Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan
May 2009
Prepared By: AECOM
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
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Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan
Prepared for:
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District 40 Courtland Street, NE Atlanta, GA 30303 www.northgeorgiawater.org
Prepared by:
AECOM, Maddaus Water Management, and R2T, Inc.
May 2009
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Executive Summary
The Plan Update Process ...................................................................................................................... ES-1 Integration of Planning Efforts.........................................................................................................ES-2 Key Changes to the Plan .................................................................................................................. ES-2
Existing Water Supply and Treatment Facilities .................................................................................. ES-2 Existing Water Supplies ................................................................................................................... ES-2 Existing Water Treatment Facilities.................................................................................................ES-3 Existing Water Supply Interconnections..........................................................................................ES-3 Existing Interbasin Transfers ........................................................................................................... ES-3
Water Demand Forecasts ...................................................................................................................... ES-4 Water Conservation Analysis................................................................................................................ ES-5 Water Conservation Program................................................................................................................ES-5 Water Supply Sources ........................................................................................................................... ES-6 Water Supply Facilities ......................................................................................................................... ES-7 Water Reuse .......................................................................................................................................... ES-8 Local Planning Recommendations........................................................................................................ ES-8 Water Supply Issues..............................................................................................................................ES-9 State and Regional Policy Recommendations ...................................................................................... ES-9 Education and Public Awareness ........................................................................................................ ES-10 Plan Implementation ........................................................................................................................... ES-10
Implementation Funding ................................................................................................................ ES-10 Future Plan Evaluation........................................................................................................................ES-11
Section 1: Introduction
The Metro Water District.........................................................................................................................1-1 Regional Water Resources Plans .............................................................................................................1-1 Plan Implementation ................................................................................................................................1-5
Implementation Progress.....................................................................................................................1-6 Water Conservation Program .........................................................................................................1-6 Water Supply Strategies .................................................................................................................1-7 Education and Public Awareness ...................................................................................................1-8
Plan Development....................................................................................................................................1-8 Planning Process .................................................................................................................................1-8 Planning Participants...........................................................................................................................1-8 Policy Goals ........................................................................................................................................1-9 Plan Update Focus...............................................................................................................................1-9
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Integration with State Water Plan .....................................................................................................1-10 Key Changes to the Plan ...................................................................................................................1-10 Plan Overview........................................................................................................................................1-11 Organization of the Water Supply And Water Conservation Management Plan..............................1-11
Section 2: Existing Water Supply and Treatment Conditions Existing Water Supplies...........................................................................................................................2-1
Planned Reservoirs..............................................................................................................................2-4 Planned Storage...................................................................................................................................2-5 Groundwater Sources ..........................................................................................................................2-5 Interbasin Transfers.............................................................................................................................2-6 Existing Chattahoochee Basin Return Flows ......................................................................................2-7 Existing Water Treatment Facilities....................................................................................................2-7 Existing Interconnections..................................................................................................................2-10 Non-municipal Permitted Withdrawals.............................................................................................2-10
Section 3: Water Demand Forecasts Introduction .............................................................................................................................................. 3-1 Data Collected..........................................................................................................................................3-1
