ruling in water litigation:

“Obviously, I am deeply disappointed by Judge Magnuson’s decision today. His conclusions rely on decades-old assumptions about the construction of federal reservoirs and the role those reservoirs play in providing water supply for growing states such as Georgia. Our country has changed substantially since the 1940s, when many of these reservoirs were constructed, and I will use this opportunity not only to appeal the judge's decision but, most importantly, to urge Congress to address the realities of modern reservoir usage. The judge’s ruling allows a three-year window for either Congressional action or an agreement by the states and we will work diligently with Georgia’s delegation and members of Congress to re-establish the proper use of federal reservoirs throughout the country.”

Lt. Governor Casey Cagle Statement on Tri-State Water Litigation

2009-07-17T18:11:00.000-04:00

Lt. Governor Casey Cagle today released the following statement in response to U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson’s ruling in the tri-state water litigation:

“Today’s ruling is an extremely frustrating one for me. Georgia has grown while being good stewards of our water resources, including Lake Lanier. I am looking forward to working with Georgia’s Congressional delegation in an effort to resolve this issue.”

Gingrey Statement on Court Ruling on Tri-State Water Usage

2009-07-17T18:00:00.001-04:00

U.S. Congressman Phil Gingrey made the following statement in response to the ruling by U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson that delegates the responsibility to Congress to determine how much water may be used from Lake Lanier to supply the metro Atlanta area:

“While I am greatly disappointed by the Court's ruling, the decision leaves little choice but to seek consensus through the legislative process. Congressional inaction is no longer an option, and I stand ready and committed to work in a bipartisan way for a fair resolution that respects and protects the interests of Georgia, Florida, and Alabama.”

Tri-State Water Litigation Court Order

2009-07-17T16:57:00.000-04:00

We've posted the Tri-State water ruling on the Georgia Front Page in the "Issues: Water" section.

http://www.georgiafrontpage.com/issues/water.html

City of Atlanta’s Response to Judge Magnuson’s Order

2009-07-17T16:53:00.001-04:00

“Water is a critical resource. The City of Atlanta is spending billions of dollars rebuilding its water infrastructure under federal consent decrees. As mayor, I recognize the seriousness of the ruling and also the value of proper resource stewardship. Clean water is needed for public health, fire protection and economic development for every person and community in Georgia. The Governor and the State have the lead in this case and we and the other Metro Area water providers are following their lead. This is not only a local or regional issue, but a national issue. We welcome the opportunity to resolve it fairly and amicably.”

- Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin

Isakson, Chambliss Joint Statement on Court Ruling on Tri-State Water Usage

2009-07-17T16:34:00.000-04:00

U.S. Senators Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., and Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., today issued the following joint statement regarding the ruling by U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson that gives the U.S. Congress the responsibility to determine how much water from Lake Lanier may be used to supply the metro Atlanta area.

“The judge’s ruling places the decision of allocation of water from Lake Lanier solely on the shoulders of Congress. As members of the U.S. Senate from Georgia, we will work tirelessly to reach an agreement that is in the best interest of Georgia while at the same time respecting the interests and concerns of Florida and Alabama. This is a huge challenge, but it is a challenge we must meet.”
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Proposed Water Trust Fund Bill Would Provide Solid Foundation for Improvement

2009-07-15T10:30:00.000-04:00

/PRNewswire/ -- As Americans, we owe our health and much of our quality of life to the improvements that have been made during the past century to the drinking water and wastewater systems on which we rely. Despite the importance of those systems to our daily lives and the nation's economy, our water infrastructure currently faces a five-year funding shortfall of more than $100 billion.

At a press conference this morning to announce Rep. Earl Blumenauer's plan to introduce legislation to create a Water Trust Fund (the Water Protection and Reinvestment Act), the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) expressed strong support for the creation of a stable, long-term funding mechanism and commended Blumenauer for his support for the nation's infrastructure. The Society noted that such a commitment will be essential to the renewal of these vital national resources, but that provisions--such as making the program deficit-neutral and including budgetary firewalls to prevent the diversion of monies collected--must be included to ensure long-term, sustainable success.

In the Society's 2009 Report Card for America's Infrastructure, ASCE assigned both wastewater and drinking water systems a barely passing grade of D-. According to ASCE president D. Wayne Klotz, P.E., D.WRE, F.ASCE, "Every day we rely on seemingly invisible water and wastewater systems to support our quality of life and the nation's economy, and yet they suffer from inattention and underfunding. A long-term, dedicated funding source, like the one proposed by Congressman Blumenauer, will go a long way in ensuring that these vital systems can continue to support the health and safety of the American people."

Later in the afternoon, a representative from ASCE's Report Card for America's Infrastructure Advisory Council, Dale Jacobson, P.E., BCEE, F.ASCE will testify before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee's Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment about the potential challenges facing the trust fund proposal, as well as the potential opportunities and benefits such a program could bring.

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June starts wet, ends dry, remained hot

2009-07-06T12:04:00.000-04:00

High pressure dominated Georgia’s weather in June, leading to temperatures that were well above normal. Lack of rainfall in most areas contributed to general drying of the soils in most counties and put stress on some crops.

In spite of the heat, the only record temperatures that were tied or broken this month were in Brunswick. The daily maximum tied at 98 F on the 17th and was broken at 98 F on the 21st.

The monthly average temperatures were: Atlanta at 79.8 degrees (3 degrees above normal), Athens at 79.9 degrees (3.6 degrees above normal), Columbus at 81.3 degrees (2.1 degrees above normal), Macon 80.8 degrees (2.8 degrees above normal), Savannah 81.9 degrees (3.1 degrees above normal), Brunswick 82.4 degrees (3 degrees above normal), Alma 81.6 degrees (2.3 degrees above normal) and Augusta 80.3 degrees (2.8 degrees above normal).

Rainfall across the state was below normal, according to radar estimates. The only exception was a small area near Jesup in southeast Georgia. More than 10 inches of rain fell in an isolated area in Wayne and Long counties. The rest of the state was 1 inch to 3 inches below normal.

The highest monthly total from National Weather Service airport reporting stations was 4.40 inches in Savannah (1.09 inches below normal). The lowest was in Athens at 1.66 inches (2.28 inches below normal).

Atlanta received 2.34 inches (1.29 below normal), Columbus 3.79 inches (.28 above normal), Macon 2.82 inches (.72 inches below normal), Alma 2.26 inches (3.23 inches below normal), Brunswick 4.10 inches (.95 inches below normal) and Augusta 3.78 inches (.41 inches below normal).

The highest monthly total rainfall from the CoCoRaHS volunteer reporting network during June was 8.49 inches measured near St. Mary in the far southeastern corner of the state. Observers at Clarkesville measured 7.48 inches for the month. Kingsland reported 7.35 inches, and Brooklet measured 7 inches over the month.

The highest daily rainfall amount reported by a CoCoRaHS observer was 3.90 inches northwest of Gainesville on June 5. Blairsville reported 3.25 inches on the 18th and Rome reported 3.0 inches on the 5th.

Much of the rain in north Georgia came with scattered storms arriving from the northwest in the large-scale circulation around the high pressure that was centered just to the west of Georgia.

One tornado was reported. It occurred on June 4 about 6 miles west of Brunswick, when a funnel briefly touched down, causing minimal damage. In addition, there were reports of hail or strong winds somewhere in Georgia on 13 additional dates. In Augusta on the 18th, it was reported that 8,500 households were without power in association with one of these storms.

