Permit Holders Exceed 10% Goal; Nearly 350 Million Gallons Conserved Daily

ATLANTA – Governor Sonny Perdue announced today that citizens in 61 drought-stricken Georgia counties reduced their overall water withdrawals by more than 10 percent in November, surpassing the Governor’s goal for water conservation.  According to EPD officials, water permit holders as a group conserved approximately 15 percent over last year’s water consumption levels.  The goal was to reduce by 230 million gallons of water per day.   Water use reports for November 2007 show the affected counties have conserved 348 million gallons per day.

“A 10 percent reduction translates to 230 million gallons a day.   Well, I'm here to report that not only did we meet that goal – we exceeded it,” said Governor Sonny Perdue.  “We have reduced water use by nearly 350 million gallons a day.  This is enough water to supply 1.7 million Georgia households every day.” 

In October, Governor Perdue directed the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) to modify its permits for surface water and groundwater withdrawal, and drinking water systems in the 61 counties included in the Level Four drought designation to require a 10 percent reduction in water withdrawals.

The largest withdrawal of water in the region is by 97 permit holders who account for 98 percent of water use.  The permit holders in the region that met the 10 percent reduction goal are:

• Douglasville-Douglas County Authority
• Madison
• Toccoa
• Villa Rica
• Paulding County Water System
• Atlanta
• Calhoun
• Atlanta-Fulton County Water Resources Commission
• Roswell
• North Fulton County
• Newnan
• Mount Vernon Mills, Inc.
• Demorest
• Clayton-Rabun County Water & Sewer Authority
• Athens-Clarke County Water System
• Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority
• Chemical Products Corporation
• Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources
• Oglethorpe Power Corp.
• Columbus
• Covington
• Harris County Water System
• Chatsworth
• Henry County Water Authority
• Southern Power Co-Plant Franklin
• Cornelia
• Catoosa Utility District Authority
• Upper Oconee Basin Water Authority
• Washington
• Cumming
• Fayette County
• Walker County Water Authority
• Adairsville
• Mohawk Industries, Inc.
• Oconee County-Watkinsville
• Woodstock
• Lafayette
• Westpoint Home Inc.
• Geo Speciality Chemicals
• Eagle & Phenix Hydroelectric Project, Inc.
• Imerys Marble, Inc.-Whitestone Mine
• Dalton Utilities
• Imerys Marble, Inc.-Marble Hill Mine
• Fall Line Hydro Company, Inc.
• Porterdale Hydroelectric Assoc.