Water Billing and Production Data .....................................................................................................3-1 Population Forecasts ...........................................................................................................................3-3 Plumbing Fixture Stock.......................................................................................................................3-5 Assumptions ............................................................................................................................................. 3-6 Adjusted Base Year Profile......................................................................................................................3-6 Methodology ............................................................................................................................................3-8 Top-down Analysis .............................................................................................................................3-8 Bottom-up Analysis ............................................................................................................................3-8 Baseline Water Demand Forecasts ........................................................................................................3-11 Final Water Demand Forecasts with Metro Water District Conservation Program ..............................3-12 Beyond 2035 ..........................................................................................................................................3-13
Section 4: Water Conservation Analysis Existing Water Conservation Program ....................................................................................................4-1 Evaluation of Additional Potential Water Conservation Measures .........................................................4-2
Cost-effectiveness Analysis ................................................................................................................4-3 Comparison of Measures.....................................................................................................................4-4 Best Option Packages..........................................................................................................................4-6 District-wide Results of Option Packages Evaluation ......................................................................4-10 County Results of Option Packages Evaluation................................................................................4-11 Recommended Water Conservation Program (B).............................................................................4-13 Future Water Demand With Option Packages ..................................................................................4-13 Comparison with 2003 Plan...................................................................................................................4-15
Section 5: Water Conservation Program Action Item 5.1 Conservation Pricing ..................................................................................................5-2 Action Item 5.2 Replace Older, Inefficient Plumbing Fixtures ............................................................5-5 Action Item 5.3 Require Pre-rinse Spray Valve Retrofit Education Program ......................................5-7
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Action Item 5.4 Rain Sensor Shut-off Switches on New Irrigation Systems .......................................5-8 Action Item 5.5 Require Sub-meters in New Multi-Family Buildings.................................................5-9 Action Item 5.6 Assess and Reduce Water System Leakage..............................................................5-10 Action Item 5.7 Conduct Residential Water Audits ...........................................................................5-13 Action Item 5.8 Distribute Low-flow Retrofit Kits to Residential Users ...........................................5-14 Action Item 5.9 Conduct Commercial Water Audits..........................................................................5-16 Action Item 5.10 Implement Education and Public Awareness Plan .................................................5-18 Action Item 5.11 Install High Efficiency Toilets and High Efficiency Urinals in Government
Buildings ................................................................................................................. 5-20 Action Item 5.12 Require New Car Washes to Recycle Water ..........................................................5-21
Section 6: Water Supply Sources
Meeting 2035 Demand.............................................................................................................................6-1 Water Supply Evaluation Criteria ............................................................................................................6-3 2035 Water Supply Sources.....................................................................................................................6-3
Chattahoochee River Basin .................................................................................................................6-8 Chattahoochee Basin Limitations...................................................................................................6-9
Coosa River Basin...............................................................................................................................6-9 Coosa Basin Limitations ..............................................................................................................6-10
Flint River Basin ...............................................................................................................................6-10 Ocmulgee River Basin ......................................................................................................................6-12 Oconee River Basin...........................................................................................................................6-13 Tallapoosa River Basin .....................................................................................................................6-13 Future Interbasin Transfers ....................................................................................................................6-14 Post-2035 Water Supply Options...........................................................................................................6-15 Chattahoochee River Basin ...............................................................................................................6-17 Coosa River Basin.............................................................................................................................6-17 Flint River Basin ...............................................................................................................................6-18 Ocmulgee River Basin ......................................................................................................................6-19 Oconee River Basin...........................................................................................................................6-20 Tallapoosa River Basin .....................................................................................................................6-20
Section 7: Reuse
Types of Water Reuse..............................................................................................................................7-1 Metro Water District Water Reuse Alternatives ......................................................................................7-2
Non-potable Reuse ..............................................................................................................................7-2 Indirect Potable Reuse.........................................................................................................................7-4 Reuse Demand Estimates.........................................................................................................................7-6 Non-Potable Reuse Demand Estimates...............................................................................................7-6 Indirect Potable Reuse Estimates ........................................................................................................7-7 Action Item 7.1 Return Reclaimed Water to Lake Lanier and Lake Allatoona for Future Indirect