Early in the month, farmers had problems doing field work and crop planting due to wet conditions. Problems with tobacco virus and sprouted wheat were reported by University of Georgia Cooperative Extension agents. Lack of rain later in the month, combined with the hot temperatures, many crops became stressed, especially in non-irrigated fields.

By Pam Knox
University of Georgia

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GA Tech Plan Keeps Green Space, Water Conservation Efforts Moving Forward

2009-06-26T09:52:00.000-04:00

Although Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue announced on June 10 the state drought was over, Georgia Tech will continue its path of conservation, both by continuing landscaping projects to increase the Institute’s green space and expanding upon new water conservation and reclamation methods.

These projects ”the Clough Undergraduate Learning Commons (CULC), the Challenge Course, the Marcus Nanotechnology Building, the Old Civil Engineering building and Tech’s Eco-Commons” fall under the Institute’s Landscape Master Plan.

Proposed in 2004 and established in 2006, Tech’s Plan goes beyond that of most universities and organizations, striving to develop “an integrated, ecologically based landscape and open space system that helps Tech achieve its goal of environmental sustainability; a landscape that enhances the living, working and learning environment; and a landscape that unifies the campus and gives it a distinct sense of place.”

Specific goals include reclaiming impervious surfaces ”parking lots and paved areas” for green space and establishing the goal of 55 percent tree canopy and 22 percent woodlands coverage around the campus.

“It’s a very unique feature,” said Landscape Architect and Master Planner Anne Boykin-Smith. “Most campuses cite their outdoor furniture ”benches, accessories, that sort of thing. Ours explains how we treat the soil in different zones of campus before we plant, and what plants are preferred.”

In addition to separating the campus into zones, Boykin-Smith says the plan defines campus “design corridors,” to establish a consistent style among streetscapes throughout campus. The document also aids with Landscape Services in Facilities to maintain what has been planned, planted and built. The Campus Tree Care Plan, required to be named a Tree Campus USA (for which Tech was nationally recognized in 2008), was established as a collaborative effort between Facilities and Campus Planning & Space Management.

During the planning process in 2004 for the Campus Master Plan, CPSM hired landscape architect and Institute consultant Rob Fisher of Robinson Fisher Associates of Athens, Georgia to craft the Landscape Master Plan. Now in its third year, the plan will be updated in the coming months to include lessons learned and other long-range project opportunities.

“We’re really just cutting our teeth on it,” she said. “Many projects ”[landscaping at] Klaus, Old CE and others” were well under way when we started the Plan. The CULC is one of the first buildings [started] under the plan.”

During the nearly two-year drought, Tech has continues to move toward more sustainable solutions for irrigation, such as using cisterns for capturing rain water and air-conditioning condensate, as well as using an underground aquifer for watering the stadium. With the plan, Boykin-Smith and CPSM Director Howard Wertheimer are taking a more strategic look at cistern locations around campus, both above and below ground.

“During the drought, Georgia Tech developed and implemented numerous campus-wide water conservation strategies to reduce our reliance on potable water,” Wertheimer said. “As such, we will continue on our existing course of water conservation, while looking for even greater opportunities to develop new water conservation strategies.

"One such strategy is the development and implementation of a Geographic Information Systems “based Cistern Master Plan where we will systematically capture rainwater and building condensation to meet our landscape irrigation needs and for campus water features, combined with computerized irrigation water management systems that control and monitor real-time environmental conditions such as flows, daily weather and soil moisture content.”

The current campus approach places cisterns near buildings as they are constructed or renovated. Boykin-Smith says that the strategic plan, utilizing the College of Architecture’s Center for Geographic Information Systems (CGIS) mapping technology, will place cisterns more regionally, rather than within the limits of a typical building project. Cisterns placed near CULC, for instance, will help water more than just the building-specific landscaping.

“The ultimate goal is to fully eliminate the Institute’s use of potable water to manage our irrigation needs,” Wertheimer said.

Current projects

Landscaping for the Old Civil Engineering Building and the Marcus Nanotechnology Building, as well as the Atlantic Drive Promenade streetscape, has been completed. On West Campus, work has been completed on Alumni Park, allowing for better use of the two sand volleyball courts. “We solved the drainage problems and made it larger,” Boykin-Smith said.

While utility work is ongoing for the planned CULC, CPSM is currently working with Facilities on the building’s planned hardscaping, (paving and walkway surfaces).

Construction continues on the Institute’s Challenge Course, with a completion anticipated in early August.

A cantilevered concrete deck is being constructed behind the Molecular Science and Engineering building, overlooking the proposed Institute Eco-Commons. Expected completion is late July.

Upcoming projects

Tech’s Eco-Commons is a storm-water management and green space reclamation project, with the primary basin stretching from Couch Park to the President’s Glade. A prominent water feature near the overlook at the Molecular Science and Engineering building and a network of shade trees will help manage the storm water runoff better. “Water that goes into cisterns or into trees doesn’t go into pipes,” Boykin-Smith said. In addition to providing storm water management and a wooded area for campus, a main affect of the Eco-Commons is to reduce Tech’s contribution to the city’s combined sewer system, thereby reducing the quantity of water that must be chemically treated.

Tech Green, the open area west of the CULC, will be graded into more of an open-field space, Boykin-Smith said. The Current Campus Master Plan identifies a frontal addition to the Van Leer building, which will eventually form a steps-and-stage area at the northern end of Tech Green.

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Governor Announces Approval of Water, Sewer Infrastructure Projects

2009-06-16T16:59:00.000-04:00

Total of $91.5 million approved to help cities, counties meet critical needs

Governor Sonny Perdue today announced the approval of eleven state and federally funded environmental infrastructure projects totaling $91.5 million. Five of the projects were either fully or partially financed by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) at a total of $40.5 million.

The Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority (GEFA) board of directors approved the commitments to help finance water and sewer infrastructure projects in Cobb County, Colquitt County and Gwinnett County, and the cities of Camilla, Hiawassee, Port Wentworth, Portal, Sparta, Stillmore, Valdosta and West Point.

“Investment in infrastructure creates jobs, promotes economic development and increases our citizens’ quality of life,” said Governor Perdue. “Improving public health and safety is critical to a community’s economic growth and prosperity.”

“The state and federal water and sewer programs administered by GEFA assist local governments with improving their environmental infrastructure,” said GEFA Executive Director Phil Foil. “Financing water and sewer projects encourages economic growth and the stewardship of our environment.”

“The projects that we agreed to finance today illustrate how GEFA helps communities of all sizes, in all areas of the state,” said Matt Beasley, chairman of the GEFA board of directors and mayor of the city of Hartwell. “From the smallest of communities to the largest, GEFA is investing in communities that are willing to invest in themselves.”

GEFA helps communities prepare for economic growth and development through the provision of low interest loans. The Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) is a federal loan program administered by GEFA for wastewater infrastructure and water pollution abatement projects. Eligible projects include a wide variety of storm water and wastewater collection and treatment projects. The Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) is a federal loan program administered by GEFA for water infrastructure projects. Eligible projects include public health-related water supply construction. The Georgia Fund is a state funded program administered by GEFA for water, wastewater and solid waste infrastructure projects. The Georgia Fund provides loans and grants to local governments for projects such as water and sewer lines, treatment plants, pumping stations, wells, water storage tanks and water meters. Low interest loans from this program are available up to $10 million.

In February the Congress approved and the President signed the ARRA, which included a substantial investment in the CWSRF and the DWSRF programs. The ARRA also directs the states to reserve 20 percent of the ARRA funding for “…projects to address green infrastructure, water or energy efficiency improvements or other environmentally innovative activities.”

