Water Sense
Georgia
Water Fact Sheet
F1
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Irom the expanding Metro Atlanta suburbs to the
world-class golf courses on the Atlantic Coast,
Georgia's economy depends on a consistent
supply of fresh water. Though Georgia has a humid
climate and a statewide rainfall average of 51 inches
per year, periodic water shortages have become a fact
of life for the state's residents. Such shortages are trig-
gered not only by occasional droughts, but also by uncertain aquifer sup-
plies and a dwindling number of new surface water sources available to
satisfy the state's growing population.
Population Pressure
While Georgia's population grew modestly dur-
ing most of the 20th century, it has recently
boomed. Georgia was the sixth fastest growing
state in the nation in 2000, and by 2006 it had
risen to fourth, growing by 1.5 million people in
just six years. If current trends continue, Georgia
will reach 14.4 million residents by 2030.
About half of the state's residents live in rapidly
growing Metro Atlanta. The city has a small sur-
face water supply relative to its size. As a result
of this water supply and demand imbalance,
Metro Atlanta is disproportionately affected by
water shortages—a condition likely to worsen as
Atlanta continues to grow.
Water Supply
Like other Southeastern states, Georgia relies
heavily on groundwater to meet its population's
needs. The state's southern half lies above the
100,000-square-mile Floridian aquifer—one of
the world's most productive groundwater
resources and a principal water supply for
Georgia and other Southeastern states.
Even though Georgia's high average rainfall is
usually enough to recharge its aquifers, the
combination of recent droughts and increased
demand have strained the state's groundwater
resources. For example, unsustainable pumping
rates have significantly lowered water pressure
in the aquifer underneath Savannah and raised
May 2010
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concerns about saltwater intrusion into fresh
drinking water. Surface water supply is largely
limited by rainfall levels and Georgians'ability
to efficiently capture and manage this impor-
tant resource.
Solutions for the Future
Georgia has implemented a number of success-
ful water-efficiency efforts to reduce demand
on water sources, from the top levels of govern-
ment to its neighborhoods.
The Georgia legislature recently passed
Governor Sonny Perdue's plan to encourage the
conservation of the state's water supply, includ-
ing a mandate that state codes will require indi-
vidual water metering in multi-unit buildings, as
well as high-efficiency toilets and other plumb-
ing fixtures in all new construction beginning in
July 2012.
The state has also hosted a sales tax holiday for
the past two years on WaterSense labeled prod-
ucts. For several days in October, Georgia resi-
dents pay no state sales tax when they purchase
one of these water-saving devices.
Cobb County, which includes Marietta, was
named a WaterSense Partner of the Year for
2009. Cobb County's toilet rebate program
helped pay for more than 1,650 WaterSense
labeled toilets and brought together Lowe's, The
Home Depot, and local partners to make the
most of the statewide sales tax holiday.
On the other side of the state in Chatham
County, residents saved more than one million
gallons of water in one year after replacing 600
water-wasting toilets with more efficient models.
At the local level, Atlanta's Brown Village saw
water consumption drop by more than 6.1 mil-
lion gallons per year after distributing efficient
toilets, low-flow showerheads, and water-saving
tips to 340 residents.
If every household in Georgia replaced its show-
erheads with WaterSense labeled models, they
would save nearly 9 billion gallons of water,
more than $50 million in water bills, and anoth-
er $120 million in energy costs for heating the
water each year.
Continued efforts such as these will help
Georgia get the most of its water supply and
ensure sufficient water supply for generations
to come. To learn more about EPA's WaterSense
program, visit www.epa.gov/watersense.
cesource ai
In 2007, Georgia marked the 50-year anni<
sary of the construction of Lake Lanier, a r
voir on the Chattahoochee River situated
northeast of Atlanta. Originally constructed for
power production, flood control, and down-
stream navigation, the lake has become the
sole source of water for most of Metro Atlanta,
which presents a significant problem for the
future security of Atlanta's water supply.
In late 2007, the lake dropped to its lowest point
since construction, and persistent drought con-
ditions in 2008 slowed its recovery. Due to
extreme weather patterns Georgia experienced
in 2009, Lake Lanier made a full recovery; how-
ever, given that a hot day can evaporate about
200 million gallons from the lake, and with the
continued demand of Metro Atlanta's growing
population, major water-efficiency measures are
needed to avoid future droughts in the are
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