Atlanta’s sewers need state and federal aid

By Sally Bethea

What should stink most to city ratepayers about the high cost for the overhaul of Atlanta’s water and sewer systems is the fact that the federal and state governments have provided minimal assistance over the past eight years — a measly $15 million from Congress and only reduced-interest loans from the state of Georgia.

It was federal and state regulators who shirked their responsibilities under environmental laws for decades while the city’s plumbing problems worsened — even though federal grant programs were then available and funding for infrastructure improvements was provided all over the nation. During this time, neighborhood streams in Atlanta became a public health threat, filled with sewage after every rain, and the price tag to fix the city’s water and sewer systems escalated, ultimately reaching today’s cost of $4.1 billion.

Whether our problems are due to their lack of clout or lack of inclination to help the city, Georgia’s congressional delegation should be concerned about the disproportionate expense some are shouldering for services that benefit a region, including downstream communities.

Mayor Shirley Franklin’s firm commitment to fix the city’s infrastructure and stop the pollution of downstream waters has improved relations with many stakeholders whose support is now critical as Georgia tries to negotiate an end to the tristate water wars. Imagine how difficult, if not impossible, it would be to come to any agreement with Alabama and Florida (and downstream cities in Georgia), if Atlanta was still routinely sending hundreds of millions of gallons of raw sewage downstream.

In addition to keeping sewage and other pollutants out of neighborhood streams and the Chattahoochee River, Mayor Franklin’s Clean Water Atlanta program has included capacity relief projects that have led to an estimated $17.7 billion worth of new in-town development that might not otherwise have been permitted without the increased sewer capacity. New residential and commercial projects have reinvigorated the city and provided a timely in-town renaissance.

Atlanta citizens, who now have some of the highest water and sewer bills in the country, are making these successes possible, but the burden is overwhelming and more help is desperately needed. Hopefully, our congressional delegation and state leaders will be able to work more productively with the Obama administration to bring stimulus and other funds to help support Atlanta’s infrastructure.

Most importantly, Atlanta’s new mayor must follow through on the strong leadership provided on this issue by Franklin and her team. Failure to complete this task, as scheduled, will cost the city of Atlanta and its taxpayers even more financially and politically. We have worked too hard and have too much to lose not to make it to the finish line. Atlanta’s next mayor will be held accountable for completing the job and ensuring enough clean water for current and future generations.

Sally Bethea is executive director of Upper Chattahoochee River Keeper.