Sometime back, we told you about the Georgia Regional Water Councils and the impact they will have on water policy for the entire state of Georgia.

view this map @ http://www.georgiawaterplanning.org/Files_PDF/basin_map.pdf

THEY ARE MEETING, AND THEY NEED TO HEAR FROM US!

Please attend the meeting in your area if it has not already been held. If it has already been held, contact the contact person and ask them to send you information of the past meeting and notices of future meetings. 

The Altamaha Regional Water Planning Council is holding its next meeting at the following time, date and location: 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., May 5, 2009, Southeastern Technical College – Vidalia Economic Development Center, 100 A Brinson Road, Vidalia, GA 30474 

For additional information about the Altamaha Regional Water Planning Council please contact:
Kevin Farrell, Assistant Branch Chief – EPD Watershed Protection Branch, 404-675-1621, Kevin.Farrell@dnr.state.ga.us

The Coastal Georgia Regional Water Planning Council is holding its next meeting at the following time, date and location: 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., May 4, 2009, J.F. Gregory Park, Stevens Wetlands Education Center, Cedar Street Richmond Hill, GA 31324 

For additional information about the Coastal Georgia Regional Water Planning Council please contact:
Jeff Larson, Assistant Branch Chief – EPD Watershed Protection Branch , 404-675-1664, Jeff.Larson@dnr.state.ga.us

The Coosa-North Georgia Regional Water Planning Council is holding its next meeting at the following time, date and location: 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., May 8, 2009, Appalachian Tech , 100 Campus Drive; Jasper, GA 30143 

For additional information about the Coosa-North Georgia Regional Water Planning Council please contact:
Becky Champion, Assistant Branch Chief – EPD Watershed Protection Branch, 706-888-8351, Becky.Champion@dnr.state.ga.us

The Lower Flint-Ochlockonee Regional Water Planning Council is holding its next meeting at the following time, date and location: 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., May 6, 2009, Mitchell County EMC, 475 Cairo Highway, Camilla, GA 31730

For additional information about the Lower Flint-Ochlockonee Regional Water Planning Council please contact: 
Tim Cash, Assistant Branch Chief - EPD Watershed Protection Branch, 404-675-1766, Tim.Cash@dnr.state.ga.us

The Middle Chattahoochee Regional Water Planning Council is holding its next meeting at the following time, date and location: 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., May 13, 2009, Callaway Gardens – Dogwood Room Mountain Creek Inn, 17800 US Hwy 27, Pine Mountain, GA 31822 

For additional information about the Middle Chattahoochee Regional Water Planning Council please contact: 
Tim Cash, Assistant Branch Chief - EPD Watershed Protection Branch, 404-675-1766, Tim.Cash@dnr.state.ga.us

The Middle Ocmulgee Regional Water Planning Council is holding its next meeting at the following time, date and location: 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., May 14, 2009, Amerson Water Treatment Plant, 703 Riverbend Road, Macon, GA 31211 

For additional information about the Middle Ocmulgee Regional Water Planning Council please contact: 
Kevin Farrell, Assistant Branch Chief – EPD Watershed Protection Branch, 404-675-1621, Kevin.Farrell@dnr.state.ga.us 

The Savannah-Upper Ogeechee Regional Water Planning Council is holding its next meeting at the following time, date and location: 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., May 7, 2009, Savannah Rapids Pavilion ,3300 Evans to Locks Road – Martinez, GA 30907 

For additional information about the Savannah-Upper Ogeechee Regional Water Planning Council please contact: 
Jeff Larson, Assistant Branch Chief – EPD Watershed Protection Branch, 404-675-1664, Jeff.Larson@dnr.state.ga.us

The Suwannee-Satilla Regional Water Planning Council is holding its next meeting at the following time, date and location: 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., May 6, 2009, C. E. Weir Center, 307 Bryan Street East, Douglas, GA 31533 

For additional information about the Suwannee-Satilla Regional Water Planning Council please contact:
Rob McDowell, Assistant Branch Chief – EPD Watershed Protection Branch, 404-675-1650, Rob.McDowell@dnr.state.ga.us

The Upper Flint Regional Water Planning Council is holding its next meeting at the following time, date and location: 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., May 1, 2009, One Griffin Center, Commissioner’s Meeting Room, 100 South Hill Street Griffin, GA 30223 

For additional information about the Upper Flint Regional Water Planning Council please contact: 
Tim Cash, Assistant Branch Chief - EPD Watershed Protection Branch' 404-675-1766, Tim.Cash@dnr.state.ga.us

The Upper Oconee Regional Water Planning Council is holding its next meeting at the following time, date and location: 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., May 8, 2009, Rock Eagle 4H Center – Rich Building ,350 Rock Eagle Road, Eatonton, GA 31024 

For additional information about the Upper Oconee Regional Water Planning Council please contact: 
Kevin Farrell, Assistant Branch Chief – EPD Watershed Protection Branch, 404-675-1621, Kevin.Farrell@dnr.state.ga.us

Where Will We Draw the Line?

I recently heard State Rep. David Schafer here in Cherokee County talking about the Tennessee River and Georgia.
I remembered hearing something about it last year, but didn’t pay it a lot of attention.
Apparently, the issue may again be raised in this upcoming legislative session.

Here’s the gist- so far as I can see it:

In 1796, the US Congress set the boundary between the two states at the 35th parallel, but the surveyors hired by the two states to set the markers apparently had bad equipment and even worse tables. According to one record, one of the Surveyors hired by Georgia begged the Governor to upgrade his equipment. You might say that it is effectively Georgia’s own fault that the boundary line was set almost a mile south of the 35th parallel, this blocking Georgia’s access to the Tennessee River and its waters. 