Potable Reuse .............................................................................................................7-8 Conclusions .............................................................................................................................................. 7-9
Section 8: Planned Water Supply Facilities
Action Item 8.1 Support Construction of 6 Planned Water Supply Reservoirs....................................8-2 Action Item 8.2 Construct 6 New Water Treatment Plants ..................................................................8-3
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Action Item 8.3 Expand 28 Existing Water Treatment Plants ..............................................................8-3 2035 Proposed Metro Water District Treatment Facilities and Capacities..............................................8-5
Section 9: Local Water Planning Action Item 9.1 Develop Local Water Master Plans ............................................................................9-2 Action Item 9.2 Develop or Update Local Emergency Water Plans ....................................................9-5 Action Item 9.3 Source Water Supply Watershed Protection...............................................................9-9 Action Item 9.4 Water System Asset Management ............................................................................9-11
Section 10: Water Resources Issues Federal Operation of Lake Lanier and Allatoona Lake .........................................................................10-1 Water Quantity Issues ............................................................................................................................10-1
Consumptive Use ..............................................................................................................................10-2 Reservoir Storage Reliability ............................................................................................................10-4 Regulation of Small Water Withdrawals ..........................................................................................10-4 Instream Flow Protection Policy .......................................................................................................10-4 Emergency and Drought Planning Issues..........................................................................................10-5 Climate Change Impacts ...................................................................................................................10-5 Water Quality Issues ..............................................................................................................................10-6 Water Treatment Standards...............................................................................................................10-7 Groundwater Treatment Rule............................................................................................................10-8 Chemicals of Concern .......................................................................................................................10-8 Sedimentation of Stream and River Intakes......................................................................................10-8
Section 11: State and Regional Policy Recommendations Post-2035 Water Supply Source Planning .............................................................................................11-1 Facilitate New Water Supply Sources ...................................................................................................11-1 Facilitate Water Permitting ....................................................................................................................11-2 Encourage Conservation Through State Legislation .............................................................................11-2 Small Water Withdrawals ......................................................................................................................11-3 Comprehensive Land Use Plan Coordination........................................................................................11-3 Water Conservation Program Evaluation ..............................................................................................11-3
Section 12: Education and Public Awareness Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 12-1 Education and Public Awareness Approach ..........................................................................................12-1
Water Supply and Water Conservation Messages ............................................................................12-1 Target Audiences ..............................................................................................................................12-2 Delivery Techniques .........................................................................................................................12-4 Regional Education Program .................................................................................................................12-6 Local Education Program ......................................................................................................................12-8 Local Education Program Requirements...........................................................................................12-8 Example Descriptions of Activities...................................................................................................12-9
Section 13: Implementation Plan Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 13-1
Roles .................................................................................................................................................. 13-1
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Table of Contents
Implementation Schedules .....................................................................................................................13-2 Implementation Costs ............................................................................................................................13-6
Implementation Funding ...................................................................................................................13-8 Water Rates .......................................................................................................................................13-8 General Appropriations (General Fund) ...........................................................................................13-8 Loans/Bonds ...................................................................................................................................... 13-8 Service Fees ......................................................................................................................................13-9 Grants ..............................................................................................................................................13-10
Section 14: Future Plan Evaluation Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 14-1 Plan Reviews and Updates.....................................................................................................................14-1
