ATLANTA (December 9, 2010) – In an ongoing effort to address Georgia’s pressing water needs, Sen. Ross Tolleson (R-Perry) and Rep. Lynn Smith (R-Newnan) co-chaired a meeting this week of the Joint Committee on Water Supply at the State Capitol. The committee brought together stakeholders from across the state to present financing, environmental and economic considerations for increasing Georgia’s water supply.
“Georgia’s economic future hinges on our ability to supply enough water to meet the demand of a rapidly growing population. The meeting outlined a number of options available to increase our water supply. Unfortunately there is no silver bullet for this issue, and it will require a combination of reservoir development, conservation and alternative methods, such as groundwater wells, to achieve an adequate supply,” said Tolleson. “Amid a billion dollar budget shortfall, we will be challenged to prioritize state funding this session to increase our water infrastructure, but we are committed to developing solutions that will sustain the future growth of our state.”
“We heard from several state agencies that were able to paint a clear picture of the status of Georgia’s current water supply,” said Smith. “It is apparent that we have come a long way in strengthening our water supply, but we still have more to do. I hope we are able to continue this important work as we evaluate our state’s water supply needs so that we can ensure our state takes the necessary steps to sustain our economic growth and quality of life.”
The committee heard from the Georgia Environmental Financing Authority (GEFA) on the financing options for building new reservoirs, while Allen Barnes of the Environmental Protection Division (EPD) encouraged looking at other types of water storage. One option is to use existing watershed dams, according to Brent Dykes of the Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission, who outlined a study of 166 dams throughout Georgia that could be potentially viable water supply sites.
The Georgia Water Planning and Policy Center gave an overview of the challenges that the state’s coastal region faces, and the Georgia Conservancy shared ideas to consider when building new reservoirs, including the environmental, financial and strategic implications.
While it’s widely agreed that the overarching need is to re-authorize Lake Lanier for its current water supply, many of today’s speakers suggested that even without losing the lake’s supply, there still needs to be substantial investment in water infrastructure to meet the state’s growth. Chris Clark, president of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, noted that other states are using the water crisis as a way to leverage their negotiations and draw business away from Georgia. According to Clark, water is the most important issue for industries such as bioscience, health care and agribusiness, which are critical to Georgia’s competitiveness.
Attending the meeting were Sens. John Bulloch (R-Ochlocknee), George Hooks (D-Americus), Butch Miller (R-Gainesville) and Jack Murphy (R-Cumming), as well as Reps. Rick Austin (R-Demorest), Bob Hanner (R-Parrott) and Randy Nix (R-LaGrange). Moving forward, the co-chairs plan to petition to have the committee reconstituted for another year, in order to allow for more study of this critical issue in Georgia.
Sen. Ross Tolleson serves as Chairman of the Senate Natural Resources and the Environment Committee. He represents the 20th Senate District, which includes Bleckley, Dodge, Johnson, Laurens, Pulaski, and Telfair counties and parts of Houston and Wilcox counties. He may be reached by phone at 404.656.0081 or via e-mail at ross.tolleson@senate.ga.gov.
Rep. Lynn Smith serves as Chairwoman of the House Natural Resources and the Environment Committee. She represents the 70th House District, which includes parts of Coweta and Heard counties. She may be reached by phone at 404.656.7149, or via e-mail at lynn.smith@house.ga.gov.
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release:
December 9, 2010
For Information Contact:
Natalie Strong, Director
Kallarin Richards, Deputy Director
kallarin.richards@senate.ga.gov
404.656.0028