Alabama’s Request for Atlanta Water is Sub Par
Alabama Governor Bob Riley must be really thirsty, because he wants 18 billion gallons of water from us. He has threatened to sue the Army Corps of Engineers to get them to essentially drain Lake Acworth, Lake Allatoona, and Carter’s Lake.
Riley wants the water for Alabama and believes that the Army Corps has broken its promises. For their part, the Army disagrees. Riley has said that there are uses for the water kept in those lakes and that “It’s not for recreation”. Riley complains that Alabama towns are in deep trouble and may lose access to water if they don’t get some of ours.
Here are two steps Riley could have taken, but didn’t. He did not call the Governor of Georgia and ask for help. If Alabama towns really, honestly, literally are going to be without water, Georgia can help a little, but the need really has to be there and there needs to be evidence of steps taken to economize the resources that are there.
That includes stopping to flow of water to Golf Courses. That’s a step Georgia could take as well. The Environmental Protection Agency already has safety concerns about golf courses and water use. Limiting the amount of water they use could help all of use dramatically. Two steps can immediately help here. Water only the greens and water them only after sunset. This reduce the amount of water a Golf Course uses by up to 80%. Also use gray water for this. The grass is less picky about the kind of water used. That lets the most expensive, processed water go to the schools and homes that need it.
Until Governor Perdue hears from Governor Riley, he should urge the corps to maintain appropriate reservoir levels at Georgia’s Lakes. Our citizens have needs as well and our growth rate is higher. We’re all going to have to conserve and use water more economically, but over time, Georgia is going to keep more of its own water as our population is growing.
July 23rd, 2007 at 9:21 am
I guess all that talk of praying for rain never worked out.
July 24th, 2007 at 5:09 am
Since the three Governors of Alabama, Georgia and Florida have been stalemated for years now on reaching a water settlement, I think Governor Riley already knew Perdue’s answer. I’m curious to know if Alabama has built any resovoirs lately.