Under the ARRA financing terms adopted by the GEFA board of directors, cities or counties that are OneGeorgia-eligible qualify for a 70 percent subsidy. Cities or counties that are not OneGeorgia-eligible qualify for a 40 percent subsidy. Green projects receive a 60 percent subsidy. For example, if a OneGeorgia-eligible community applies for a $1 million loan, then 70 percent of the loan will be forgiven and the community will close on a 20-year loan of $300,000 at a three percent interest rate. OneGeorgia-eligible communities are located outside the state’s metropolitan areas and have a population of 50,000 or less with a poverty rate of 10 percent or greater. The unprecedented amounts of subsidy in the ARRA financing terms will help Georgia meet the ARRA’s short-term goals of job creation and economic stimulus.

Georgia local governments expressed a tremendous amount of interest in the ARRA funds. Cities and counties submitted more than 1,600 clean water, drinking water and green projects with a total cost that exceeded $6 billion. Total available funding for projects through the ARRA is $144 million. Funding is obligated to projects on a first-come-first-served basis.
Details of the loans approved today are below:

City of Camilla

The city of Camilla was approved for a Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) loan of $10,000,000 for renovations and upgrades to a wastewater treatment facility. The city will pay a three percent interest rate on the 20-year loan. The total project cost is $10,000,000 with GEFA providing the entire amount.

Cobb County

Financed partially through the ARRA, Cobb County was approved for a Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) loan of $35,000,000, which includes $10 million financed through the ARRA. The loan package will finance the third phase of construction of a 30,000 foot sewer tunnel, connecting tunnels, and a 130 million gallons-per-day lift station at the South Cobb Water Reclamation Facility. Consistent with GEFA’s ARRA financing terms for communities that are not OneGeorgia-eligible, 40 percent ($4,000,000) of the principal on the ARRA portion of the loan will be forgiven and the county will pay three percent interest on a 20-year loan of $6,000,000. The non-ARRA CWSRF loan of $25,000,000 is a 20-year loan with a three percent interest rate. The total project cost is $35,000,000 with GEFA providing the entire amount.

City of Colquitt

The city of Colquitt was approved for a Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) loan of $641,068 and a DWSRF subsidy of $150,000 for the construction of a new well and water main. The city will pay zero percent interest on the 20-year loan. The total project cost is $791,068, with GEFA providing the entire amount.

Gwinnett County

Financed through the ARRA, Gwinnett County was approved for a Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) loan of $6,000,000 and a CWSRF subsidy of $4,000,000 for the third phase of construction of a sewer tunnel to store and convey wastewater to the site of the future No Business Creek Regional Pump Station. The total project cost is $55,000,000 with GEFA providing the entire amount. GEFA approved a phase one loan of $22,000,000 on September 29, 2005, and a phase two loan of $23,000,000 on June 17, 2008. Consistent with GEFA’s ARRA financing terms for communities that are not OneGeorgia-eligible, 40 percent ($4,000,000) of the principal will be forgiven and the county will pay three percent interest on a 20-year loan of $6,000,000.

City of Hiawassee

Financed through the ARRA, the city of Hiawassee was approved for a Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) loan of $160,500 and a CWSRF subsidy of $374,500 for the rehabilitation of existing sewer infrastructure. Consistent with GEFA’s ARRA financing terms for communities that are OneGeorgia eligible, 70 percent ($374,500) of the principal will be forgiven and the city will pay three percent interest on a 20-year loan of $160,500. The total project cost is $535,000 with GEFA providing the entire amount.

City of Port Wentworth

Financed partially through the ARRA, the city of Port Wentworth was approved for a Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) loan of $6,000,000 and a CWSRF subsidy of $4,000,000 for the construction of a two million gallon-per-day wastewater treatment system. The total project cost is $17,592,300 with GEFA providing $10,000,000 and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development providing $7,592,300. Consistent with GEFA’s ARRA financing terms for communities that are not OneGeorgia-eligible, 40 percent ($4,000,000) of the principal will be forgiven and the city will pay three percent interest on a 20-year loan of $6,000,000.

City of Portal

The city of Portal was approved for a Georgia Fund loan of $350,000 for improvements to the city’s sanitary sewer system. The city will pay a 3.81 percent interest rate on the 20-year loan. The total project cost is $2,078,000, with $500,000 provided by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, $100,000 provided by GEFA through a Georgia Fund Sewer Grant and $1,128,000 provided from local option sales tax funds set aside for this purpose.

City of Sparta

The city of Sparta was approved for a Georgia Fund sewer grant of $100,000. The grant will fund improvements to the city’s sanitary sewer system including manhole and sewer line replacement. The Georgia Fund Sewer Grant program provides funds to small sewer projects that extend service to areas already served by the community’s water system. The total project cost is $100,000 with GEFA providing the entire amount.

City of Stillmore

The city of Stillmore was approved for a Georgia Fund loan of $236,000 for renovations and upgrades to the city’s sanitary sewer system. The city will pay a two percent interest rate on the 20-year loan. The total project cost is $736,000, with the Georgia Department of Community Affairs committing $500,000 through a Community Development Block Grant.

City of Valdosta

Financed partially through the ARRA, the city of Valdosta was approved for a Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) loan of $22,500,000 to increase the capacity of the Mud Creek Water Pollution Control Plant from 3.2 million gallons per day (MGD) to 5.7 MGD. The loan committment includes $10 million financed through the ARRA and $12,500,000 financed by a regular CWSRF loan. Consistent with GEFA’s ARRA financing terms for communities that are not OneGeorgia-eligible, 40 percent ($4,000,000) of the principal on the ARRA portion of the loan will be forgiven and the city will pay three percent interest on a 20-year loan of $6,000,000. The non-ARRA CWSRF loan of $12,500,000 is a 20-year loan with a three percent interest rate. The total project cost is $45,000,000 with GEFA providing $22,500,000 for phase one of the project.

City of West Point

The city of West Point was approved for a Georgia Fund short-term loan of $2,000,000 to interim-finance improvements to the city’s water and sanitary sewer systems until reimbursement for the work is received from the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA). The city will pay a 3.81 percent interest rate on the loan, which will be paid off by proceeds from a $2,000,000 EDA grant. The total project cost is $11,549,445 with a OneGeorgia Grant providing $1,000,000, a Department of Community Affairs grant providing $500,000 and a previous Georgia Fund loan providing $8,049,445.

Cities and counties interested in more information regarding GEFA loans should visit www.gefa.org or call (404) 584-1000.

The Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority (GEFA) provides financial assistance and administers programs that encourage stewardship of the environment and promote economic development statewide. GEFA is the lead state agency for energy planning and alternative fuels; manages the Governor’s Energy Challenge and the Georgia Land Conservation Program; maintains state-owned fuel storage tanks; and offers financing for reservoir and water supply, water quality, storm water and solid waste infrastructure.
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May was wet, windy month in Georgia

2009-06-05T07:54:00.000-04:00

May in Georgia was very wet. Temperatures were normal to 2 degrees Fahrenheit above normal. There were reports of hail or strong winds somewhere in Georgia on at least 16 days.
The monthly average temperature in Atlanta was 70.2 degrees (.4 degrees above normal); in Athens 70.5 degrees (1.4 degrees above normal); Columbus 72.3 degrees (normal); Macon 72.4 degrees (1.4 degrees above normal); Savannah 74.2 degrees (1.4 degrees above normal); Brunswick 74.9 degrees (1.2 degrees above normal); Alma 73.8 degrees (normal); and in Augusta 72.2 degrees (1.7 degrees above normal). Several record-low maximum temperatures in the 60s were recorded in Savannah, Alma and Brunswick on May 18 and 19.

Except for a band south of Atlanta and in southwest Georgia, rainfall across the state was above normal according to radar estimates. Over 10 inches of rain was observed by radar in northeast Georgia and along the coast as well as a few isolated areas in Charlton and Terrell counties.

The highest monthly total from National Weather Service reporting stations was 9.69 inches in Savannah (6.08 inches above normal). The lowest was in Athens at 3.58 inches (.28 inches below normal).

According to the NWS, Columbus received 5.10 inches (1.48 inches above normal); Macon 5.73 inches (2.75 inches above normal); Alma 8.14 inches (5.10 inches above normal); Brunswick 5.33 inches (2.64 inches above normal); and Augusta 4.38 inches (1.31 inches above normal). Several daily records of rainfall were set during the month at these stations, including 2.08 inches at Alma on May 23.

The highest one-day total rainfall from the CoCoRaHS network was 3.77 inches measured at two stations on Skidaway Island on May 22. There was also a one-day total of 3.75 inches at Waycross on May 27. The highest monthly rainfall total was 13.08 inches near Dillard in northern Rabun County. Several other monthly rainfall amounts of over 10 inches were reported at Rabun Gap as well as near Savannah. The Georgia Automated Environmental Monitoring Network station in Rabun County reported 10.43 inches for May.

The rainy conditions in April and May contributed to problems with mosquitoes in south Georgia. Health authorities in Lowndes County reported a health emergency on May 6. Prior to the wet conditions about nine mosquitoes per trap were found in the county. After the onset of wet conditions, traps averaged 786 mosquitoes. Mosquitoes can act as carriers for multiple illnesses, including the West Nile virus.

No tornadoes were reported. The strongest storms occurred on May 2 and 3 with the passage of a strong derecho through north and middle Georgia. A derecho is a bow-shaped line of strong thunderstorms that move at speeds up to 60 miles per hour and can cause significant damage from straight-line winds. Numerous trees were reported down with the high winds observed throughout the month.

The drought conditions of the past few years may have contributed to the number of trees that were weakened and sustained damage. Some damage to vegetable crops was noted, and three center-pivot irrigation systems in central Georgia were destroyed by high winds and hail during the third week of May.

During the first of the month, farmers had trouble doing field work and planting due to dry conditions. After the first week, they had difficulty doing field work due to heavy rains. Powdery mildew and other plant diseases and the washing of fertilizer out of the fields were reported by a number of observers in the Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin this month. Some farmers reported hay rotting in the fields and small grains sprouting from the heads as well as drowned tobacco plants.

By Pam Knox
University of Georgia

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Southern Company, Environmental Partners Award Eight Wetland Restoration Grants Through Five Star Program

2009-05-28T09:06:00.000-04:00

/PRNewswire/ -- Southern Company (NYSE:SO) , the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, National Association of Counties and Wildlife Habitat Council today announced that eight new wetland, riparian and coastal conservation grants have been awarded in the Southeast through the Five Star Restoration Program.

This year, Southern Company provided $198,928 in grants and, combined with partner matching funds, a total of nearly $580,000 to restore more than 81 wetland acres and 12,500 feet of riparian buffer across 8 projects in Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Mississippi. Since 2006, Southern Company has contributed $820,210 through 41 grants, which will result in an on-the-ground conservation impact of $2.7 million to restore more than 10,000 acres of wetlands and nearly 46,000 feet of riparian buffer in the Southeast.

"EPA's Five Star Restoration Grants support community-based projects, including environmental education and training to restore wetlands, streams and coasts," said Stan Meiburg, EPA Acting Regional Administrator. "Over time, these grassroots efforts make a significant contribution to our environmental landscape and to the understanding of the importance of healthy aquatic ecosystems across the Southeast."

The Five Star Restoration Program is a national initiative providing financial and technical support to wetland, riparian and coastal habitat restoration projects. It brings together diverse partnerships of citizen groups, corporations, students, landowners, youth conservations corps, and local, state and federal government agencies to foster local natural resource stewardship through education, outreach and training activities. In 2006, Southern Company pledged $1.2 million over five years to fund community-based, wetland and streamside restoration across its four-state service territory. Additionally, Southern Company collaborates with the program partners to select the projects each year.

"Southern Company is committed to protecting and enhancing the wetlands in the Southern region through the Five Star Restoration program," said Chris Hobson, senior vice president of research and environmental affairs for Southern Company. "This is the fourth year of our five year corporate sponsorship and we're proud of the progress made thus far to promote healthy wetlands which provide critical habitats for many waterfowl, reptiles, mammals, fish, plants and more."

The following organizations in Georgia have been awarded Five Star grants in 2009:

-- Conasauga River Alliance - to restore 1.5 acres of the heavily silted
Colvard Spring, improving vital habitat for the Georgia-listed
Coldwater darter. The site will provide a potential safe-guard area
for Tennessee yellow-eyed grass, a federal endangered wetland plant of
the Limestone Ridge and Valley Province. The project will serve as a
demonstration workshop for county, landowner, and resource managers.
Partners include: Georgia Department of Natural Resources; Tennessee
Aquarium Aquatic Research Institute; Badger Farm Bed and Breakfast;
Murray County Public Works; and Limestone Valley RC&D Council.

-- Elachee Nature Science Center - to restore 30 acres of the floodplains
of the upper Walnut Creek Watershed by controlling Microstegium and
other invasive plants, and planting 5 acres of native plants
propagated from sources in the park which will provide important
wildlife habitat to the Georgia Piedmont. The project will educate
local students, teachers and the public about the impacts of exotic
invasive species and engage private citizens in controlling invasives
on their properties. Partners include: Gainesville/Hall County
Cooperative Weed Management; Chicopee Woods Area Park Commission;
Georgia Exotic Pest Plant; Hall County Master Gardeners; Smithgall
Woodland Garden; and Gainesville State College.

-- Georgia Plant Conservation Alliance - to restore 11.1 acres of
wetlands and riparian zones in northwest Georgia to help protect and
recover populations of three rare plant species: Tennessee
yellow-eyed grass, Georgia alder and Virginia spirea. This project
will also educate and engage students, teachers and the public through
training, participation, educational lesson plans and conservation
display gardens. Partners include: Atlanta Botanical Garden; Georgia
Department of Natural Resources; Georgia Power; Georgia Department of
Transportation; and USDA Forest Service.

-- Garden Hills Elementary School - to restore 300 feet of riparian
buffer along a small urban stream in Atlanta that can serve as an
outdoor classroom for students to learn about watersheds and wildlife
protection. This project will remove invasive plants and re-vegetate
with native plants. Interpretive educational signs will be posted at
the site for the community to explain the importance of native plants
to watersheds and wildlife. Partners include: Atlanta Public Schools;
Hands On Atlanta; Boy Scouts; Georgia Native Plant Society; Fernbank
Museum; and others.

The goal of EPA's Wetlands program is to motivate and inspire the Nation to value, protect and restore the ecological integrity of its wetlands and aquatic ecosystems. The Wetlands Program accomplishes this through co-leadership of the Clean Water Act's wetlands regulatory program, and by fostering effective wetlands management in strategic partnerships with states, tribes, local governments and other key partners. EPA's vision is for America to have abundant and healthy wetlands and aquatic ecosystems that sustain biologically diverse plant and animal life, improve water quality, protect communities from flooding and provide recreational opportunities.

