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Over the last couple of months, I have watched this story develop. Now, the governor of Georgia has stepped in and reality is close behind. As Georgia residents begin to learn about saving water, who is telling them the truth of this matter in relation to growth and commerce?

The squeeze is on to save water
04 November 2007 - By LATEEF MUNGIN - ajc.com

If you thought you were already conserving water in October under the state's tightest water restrictions, think about slowing the spigot a little more.

Gov. Sonny Perdue's order for public-water providers in North Georgia to cut water usage by 10 percent over last winter's average went into effect Thursday.

In October, the first full month under Level 4 drought regulations, metro Atlanta's five major water providers were not even close to reaching the governor's mandate, according to an Atlanta Journal-Constitution analysis of water usage records.

This means water managers in 61 North Georgia counties will have to find new ways to dramatically save water or risk being fined. And residents, already forbidden from watering lawns, may have to find more ways to cut back.

"It is really up to our customers to find ways to conserve," said Chris Browning, assistant director of Fulton County Public Works. "We will be asking our customers to take shorter showers and switch out old toilets and faucets."

The amounts that the governor wants people to cut back is more than just a drop in the bucket.

For example, Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority's water production in October was about 17 percent above its new target. DeKalb's was about 13 percent over. Fulton was about 24 percent over. Atlanta was about 15 percent over. And Gwinnett was about 15 percent over.

Water use typically drops a bit in November, so that will help a bit, but it can't close the whole gap, water managers said.

"It is going to be difficult," said Frank Stephens, assistant director of Gwinnett Department of Water Resources.

Stephens said his agency is planning to put conservation tips on its Web site, produce public service announcements on a local television station and continue to give away conservation kits containing low-flow faucets to residents.

On Sept. 28, the state instituted Level 4 restrictions, which banned virtually all outdoor water use.

The governor's new reduction plan could save 35 million gallons a day in the city of Atlanta and counties of Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett and Cobb compared with average daily water use this time last year.

That would be more than a billion gallons of water saved for November — nearly what the Army Corps of Engineers released every day from Lake Lanier in October.

The state Environment Protection Division is the agency that will enforce the governor's new plan. This agency is in charge of monitoring water producers and imposing fines when agencies go above the new target.

Because water use is generally measured in average use over the course of a month, the first check will be in early December, EPD spokesman Kevin Chambers said. The department has not yet decided what the fines will be, he said.

At a news conference Friday, Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin said she is confident that Atlanta will meet the new target.

Franklin announced a conservation plan that would involve residents and some of Atlanta's largest water consumers in the business sector.

"To use a baseball term, we are swinging for the fences," Franklin said.

"But we know it will take conservation from our residential, industrial and wholesale customers and also the city government of Atlanta."

It may take a month to implement some of Franklin's new conservation plans.

And if Nov. 1, the first day of the new reduction, is any indication, the new conservation plan is needed.

Atlanta reported that it produced about 100 million gallons of water on Nov. 1, which is about 10 million more than the new target allows.

Comment: This article makes your world seem ok, just cut back on water and everything will be fine. The mayor of Atlanta even has confidence. That is misleading as growth as not been accounted for.

The days of having your water turned off without your say are coming soon, as corporations and big business pressure local power pundits to strengthen connections with those in power for special rights over poor citizens. Someone needs to search out data on corporative water use as they most likely waste more water than all the citizens put together. It may be said that the production of junk products are not as important as drinking water. Humans can learn to live without them and still survive. This is one of the best ways to counteract growth and mass despair.

Florida and Georgia are already beginning to get into arguments over water by throwing quite inaccurate statements around, such as septic tanks are bad because they don't return water to streams as fast as sewers, as though recycled water is our drinking water, and other nonsense ideas that have not been thought through carefully enough before blabbing out defense mechanisms that are emotional disorders.

See Commentary: How to Conserve Water