For what it’s worth, Georgia never ratified this demarcation. They have tried to correct this boundary in the 1880’s, 1940’s and again in the 1970’s. Tennessee did ratify this border (wouldn’t you?) and has pretty much laughed at any Georgia effort to change- er- correct the boundary issue.

Even under the current boundary marks, the Tennessee River watershed extends deep into Georgia. In fact, Georgia has more land pushing water into the Tennessee River than it does into Lake Lanier, the main source for all of Atlanta’s drinking water.

“The resolution before you does not move our boundary,” said Shafer when he introduced the bill last year, “It does not need to be moved. If you open the Georgia code you will see that Georgia law to this day defines our northern border as the 35th Parallel.” 

If Georgia manages to lay claim to even a portion of this water, pipelines and a water treatment plant could be delivering water to Atlanta. But not without approval by the TVA.

It seems this may not be the immediate answer to Georgia’s water needs, but it sure is an interesting one… 

Using Water to Take the Land

Since its enactment, the Clean Water Act of 1972 has led to significant and continued improvement in the quality of the nation’s waters. The law sounds good- everyone wants clean water, right? By in large, it has been a successful piece of legislation. Among other things, it has lead to stronger silt control legislation for construction sites and has made factories clean up their waste before it is put back into the water cycle.
The current law does rightly limit government authority over folks private property, and, as always, some government agencies have made attempts to overstep these boundaries. The US Supreme Court has made at least 2 decisions that Federal Agencies exceeded the authority granted them by this act. Rather than accept the High Court’s decisions in these cases, our Congress has decided to change the language of these laws.

House Resolution 2421 and Senate 1870 are pieces of legislation in The US Congress which will do just that. They were both introduced in 2007 and 2008, and in both cases, they were not voted on. They will likely be reintroduced in this new session, and many property rights groups and industry watchdogs believe this may be the year for a similar bill’s passage.

The House version is sponsored by Representative Oberstar and 171 Representatives, and the Senate version by Senator Feingold and 21 other Senators. The framers of these resolutions have very cleverly changed the wording in the current law from reading “Navigable Waters” to instead read “Waters of the United States”. The bill then defines that new term to include not only what was before considered navigable, but also even the water that will one day, through whatever means, wind up in those waters. 

Remember the water cycle from 4th grade science?

We are talking about every drop of water in the US!

Here's how:
To protect shipping and commerce, the Federal Government OWNS and controls US Navigable Waters. This little change in wording means they’ll own ALL the water! Every drop that falls on your land, every drop that is underground below your property, every drop that is in your pipes, and oh, by the way: humans are about 60% water by weight!
It may go even farther than that, though- the broad definition in this act has been construed to possibly include most land in the US, since it, too contains water. Minnesota State Representative Steve Drazkowski alluded to this in his letter to US Rep Tim Walz.
Freedom loving people should consider this abhorrent legislation! Please follow the links and look at the sponsors of these resolutions and see if any of them have sworn to represent you. Call your US Representatives and Congressmen and let them know that you expect them to uphold their oath and stand against this attempted power grab!
Of course, you can always contact us for more information on this or any other topic you find covered here. 

How Much Water do We Really Use?

80 years ago in America, it was considered a novelty to be able to turn on a faucet and have water on demand.  Now, it is expected, hardly ever thought about, taken for granted. 

 
According to water.org, the average American uses 100-176 gallons of water per day.  On the American Water Works Association website, they claim the number to be 69.3 gallons per day.

It appears that the larger number likely accounts for commercial and agricultural use, where the smaller number represents single-family dwellings.

One thing is certain- the United States is by far the largest consumer of water resources in the world*.  

How much water do you use?  If you are on municipal water, you receive a bill each month. Cherokee County, Ga (my hometown) charges its residents a rate per 1000 gallons.  Divide that number by the number of people in your house, then by the days in that billing cycle and you'll have your per individual daily water use.  Even if you're doing well against our National average, you may still find some easy room for improvement! 

First- check for and repair all your leaks.  It is estimated that up to 25% of all household water use is simply leaks.  Do you have a dripping faucet?  A leaking toilet?  How about a leak outside? Here's how to answer that question:

Just make sure all your water is turned off; then go look at your meter.  There should be a small hand or maybe a triangle on the dial.  That is your low-flow indicator and if it's moving- you have a problem!

Faucets can usually be repaired by replacing worn bushings in the handles.  A leak outside may not be immediately evident, but upon close inspection, you can usually find a greener spot in your lawn or an unusually boggy area in a landscape bed.  Start digging there.

If you have any uncertainty about tackling these issues alone- better to hire a pro.

Second- Check out your appliances and fixtures and see how efficiently they use water.  Old toilets and shower heads are our biggest water-wasters, and most governments offer rebates on more efficient replacements which will almost, if not entirely, cover the purchase price of these items.

Lastly- Consider changing your habits.  Do you pre wash dishes before you put them in your dishwasher?  Do you run the water while you brush your teeth and wash your face?  Do you wash your car at home instead of taking it to a low-use automatic facility?  Simple adjustments in the way you do things can really make a difference in your daily water use.

*Peter Gleick, president of the Pacific Institute for Studies in Development, Environment and Security proposed that international organizations and water providers adopt a minimum standard to meet four basic needs—for drinking, sanitation, bathing, and cooking. In 1990, Gleick estimated that 55 countries with a total population of nearly 1 billion people did not meet this standard as a national average.  More recent studies show this trend has not changed: charitywater.org reports that number has grown by at least 100,000 people worldwide who struggle to find just 5 gallons of fresh water per day.