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Gwinnett Restores Collins Hill Stream

2009-05-21T19:45:00.001-04:00

A severely eroded stream adjacent to Collins Hill High School has been restored to protect water quality in the Upper Yellow River Watershed, improve aquatic habitat and keep erosion from washing out a nearby trail. The project location is also near Collins Hill Aquatic Center and Collins Hill Park

In a joint project, Gwinnett County’s Water Resources Department worked with Parks and Recreation and the Board of Education to restore the stream buffers. “This work has resulted in an ideal area for public access, nature study, and bird watching in addition to reducing turbidity and sediment in the stream,” said Pete Wright of the County’s Stormwater Management Utility.

Appalachian Environmental Services completed the work that supports several different permit requirements. Gwinnett commissioners approved a change order Tuesday that reduced the project cost by $71,511. The $1.2 million project was paid from stormwater utility and water/sewer fees.

Standing Water Increases Risk of Mosquitoes

2009-05-12T11:01:00.000-04:00

Recent rainfall has prompted the Georgia Department of Human Resources (DHR) Division of Public Health (DPH) to remind residents about the importance of emptying standing water to minimize mosquito activity. The standing water that persists after downpours of rain provides additional places for mosquitoes to breed and may cause mosquito eggs to hatch that have laid dormant for months or even years. Several mosquito-borne viruses circulate in Georgia each year and are capable of causing disease in humans and other animals.

“By emptying standing water, Georgians are able to decrease the presence of mosquitoes and reduce their risk of contracting mosquito-borne illnesses,” said Dr. Sandra Elizabeth Ford, acting director of the Division of Public Health. “Even if residents do not believe mosquitoes are biting, we still encourage them to dump excess water.”

The most common mosquito-borne viruses that annually circulate in Georgia include Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), West Nile (WNV) and La Crosse viruses. Mosquito-borne viruses are most active from late spring to early fall in Georgia. Increased numbers of human cases are normally detected in August.

OTHER WAYS TO PREVENT MOSQUITO BITES:

Avoid outdoor activity at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active. Dress appropriately when outdoors for long periods of time or when mosquitoes are most active.

Use insect repellant with an EPA-approved active ingredient such as DEET, Picaridin or Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus. Always follow the directions on the package for safest and most effective use.
Please visit http://health.state.ga.us/epi/vbd/mosquito.asp for more information about mosquito-borne viruses in Georgia.
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Atlanta Mayor Franklin, Commissioner Hunter Attend Tri-State Water Hearing

2009-05-12T09:12:00.000-04:00

Mayor Shirley Franklin and Commissioner Robert Hunter were in Jacksonville, Fla., yesterday to attend a four-hour hearing on challenges by Alabama and Florida over use of Chattahoochee River water. Judge Paul Magnuson, a U.S. District Court Judge in Minnesota who has presided over a number of water-related lawsuits, has said that he will not immediately rule on the issue, which has fed a decades-long “water war” between Georgia, Alabama and Florida.

During the hearing, attorneys for the State of Georgia argued that legislation creating Lake Lanier clearly envisioned the lake as a water resource for the Atlanta area.

“As Mayor of the City of Atlanta – a City that operates a water and sewer system that serves over 1.2 million Georgians – I believe the vast majority of Georgians, Floridians and Alabamans want a negotiated resolution that protects everyone’s interests rather than a court-imposed mandate with a winner-take-all mandate,” Mayor Franklin said. “Through its undertaking of the $4 billion Clean Water Atlanta Program, Atlanta has shown itself to be acutely conscious of the necessity for protecting the river. Our residents have taxed themselves to fund the infrastructure improvements that will ensure that protection.”

“Atlanta continues to demonstrate its commitment to effective water resource management by our massive investment in our drinking water and wastewater systems,” Commissioner Hunter noted. “ Effective leadership and proper stewardship of water resources is essential to the future of the entire Metro Atlanta region.”
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Fayette: Your Vote Needed to Help Students with Water Conservation Efforts

2009-05-09T10:36:00.000-04:00

Gifted students at Fayetteville Intermediate are helping Fayette Countians conserve water, one flush at a time.

You might have seen them at the Home Depot in Fayetteville handing out the Flush Flow Fixer, an empty water bottle which recipients fill with water and place in the tank of their toilets. The bottle displaces the water each time the toilet is flushed, resulting in less water usage.

The students won a water conservation contest sponsored by Governor Sonny Perdue back in December 2007 and received $2,000 to implement the program. Almost two years later, the students are still working hard to get residents to conserve water and are going after another grant to keep their effort going.

Keep Atlanta Beautiful has selected them as one of four finalists in the “Stepping Lightly in Atlanta Awards Contest.” The contest is open to children in the metro Atlanta area who are taking steps to reduce their ecological footprints where it matters most: in their homes, schools and communities.

Now through May 15, you can cast your vote for Fayetteville Intermediate to help the students win the $1,000 grand prize. Simply go to www.wsbtv.com/goinggreengeorgia and watch a video to learn more about the Flush Flow Fixer and cast your vote.

“It looks like Fayette Intermediate is in the lead. The parents and friends of the school are really into this and are spreading the word and voting,” says Heidi Johnson, gifted teacher.

You can vote once every five minutes per IP address. For more information on the contest, visit www.keepatlantabeautiful.org.
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23 Georgia Communities and Water Authorities Surpass 10 Percent Water Use Reductions Since 2007

2009-05-07T21:21:00.000-04:00

For the last two years, Georgia has endured severe drought conditions that have resulted in the implementation of the State Drought Management Plan and required local governments, businesses and residents to change their water use habits. The Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) continues to closely monitor water use across the state, but especially in the counties where a level IV drought response remains in effect. As part of the drought response, local governments and their associated water authorities were charged with reducing their water usage by 10 percent. Since November 2007, 23 communities achieved an overall 10 percent reduction in water use, and 16 achieved a reduction of 15 percent or more (see attached table). The Association County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG) celebrates these efforts as part of County Government Week, May 3 – 9, 2009, which focuses this year on “Greening our Future.”

“Local governments and water authorities are a critical partner in our water conservation efforts,” said EPD Director Dr. Carol Couch. “They have achieved water savings in a number of ways, including outreach and education about outdoor water use schedules, maximizing system efficiency through monitoring, making repairs and improvements to infrastructure, and working directly with large water uses in their communities.”

Following the declaration of a level IV drought response in much of the state in September 2007, Governor Perdue directed EPD to modify water use permits to achieve a 10 percent reduction in water use for permit holders in the affected area. This requirement was implemented on November 1, 2007. Georgians met that goal during the winter of 2007-2008 when outdoor water use is minimal by conserving water indoors.

“While local water providers were responsible for achieving the targeted reduction in water use, this was no small task because it required the counties and their water providers to change the habits of those that used their water supplies,” said ACCG Executive Director Jerry Griffin. “I hope that these conservation habits will become the new ‘norm’, as it is more cost effective to generate water through more efficient use than through new the development of new infrastructure.”

As an example, Newton County Water and Sewage Authority was one of the water providers that surpassed the targeted 10 percent water use reduction by achieving a 24 percent overall reduction.

Mike Hopkins, Director of the Newton County Water and Sewage Authority, attributes these water use reductions to several proactive steps that were taken both internally and externally. According to Hopkins, the facility conducted a thorough assessment of its operations and eliminated leaks in its treatment and delivery systems which reduced its unaccounted water loss from 12 percent to 5 percent. They also implemented water conservation rates for customers and initiated a water conservation public education and outreach campaign.

“Water conservation here has been a community effort, and it is saving the county and its citizens money in the long run,” said Hopkins. “We are trying to meet the demands of our growing community with conservation and our existing infrastructure and supplies, thus delaying water supply expansion projects further into the future.”

