The water resource [Vol. 3, no. 1 (July 2004)]

Upcoming Events

Stormwater Manual Training for City and County Staff

The District, Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) and Georgia Water & Pollution Control Association (GW&PCA) are hosting a series of training programs for local government staff on various aspects of the Georgia Stormwater Management Manual. These courses will provide an overview of the manual as well as such topics as better site design/lowimpact development/green infrastructure, adopting the manual and standards, implementing a post-development stormwater management ordinance, using the site development review tool and improving the site plan review and inspections process. Two courses were held in June. The remaining training dates and locations are:

August 10-11, Jonesboro August 12-13, Lawrenceville September 7-8, Conyers

September 9-10, Acworth October 12-13, Atlanta October 14-15, Lawrenceville

The course is designed for city or county public works, engineering, development review or planning staff and administrators who are involved in stormwater management,

drainage design, site plan review and watershed planning. Advanced registration and payment are required. Visit the GW&PCA Web site to register or for more information, (www.gwpca.org).
Upcoming Conservation Rates Seminar
The Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan recommends that to meet the District's water conservation goals, all District water supply systems need to implement at least a three-tiered inclining block rate structure by January 1, 2006. Conservation pricing is an effective tool for encouraging water conservation without hurting the revenues of water utilities. This technique reduces excessive discretionary water use by making water increasingly more expensive.
To aid utilities and retail providers in this transition to conservation rates, the District will offer a seminar on conservation pricing in the fall (date to be announced). The seminar will focus on pricing concepts, types of rate structures and the impacts of implementing conservation rate structures.
For more information contact Cindy Daniel at cdaniel@atlantaregional.com.

Volume 3, Issue 1-July 2004

Final Plans Afloat

In September 2003 the District Board adopted three comprehensive plans to ensure adequate supplies of drinking water, protect water quality and minimize the impacts of development on the District's watersheds and downstream water quality.
The adoption of the plans caps two years of planning efforts for the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District. These plans signify a major step towards regional cooperation for how best to meet our future water resource needs while ensuring the long-term sustainability of these resources.
The plans provide District jurisdictions and state officials with recommendations for actions, policies and investments for watershed protection, wastewater treatment and water supply and water conservation management. With input from technical experts and stakeholders from all the river basins in the District, the plans were carefully developed to meet state laws, local needs and District goals. They offer a blueprint that supports anticipated growth while preserving the environment.
For more information, visit www.northgeorgiawater.org. Single copies or CD-ROM versions of the plans can be requested via letter, fax, or email.

The Clean Water Campaign's "Raindrop" at the Captain Planet's Kids Get Down to Earth Day at Centennial Park in downtown Atlanta
Transitions
After two years of intensive planning efforts, the work of the District has shifted to implementation. While many of the specific recommendations are the responsibility of local governments and water and sewer authorities, the District planning staff is involved in a number of activities and events that are highlighted in this issue of the Water Resource.
This summer also marks a transition in the District's leadership. Joel Cowan's term as chairman of the District comes to an end. Chairman Cowan has been a strong and persuasive voice for regional cooperation during the three years of work. His efforts have laid the groundwork that will enable the District to move forward as this new phase continues.

A Newsletter of the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning

District Offers Ordinance Training for Local Governments
Last December and January, the District conducted eight oneday seminars throughout the 16-county area to give local government staff and elected officials an overview of the District's model stormwater management ordinances, along with the necessary information to begin adopting and implementing them in their jurisdictions. The nearly 200 attendees represented 46 cities and towns, 19 counties, six Regional Development Centers and various other groups and consultants from District communities. The response to the seminars was overwhelmingly positive.
State law requires that all local governments within the District implement the model ordinances or adopt requirements or regulations that are at least as effective. Under the timetable approved by the District, those local jurisdictions in the District that are currently covered under a Phase I NPDES MS4 stormwater permit were required to have adopted and implemented the model ordinances by April 3, 2004. Those jurisdictions covered under the Phase II MS4 program will be required to implement the ordinances by April 3, 2005. All other jurisdictions will have until April 3, 2006. The Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) will enforce these requirements.
Rain Sensor Legislation Passes the Georgia General Assembly
How often have you been aggravated to see a lawn sprinkler system operating during or after a rain? To eliminate this waste of water, the Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan requires rain sensor shut-offs on all new landscape irrigation systems. The District won a legislative victory during the 2004 session of the General Assembly when House Bill 1277 passed, mandating the sensors on new systems installed after January 2005. The sensors will help reduce unnecessary use. The District also encourages existing users to install these inexpensive devices.

