WEEK IN REVIEW

> Traces of two pharmaceuticals were found in treated wastewater in Gwinnett County upstream from drinking water intakes for Atlanta and Cobb County, according to preliminary findings in a yearlong study that will produce a full report next spring. Researchers declined to identify the substances, which they said were at levels much smaller than medical doses. Gwinnett County ordered the $265,000 study, which is continuing.

> If approved by the Atlanta City Council, water rates in Atlanta will increase by 15 percent for most customers. Because people are using less water, the city has less money to pay for court-ordered water and sewer system improvements. The rate increase would affect customers who use more than 3,000 gallons of water per month; the average customer uses 6,000 gallons.

> The Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce sent out an "issue brief" stating Georgia's possible attempt to claim water from the Tennessee River by redefining the states' border would likely end up in the U.S. Supreme Court and take years, while doing nothing to address Georgia's immediate water needs.

> Because Georgia, Alabama and Florida couldn't reach an agreement by the deadline of March 1, the states must wait three years for the Army Corps of Engineers to decide who gets what, unless they can return to negotiations themselves. A formula for water sharing will be in the next operations manual from the corps, set for release in 2011.

> Despite the rains of last weekend, Lanier is still at a record low for this time of year, although it's heading up steadily. The lake level has been rising for months, and it's at the highest mark since late October. Track the lake's level at http://water.sam.usace.army.mil/gage/bufelev.htm.

—- Nisa Asokan

CONTINUING TO RISE

—184

Billion gallons of readily available water left in Lake Lanier for drinking, sewerage and power generation.

—1.4

Billion gallons being added daily, on average, to Lanier.

—126

Days it would take Lanier to fill at this rate.

WORDS ON WATER

"As we continue to see relief from the extreme drought, hopefully reproduction will rebound, and the future will remain bright for this important game bird."

Chris Baumann of the Georgia Wildlife Resources Division, who oversees the state's wild turkey project. Wild turkey season runs through May 15.

For the latest information on the drought, log on to ajc.com/drought

 Graphic shows a map of Georgia area lakes and its water capapcity.
LAKE CAPACITY
Allatoona Lake (not a part of the Chattahoochee River basin): 94%
Lake Lanier: 52%
West Point Lake: 84%
W.F. George Lake: 91%
Source: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers