Georgia officials are quietly taking more control of the system of reservoirs in the works across the state.
Changes to Gov. Nathan Deal's water supply initiative give the state new powers to tap into reservoirs and wells built with state financing, a perk that could surely come in handy the next drought.
The revisions also encourage communities and utilities seeking a piece of the $44 million fund to show each project has statewide significance, not just a local impact, setting a new standard on what types of reservoirs should be built.
State leaders say the changes could cushion Georgia’s water supply from another devastating drought by strategically releasing water. They are also aimed at giving the state new pull in the latest courtroom battle with Florida and Alabama over regional water rights.
But critics worry the new rules will only lead to more confusion while lamenting that the changes exclude financing for utility improvements that can lead to more efficiency. It could also spur a new fight with neighboring states who argue that reservoirs in Georgia unfairly trap water that could be flowing downstream.
At an event this month, Deal hailed the groundbreaking of a reservoir called Hard Labor Creek as a sign that the water supply program is working. The Walton County project, which would ultimately be a 1,400 acre lake, secured a $32 million state-backed loan.
“This gives us greater storage capacity and allows local communities to supply their own water rather than take directly from the rivers we’re counting on to feed downstream users,” Gov. Nathan Deal said in an interview. “If we can accumulate water in the good seasons and have it available when we need it, that adds to our ability to grow.”
Yet the changes have unnerved some water policy analysts. Chris Manganiello, the policy director of the Georgia River Network, said they came without any input from state financial analysts and could lead to the embrace of risky reservoir schemes. He was also worried about some of the projects the criteria appear to leave out.
“We know that conservation and efficiency projects — fixing leaky distribution systems for example — are the fastest and most economical routes to growing water supply,” he asked. “Why exclude state direct investment from these projects?”
State officials, however, say several other state and federal infrastructure programs are aimed at increased efficiency. They also hope it gives them added leverage in the "water wars" dispute that took another unpredictable turn this month when Florida Gov. Rick Scott asked the Supreme Court to rein in Georgia's water use.
And while neighbors are wary of Georgia's plans — Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley worries that new reservoirs in Georgia could risk water downstream — Deal said that he sees it a different way.
“Anything we can do to be able to have reservoirs for current usage and future usage, and also to augment downstream flow during times of drought, that benefits downstream users in Georgia, Alabama and Florida,” he said.
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