Gary Howe, the Executive Director of the White County Water Authority agrees that encouraging conservation also has made a difference in his community. Howe credits the Authority’s customers for helping them achieve a 15 percent reduction in water use.

“We reached out to our two largest water customers, the Board of Education and a local poultry plant, and asked them to make some changes that would reduce their water use which they did,” said Howe. “Our homeowners also stepped up by reducing their water use.”

While 2009 has so far brought a more normal pattern of rainfall across much of the state, the drought level and associated water use restrictions will remain in place until it is determined that a relaxation of restrictions can take place without jeopardizing local water supplies. Georgians can learn more about the drought and water use schedules at www.georgiaepd.org. They can also find tips on outdoor water conservation and drought-tolerant planting at www.conservewatergeorgia.net.

“This drought has taught all important lessons,” said Griffin. “Water conservation and making more efficient use of our water supplies are critical to meeting our future needs. County government must continue to serve as leaders in this area.”

First celebrated in 1991, National County Government Week (NCGW) was created by the National Association of Counties (NACo) to raise public awareness and understanding about the roles and responsibilities of the nation’s 3,068 counties.
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Volatile weather month smacks Georgia

2009-05-06T11:29:00.000-04:00

April hit Georgia with almost every weather punch, including floods, hail, high winds, tornadoes and even two earthquakes.

Except for a few isolated areas in far north-central counties, rainfall across the state was above normal. More than 10 inches of rain was observed by radar in southeast and south-central Georgia, with some isolated unofficial reports in the U.S. Department of Agriculture weekly crop bulletin listing over 20 inches.

The highest official monthly total from the National Weather Service was 7.30 inches in Alma (4.14 inches above normal). The lowest total was in Augusta at 4.33 inches (1.39 inches above normal).

Atlanta received 5.18 inches (1.56 inches above normal), Athens 4.47 inches (1.12 inches above normal), Columbus 6.53 inches (2.69 inches above normal), Macon inches 5.66 (2.52 inches above normal), Savannah 6.97 inches (3.65 inches above normal) and Brunswick 5.83 inches (3.03 above normal). Many daily records were set during the month at these stations, including 3.66 inches at Savannah on April 2.

The highest one-day total rainfall from the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network was 6.53 inches near Baxley on the morning of April 3. There were also one-day totals in excess of six inches at Woodbine with 6.25 inches on April 1 and Moultrie with 6.04 inches on April.

Rainfall and flooding closed schools near Tifton in south Georgia for two days early in the month. Major and near-record flooding occurred along several rivers in the area. Over 80 buildings were impacted by the flooding, including 62 owner-occupied homes and 20 rentals. Of these, 20 received minor damage, 44 had major damage, and 18 mobile homes were completely destroyed.

In Atlanta, the monthly average temperature was 60.7 degrees (.9 degree below normal), in Athens 61 degrees (.1 degree above normal), Columbus 62.8 degrees (1.4 degrees below normal), Macon 62.6 degrees (.1 degree below normal), Savannah 65 degrees (.3 degrees below normal), Brunswick 67.3 degrees (.9 degree above normal), Alma 64.4 degrees (2.3 degrees below normal) and Augusta 62 degrees (.4 degree below normal). A record low of 32 degrees for the date was tied in Columbus on April 8.

There were numerous severe weather events over the month, including over 30 preliminary reports of tornadoes. This is the most tornadoes in April in Georgia for a decade.

Hail or high winds were observed somewhere in the state on at least 10 days, including a report of hail covering the ground in Elberton on April 14. Golf-ball-sized hail was reported at Turner Field in Atlanta on April 23.

Tornadoes were reported April 5 in south Georgia, April 10 throughout the northern half of the state, April 13 in south Georgia, and near Atlanta and Columbus on April 19. One person was killed by a drought-stressed fallen tree near Buckhead in Atlanta on April 13, and more than 250,000 people were without power during the storms.

One person was reported injured in Hancock County on April 10. Two people were reported injured near Woodstock near the Cobb County and Cherokee County border on April 19. Lightning caused a number of building fires on April 24 in and around Atlanta and caused the temporary evacuation of the control tower at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson airport, resulting in delays in arrivals and departures.

Because of the heavy rains this month, farmers had a difficult time working in the fields. Many fields of corn had to be replanted due to soggy conditions. High winds and hail damaged peach and pecan trees. Mild frost damaged grapes, strawberries and blueberries the week ending on April 13.

Two small earthquakes in Hancock and Baldwin counties on April 4 measured 3.1 and 2.2 on the Richter scale and were felt throughout the area. They could have been caused by shifting ground due to very wet soil.

By Pam Knox
University of Georgia

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Track Georgia's precipitation

2009-05-05T09:33:00.000-04:00

University of Georgia professor Mark Eiteman’s morning ritual begins at 6:45 each day. He brushes his teeth, makes a fresh bowl of fruit, checks his rain gauge and reports the measurement on the Internet.

As an engineering professor with the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, collecting rain data isn’t part of his job. He volunteers to gather the information for the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network, or CoCoRaHS.

“Official measuring stations across the state are sparse, and rainfall can vary quite a bit over short distances,” said Pam Knox, the state’s assistant climatologist and a CAES researcher. “With trained volunteers, CoCoRaHS helps fill these gaps and supply users with a better picture of rainfall patterns.”

The nonprofit national organization celebrated its first anniversary in Georgia on May 1, she said.

“Volunteering with the network is a great chance for weather enthusiasts and average citizens to be part of a project that collects vital rainfall data,” Knox said. “The data are readily available to the general public and other organizations. It is also critically important to understanding how rainfall varies around the state in times of limited water supply.”

At his Oconee County home, Eiteman records the level in his gauge every day, even when the gauge reads zero.

“As a researcher, I realize that zero measurements are important, too,” he said. “If you leave the recording blank for a day, you aren’t really helping record accurate data.”

Since joining the weather network, Eiteman has made several notable observations. For example, he watched his rain gauge reach the one-inch mark in just 14 minutes one day. He logged into the network that day to see how much rain neighboring counties received. The storm was very isolated.

“This was a prime example of how important zero measures are to data collection,” he said.
Eiteman’s children enjoyed seeing him log the snow that fell on his home in March.

The Georgia network has more than 400 volunteers but still needs more, Knox said, particularly in east-central Georgia near Augusta.

“We need volunteers all over Georgia,” she said. “We are better covered in Athens and in Tifton because of participation from UGA employees there.”

To participate, volunteers must purchase and use a specific rain gauge able to measure to one-hundredth of an inch. It costs $30 including shipping and handling, she said. The volunteers are trained to use an interactive Web site to post data.

The information is used by climatologists, hydrologists, water resource managers, UGA Cooperative Extension agents and experts with the National Weather Service. The CoCoRaHS program started in Colorado in 1998. The network now includes 42 states and more than 12,000 observers. It is funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Science Foundation. To volunteer or to learn more, visit www.cocorahs.org, or e-mail Pam Knox at pknox@uga.edu.

By Sharon Dowdy
University of Georgia

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Georgia Water Coalition Applauds Governor, Legislators for Protecting Well Water

2009-05-01T20:58:00.000-04:00

The Georgia Water Coalition (GWC) applauded Governor Perdue and state legislators today for passing and signing into law House Bill 552 (HB 552), a bill that extends the existing moratorium on injecting chemically treated water into the Floridan aquifer through 2014. The General Assembly had previously passed a five year moratorium twice on these types of injections to protect drinking water. The current moratorium would have sunset in 2009.

Ogeechee-Canoochee Riverkeeper Chandra Brown said, “As a coastal resident and mother, I am going to feel better about the security and health of our main water supply, the Floridan Aquifer, thanks to the work of the entire coastal delegation.”

During the legislative session, the GWC aired television commercials in Middle Georgia informing citizens about proposals to pump chemically treated sewage and river water into our groundwater. This practice, also known as aquifer storage and recovery, can contaminate vital drinking water sources for many Georgians.

Satilla Riverkeeper Gordon Rogers said, “Coastal Georgia is downstream from everyone in Georgia, and too often our rivers and streams suffer the consequences. We have been blessed with one of the finest sources for drinking water in the entire world, and I certainly appreciate that our legislature and our Governor have extended this necessary protection for another five years.”

Recently, injecting chemically treated sewage was proposed as an alternative to dispose of chemically treated sewage in Liberty County. Among the concerns are contamination by pharmaceuticals and personal care products, which are actively present in all treated sewage discharges. Earlier this year, the GWC released poll results from a survey conducted by The Schapiro Group showing that ensuring enough clean water continues to top Georgians’ environmental concerns. Of those surveyed, 73 percent supported extending a ban on injecting chemically treated water into aquifers.

“These issues are too often decided without the public knowing about them or getting involved” said April Ingle, Executive Director of the Georgia River Network. “The Georgia Water Coalition is changing that.”

The GWC is comprised of 174 groups, ranging from hunting and fishing groups, to religious organizations, environmental groups, and businesses, all working together to aggressively ensure enough clean water for current and future generations. The coalition is committed to continuing to raise the profile of clean water challenges and solutions available to our state’s leaders through an earned media campaign.

In response to HB 552, four local governments on the coast – the City of Savannah, Chatham County, City of Tybee, and Bryan County - passed resolutions supporting the ban on the practice because of their concerns about the damage that may be caused by injecting lower quality water into their high quality aquifer. The resolutions state that if injections were allowed, their drinking water supply could suffer negative consequences for coastal Georgia's economy and environment.

The National Research Council reported that a proposal to inject chemically treated water in South Florida aquifers posed significant risks to groundwater, including potentially increasing heavy metal concentrations, such as mercury. This report also found that the chemically treated surface water could contain bacteria and pathogens and contaminate groundwater. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers found levels of arsenic that exceeded safe drinking water levels in areas using the practice in South Florida.

“The Georgia Water Coalition is proud to vigorously defend clean water in Georgia and making sure citizens know about the importance of safeguarding water quality in Georgia’s communities,” said Dave Kyler, Executive Director of the Center for a Sustainable Coast, a member of the Georgia Water Coalition.

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Volatile spring weather whips Georgia crops

2009-04-24T09:44:00.000-04:00

Torrential rains have flooded fields and freezing temperatures have shocked plants, turning spring into a roller-coaster weather ride for Georgia farmers.

Over the past month, areas in south Georgia have received as much as 18 inches of rain, coupled with cold fronts dropping spring temperatures to below freezing.

The cold, wet weather delayed or postponed the planting of this year’s watermelon crop. Only 60 percent to 70 percent has been planted, according to a Georgia Agricultural Statistics Service survey of University of Georgia Cooperative Extension agents last week. A quarter of what has been planted is in poor condition.

If the rain stops and things dry up, farmers around Cordele, Ga. -- the hub of Georgia watermelon production – should have plenty of melons in time for the mother of all watermelon holidays: the Fourth of July, said Tucker Price, UGA Extension agent in Crisp County. Farmers there will plant 3,000 acres.

“Rain has stopped everything in watermelons. You just can't get out there. Some fields had been planted before the rain came while others were in the middle of planting and others had just applied fertilizers and laid plastic (into which the crop is planted in fields),” he said.

Blueberry farmers have also dealt with the weather.

Farmers in south Georgia plant two types of blueberries: highbush and rabbiteye. Highbush accounts for as much as 10 percent of the 15,000 acres in the area. The freezing spring temperatures zapped about half of that crop, said Danny Stanaland, blueberry expert and UGA Extension agent in Bacon County.

Highbush were damaged, but the rabbiteye variety, which is the most planted, is on track to make an excellent crop due to good pollination. Last year, farmers produced 34 million pounds. This year, Stanaland said, they could produce 15 percent more. Blueberry harvest for early-maturing varieties will start in the next two weeks.

Aside from some pocketed hail damage and some minor cold injury, Georgia’s Vidalia Onion crop is looking good, said Reid Torrance, UGA Extension onion expert in Tattnall County, where more than half of that crop is planted.

“Onion maturity has slowed considerably in the past two weeks and farmers are afraid the crop is not going to size adequately,” he said. “I think the warmer weather this week will make the crop progress in a more normal fashion. We are a just a bit delayed regarding maturity. I think growers are antsy about getting more onions harvested to meet market demand, but they are not yet mature enough or big enough.”

Three-quarters of Georgia’s expected 350,000 acres of corn has been planted. Of that, a quarter is in poor to very poor condition, according to the GASS report.

“As you can imagine, it has been rough for corn producers. The cold, wet conditions have delayed planting and growth of that which has been planted,” said Dewey Lee, UGA Extension small grains specialist. “We have maybe two weeks of good planting window before we begin to see daily yield losses due to time.”

Due to the wet, cloudy weather, Lee said, wheat yields could be less this year. But most of the expected 340,000 acres is in OK condition.

According to the report, 86 percent of Georgia’s peaches are in good shape. The remainder is in poor condition.

The wet weather slowed land preparation for peanuts and cotton, which farmers will begin to plant next month. Farmers are expected to plant 500,000 acres of peanuts, or 28 percent less than last year due to the current large surplus. Cotton acreage is expected to be 940,000 acres, unchanged from last year.

By Brad Haire
University of Georgia

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March rain soaks Georgia’s drought

2009-04-13T14:49:00.000-04:00

While temperatures were near normal for March in Georgia, rainfall was well above normal, according to data collected by the National Weather Service. Precipitation was below normal only along the state’s northern and southern borders and east-central area.

During the month, Atlanta received 7.13 inches (1.75 inch above normal), Athens 7.05 (2.06 inches above normal), Columbus 12.70 inches (6.95 inches above normal), Macon 7.78 inches (2.88 inches above normal), Savannah 2.84 inches (1.16 inches below normal), Alma 8.20 inches (3.40 inches above normal), Brunswick 3.61 inches (0.32 inches below normal) and Augusta 4.38 inches (0.23 inches below normal).

Georgia volunteer observers with the national Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network reported that the largest one-day rain amount was 7.15 inches on March 29 in Miller County in southwest Georgia. Other observers in the region reported 6 inches on that date in Albany and Tifton.

Observers reported snow early in the month as a low pressure area moved through southern Georgia, bringing wintry conditions to the northern part of the state. A band of snow fell along a line from Columbus to Toccoa with the heaviest amounts, over 8 inches, falling northeast of Athens.

Several temperature records were tied during the month. Athens tied a record high of 84 degrees Fahrenheit on March 9. Savannah tied its record of 26 F on March 4 and 5.

Most NWS stations reported mean temperatures a half of a degree above normal for the month. Macon reported the highest above-normal departure at 1 F. Alma reported the lowest below-normal departure at 1.6 F.

Severe weather hit the state several times in March. On March 15, a weak tornado was reported near Putnam in Marion County.

On March 26 and 27, scattered fallen trees, small hail and building damage occurred while a stationary front was located over central Georgia.