District Seeks Federal Funding for Water and Sewer Projects
The District continues to work with the Georgia Congressional Delegation to secure federal funding for water and sewer infrastructure projects in the District. The District was able to secure $2.7 million during the 2003 appropriation cycle and is scheduled to receive $2.1 million from the 2004 cycle. These federal funds are distributed to local governments in the District for essential infrastructure projects. The District is currently working to secure funding from the 2005 federal appropriation cycle.
District, EPD Drafting Plan Implementation Guidelines
With the adoption of the plans, implementation of most of the strategies falls to local governments and authorities, with the Georgia EPD responsible for enforcement as well as permitting. The District has been working with EPD to develop guidelines to help local governments comply with the plans. These guidelines for compliance will be reviewed with the District's Technical Coordinating Committee (TCC) and Basin Advisory Councils (BACs) before going to EPD for approval by Director Carol Couch. These guidelines are designed to help both EPD and local governments in the District as they begin to implement the plans.
Water and Wastewater Rates Survey
The District has recently completed a Water and Wastewater Rates Survey. The survey includes data from 15 county water systems and 38 municipal water and/or wastewater retailers in the District. The published survey will be available on the District's Web site at www.northgeorgiawater.org, or by contacting Cindy Daniel at cdaniel@atlantaregional.com. The purpose of the survey was to assess current water rates within the District and to inventory the area's use of water conserving rate structures and surcharges. This information will be useful as a starting point for local governments as

they implement the recommendation in the Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan that, at minimum, all utilities institute a uniform pricing structure this year and an increasing tiered structure by 2006.
Public Awareness Efforts Continue

Reaching Out to Kids
In the last six months, the District has participated in several well-attended events to reach school-age children. Hundreds of children heard the District's pet waste message at the "Keep Streams Clean: Scoop the Poop!" relay race during the ACF Children's Water Festival in Columbus in March and at the Captain Planet's Kids Get Down to Earth Day at Centennial Park in Atlanta in April. One of the District's three educational goals is to reach school-aged children. In collaboration with the Clean Water Campaign, the District has conducted programs at area elementary schools and has developed and conducted a 30-minute "solutions to water pollution" classroom program that was wellreceived by classes in Gwinnett and Paulding counties. Both the relay and classroom programs are available to educators on the Clean Water Campaign Web site at www.cleanwatercampaign.com/what_can_i_do/teachers.html.
"Water -- Use It Wisely" Campaign Kicks Off in the District
The District is partnering with the Pollution Prevention Assistance Division (P2AD) of Georgia Department of Natural Resources to launch the "Water -- Use It Wisely" Campaign. This effort will bring messages about water conservation to residents of North Georgia. Practicing water-saving habits now will help ensure enough water for the region's future. The campaign will include public service announcements and billboard advertising running this month and in August.

The "Water -- Use It Wisely" Campaign gives viewers simple tips that can add up to big savings in water use. This theme is consistent with research conducted for P2AD during the fall of 2003. Researchers surveyed the Georgia public's perception of water issues and the motivational messages to which they will respond. The good news coming out of the survey is that Georgians have public positive attitudes about the general need to conserve water. However, they currently lack knowledge about what to do and where to find information on water conservation measures. The research also indicated that a water conservation campaign in Georgia will be successful if it includes a message that specifically encourages people to act by saving water and if it provides numerous water conservation tips.
Water conservation is an essential element of the District's Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan for 2030. An overarching goal of the District is to reach 75 to 90 percent of the District's population by 2006 with clear and concise water conservation messages. For more details, visit www.wateruseitwisely.com.
Clean Water Campaign Happenings
The Clean Water Campaign continues its workshops on various aspects of stormwater pollution prevention. These workshops are helping to meet the District's education goal of providing outreach and education to key target groups. This year's topics have included rain gardens (JanuaryApril), auto service (March-April), xeriscape (February-June), lawn care (April-May) and septic tanks maintenance (June). More workshops are scheduled for August and September. Visit the Clean Water Campaign Web site for details or to schedule additional workshops (www.cleanwatercampaign.com).