Residents have traded old, inefficient toilets — more than 100,000 at last count — for new models that use only a fraction as much water. Utilities have improved their ability to find and repair leaks, thanks to new tools such as sonar that help identify trouble spots. And “tiered” pricing, with rates that increase as the volume of water use rises, provides an incentive for consumers to conserve.
These are just a few of the conservation measures put in place across the region in the past 15 years under the leadership of the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District.
These steps are making a dramatic difference. Metro Atlanta’s population has increased by about 1 million people since 2000. Yet during that time, total water withdrawals in the region decreased by 10 percent, while per-capita water use fell by more than 30 percent.
In 2009, the Metro Water District predicted the region would use 1.2 billion gallons of water per day by 2050. Recently, the district issued a revised forecast that lowers the region’s expected daily water use in 2050 to between 862 million and 898 million gallons – a 25 percent reduction, even as our region adds nearly 3 million residents.
Metro Atlanta currently uses about 560 million gallons a day. Two-thirds or more of this water is treated and returned to area river basins.
This significant progress didn’t occur by accident. The Metro Water District, created by the General Assembly in 2001, brings together 15 counties, 92 cities and more than 50 water utilities to implement strategies to protect water quality and ensure efficient water use.
Georgia’s 2010 Water Stewardship Act is also making a difference, with measures such as mandating low-flow toilets and shower heads in new construction.
Aside from conservation, metro Atlanta has made great strides in how it treats and returns water to the region’s lakes and streams.
Local water systems are investing in state-of-the-art water reclamation facilities to ensure water is recaptured, treated and returned to our river basins. For example, Gwinnett County has spent more than $1 billion to build a world-class water reclamation facility and pipeline that will return up to 60 million gallons per day of clean, clear water to Lake Lanier.
The bottom line: Metro Atlanta is a good steward of its water resources.
Plenty of water is available for our region. But careful planning and management remain crucial to ensure we have an adequate water supply, knowing periods of drought are inevitable.
The new Metro Water District forecast shows this water supply will carry us even further, partially because conservation and efficiency have taken hold across the region. This is good news for Atlanta and for downstream communities which, like the metro region, depend on this water for their economic vitality and quality of life.
So, what’s next? The recent water demand forecast will inform the Metro Water District’s long-range water plan, which is being updated for approval next year. For the first time, this plan will integrate strategies for water supply and conservation, wastewater and stormwater into a holistic plan.
It’s easy to take water supply and quality for granted. Indeed, we don’t usually think about water unless there’s a drought or water main break.
But every time you turn on the faucet or water the garden, remember water is critical to our region’s economic future, as important as transportation or education.
That’s why the Metro Water District and its member utilities are working diligently to make the decisions and investments necessary to ensure the region has a secure supply of abundant, clean water — for this generation and for years to come.
Dallas Mayor Boyd Austin is chairman of the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District.
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