On March 28, widespread severe weather occurred in southern and central Georgia. Weak tornadoes were seen in Miller and Dooly counties, along with hail up to 1.25 inches in diameter and scattered wind damage. Heavy rains contributed to local flooding.

Due to the heavy rainfall across most of Georgia, drought levels in many parts of the state were reduced or eliminated. The exceptions to this reduction were the Lake Lanier and Lake Hartwell watersheds and parts of southeastern Georgia, where rainfall in March was below normal.

By Pam Knox
University of Georgia

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Georgia drought free except Lanier, Hartwell basins

2009-04-06T20:50:00.000-04:00

All of Georgia except the Lanier and Hartwell basins are now out of drought. Several days of heavy rain across the southern two-thirds of the state have alleviated the remaining drought conditions in south Georgia.

The Lake Lanier and Lake Hartwell basins remain in moderate drought. Lake Lanier is a major source of water for much of metropolitan Atlanta. On the Savannah River, Lakes Russell and Clarks Hill remain abnormally low for early April.

Soil moisture statewide is near normal for early April. In scattered areas across south Georgia, soil moisture is currently above normal.

Stream flows across the southern two-thirds of Georgia are well above normal. Daily record-high flows are being set on many rivers and creeks in southwest and south central Georgia. The National Weather Service is issuing flood warnings for many rivers in the state. Updated river stage information from the NWS is available at http://www.srh.noaa.gov/alr/index.shtml.

Drowning is a major cause of weather-related deaths in the U.S. Most of drowning deaths result from people driving vehicles into flooded roadways.

When a roadway is covered with water, it is virtually impossible to know the true depth of the water. It only takes a few inches of water to float a car and lead to disaster.

Additionally, when a road is covered with water it is very difficult to tell if the road has been washed away or the bridge has been undermined. The safest rule is if the road is covered with water, all drivers should “turn around, don’t drown,” as directed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's safety campaign.

Additional weather and climate information can be found at www.georgiaweather.net and www.georgiadrought.org.

Agricultural climatology information can be found at www.agroclimate.org.

Coastal climate information can be found at www.coastalclimate.org.

Daily rainfall data is at www.cocorahs.org.

U.S. Geological Survey data is at ga.water.usgs.gov.

By David Emory Stooksbury
University of Georgia

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Atlanta Dept. of Watershed Management Response to H.B. 406

2009-04-02T20:31:00.000-04:00

On Tuesday the Senate Rules Committee passed onto the floor a special interest bill that works against the common interests of all Georgians. It undermines investment in drinking water projects, including new reservoirs. It does this by jeopardizing infrastructure revenue bonds for the entire state of Georgia.

"House Bill 406 turns upside down the progress Georgia has made in water resource planning. It allows special interest projects to bypass the tried and true processes for project permitting and service delivery," says DWM Commissioner Robert Hunter.

H.B. 406 is designed to allow a local pump-storage reservoir in South Fulton County to avoid state requirements that have been in place for decades. The reservoir would constitute a new water withdrawal from the Chattahoochee River. One consequence of the statewide legislation would be to fundamentally change the process to decide which utility provides services within any given area. This change would make Georgia law and regulation significantly different from that of other States and would also significantly increase the risk to Georgia revenue bonds. Published reports by bond rating agencies verify that the stability of service areas is an important rating factor for revenue bonds.

"The national bond market is very unstable at the moment and even more so in Georgia where we have seen water system revenues drop by as much as 20 percent due to the drought. This is absolutely the wrong time to increase the risk to our infrastructure bonds by increasing the uncertainty of service areas and the revenues needed to pay the bond debt," says Hunter.
H.B. 406 will not increase investment in drinking water infrastructure or reservoir development. "It will, in fact, harm future reservoir development," says Hunter.
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Georgia Citizens in Storm Affected Area Water Alert

2009-04-02T20:24:00.000-04:00

Public Water and Wastewater Systems located in the potential impact area of Severe Weather
For Citizens in the Storm-Affected Areas:

The possibility of severe weather that includes heavy rains, large hail, gusty winds and isolated tornados threatens the majority of Georgia. Numerous portions of southwest and south-central Georgia have experienced heavy soaking rains over the past several days. This has caused minor to moderate flooding in numerous southwest Georgia counties. A large frontal system remains over the majority of Georgia. This front will sweep through Georgia tonight and the impact of these storms may cause problems with the supply of drinking water to citizens. The heavy rains have also overwhelmed several wastewater treatment plants causing them to by-pass water. The high winds or flooding may result in a loss of electrical power, flooding or damage to drinking water and wastewater facilities. A possible health hazard could then exist from the introduction of water of unknown quality into the water distribution system, storage tanks and sources of water supply.

If citizens experience a water supply outage or low water pressure, the Environmental Protection Division advises that all water be “boiled” prior to use for drinking, cooking, or preparing baby food in order to protect themselves from a potential health hazard. The water should be boiled for at least one minute after reaching a rolling boil, let it cool, and store it in clean containers with covers. Citizens should continue to boil their water before use until they are notified by their drinking water utility that the water system has been restored to full operation, and that the microbiological quality of the water in the distribution system is safe for human consumption. Unopened bottled water does not need to be boiled.

If boiling water is not feasible or bottled water is unavailable, then emergency disinfection of drinking water should be considered. Water disinfection procedures can be found on the United States Environmental Protection Agency website at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/faq/emerg.html. It is recommended that the instructions be printed and saved for use later if needed.

For additional information, please visit the Environmental Protection Division's website, www.gaepd.org. For specific questions please contact EPD's Drinking Water Program at 404-656-2750.
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New Water Policy Institute White Paper Offers Blueprint for Resolving Southeastern Water Wars

2009-03-31T17:34:00.000-04:00

/PRNewswire/ -- The Water Policy Institute, a non-partisan consortium dedicated to developing innovative, sustainable solutions for water supply, quality and use issues, announces the release of a white paper that examines the water consumption issues driving many water disputes and provides a blueprint for resolution.

"Water Wars: Conflicts Over Shared Waters," the first white paper produced by the Institute, focuses on the long-running war over water among Georgia, Florida and Alabama in the wake of the Southeast drought and the challenges resulting from a growing water footprint and increased consumption, both in the U.S. and worldwide.

"The water war in the Southeastern U.S. serves as a microcosm of water disputes occurring in the U.S. and throughout the world," said Kathy Robb, founder and director of the Water Policy Institute, and a partner at the law firm Hunton & Williams LLP. "This dispute has been made much worse in recent years by growing demand for the limited amount of water available."

The Southeast dispute shares many similarities with water conflicts worldwide, including competition for drinking water in an area of growth and development; increased agricultural needs; endangered and imperiled species protection; navigation, hydropower, fishing and other commercial disputes; and conflict between upstream and downstream users.

"Water supply, quality, and use issues pose major challenges for governments at every level, both in the U.S. and globally," said former EPA Administrator and New Jersey Governor, Christine Todd Whitman, president of the Whitman Strategy Group and chair of the Water Policy Institute. "The Water Policy Institute will continue to publish white papers that examine timely subjects and offer new ideas and potential solutions."

The Institute's white paper provides a guide for looking at and resolving the issues at the core of the Georgia, Florida and Alabama dispute and, by extension, other water wars. Among its proposals: that states hold off on pending litigation while President Obama appoints a federal moderator to facilitate an interstate compact, and that various studies be completed to explore how conservation, reclamation and reuse tools can lead to greater water efficiency.

"Our aim was to explore the root causes of water disputes and provide a suggested path for their resolution," added Robb.

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