Annual Reviews ................................................................................................................................14-2 Plan Updates......................................................................................................................................14-2 Recommended Annual Reviews and Updates ..................................................................................14-2 Plan Accountability................................................................................................................................14-4 Measuring Progress................................................................................................................................14-4 Overall Water Use Metrics................................................................................................................14-4 Measuring the Water Conservation Program ....................................................................................14-5 Conclusions ............................................................................................................................................ 14-8
APPENDICIES
Appendix A Plan Accountability Index
Appendix B County Level Summaries
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Table of Contents
LIST OF FIGURES
Executive Summary Figure ES-1: Metro Water District Overall Per Capita Water Use Trends (2001-2035)......................ES-4 Figure ES-2: Metro Water District Water Demand and Supply ........................................................... ES-7
Section 1: Introduction Figure 1-1: Metro Water District Area ....................................................................................................1-2 Figure 1-2: Metro Water District Major River Basins .............................................................................1-4 Figure 1-3: Metro Water District Plan Development and Implementation..............................................1-5 Figure 1-4: Water Conservation Measures Implementation 2008 ........................................................1-6 Figure 1-5: Water Rate Structures by Population Served ........................................................................1-7 Figure 1-6: Metro Water District Policy Goals........................................................................................1-9
Section 2: Existing Water Supply and Treatment Conditions Figure 2-1: Chattahoochee Basin Withdrawals and Discharges for 2006 ...............................................2-7
Section 3: Water Demand Forecasts Figure 3-1: Water System Diagram .........................................................................................................3-2 Figure 3-2: 2006 Adjusted Municipal Water Use by County (AAD-MGD) ...........................................3-2 Figure 3-3: Metro Water District Water Use Profile (AAD-MGD) ........................................................3-3 Figure 3-4: Toilet Fixture Estimates by County, Year 2006....................................................................3-5 Figure 3-5: Water Use Model Methodology..........................................................................................3-10 Figure 3-6: Forecast of Baseline and Without Conservation Demands.................................................3-12
Section 4: Water Conservation Analysis Figure 4-1: Evaluation Process of Water Conservation Measures ..........................................................4-3 Figure 4-2: Present Value of the Three Water Conservation Option Packages.....................................4-11 Figure 4-3: Metro Water District Annual Average Day Water Demand Forecasts (2006-2035) ..........4-14 Figure 4-4: Metro Water District Overall Per Capita Water Use Trends (2001-2035) .........................4-16 Figure 4-5: Comparison of Baseline and Plan with Conservation between 2003 and 2009 Plans ........4-18
Section 6: Water Supply Sources Figure 6-1: Metro Water District Demand and Supply Forecasts ...........................................................6-2 Figure 6-2: Comparison of Future Water Supplies to Meet Demands.....................................................6-2 Figure 6-3: Surface Water Supply Sources Identified to Meet 2035 Demands.......................................6-4 Figure 6-4: Additional Potential New Surface Water Supply Sources for the Metro Water District
(Post-2035) ..........................................................................................................................6-16
Section 10: Water Resources Issues Figure 10-1: Chattahoochee Basin Withdrawals and Discharges for 2035 ..........................................10-3
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Table of Contents
LIST OF TABLES
Executive Summary Table ES-1: Metro Water District Percent Permitted Monthly Average Available Water Supply
by Basin ............................................................................................................................ ES-3 Table ES-2: Summary of Existing Net Interbasin Transfers ................................................................ ES-3 Table ES-3: Summary of 2035 Net Interbasin Transfers......................................................................ES-8
Section 1: Introduction Table 1-1: MetroWater District Local Jurisdictions ...............................................................................1-3
Section 2: Existing Water Supply and Treatment Conditions Table 2-1: Existing Municipal Permitted Surface Water Supplies (2006) .............................................2-2 Table 2-2: Planned Reservoirs................................................................................................................2-4 Table 2-3: Planned Storage.....................................................................................................................2-5 Table 2-4: Existing Permitted Groundwater Supplies ............................................................................2-5 Table 2-5: Summary of Existing Interbasin Transfers............................................................................2-6 Table 2-6: Existing Surface Water Treatment Plants .............................................................................2-8 Table 2-7: Non-municipal Permitted Withdrawals...............................................................................2-10
Section 3: Water Demand Forecasts Table 3-1: Population and Employment Forecasts by County ...............................................................3-4 Table 3-2: Adjusted Base Year Water Use Profile by County ...............................................................3-7 Table 3-3: Single Family Water End Uses (AWWARF) .......................................................................3-9 Table 3-4: Natural Plumbing Fixture Conversion ..................................................................................3-9 Table 3-5: 2035 Water Demand Forecasts by County..........................................................................3-13 Table 3-6: 2050 Population and Demand Forecasts .............................................................................3-14
Section 4: Water Conservation Analysis Table 4-1: Existing Water Conservation Measures in Metro Water District in 2003 Plan,
as amended ............................................................................................................................4-1 Table 4-2: District-Wide Results of Conservation Measures Evaluation...............................................4-5 Table 4-3: Descriptions of the Conservation Measures Evaluated Quantitatively and Qualitatively ....4-6 Table 4-4: District-wide Results of Option Packages Evaluation ........................................................4-10 Table 4-5: County Results of Option Packages Evaluation..................................................................4-12 Table 4-6: Metro Water District 2035 Water Use Forecasts by County...............................................4-15 Table 4-7: Comparison of 2003 Plan and this Plan Update..................................................................4-16
Section 5: Water Conservation Program Table 5-1: Water Conservation Tiered Rate Structure (Example) .........................................................5-2 Table 5-2: Minimum Local Education and Public Awareness Program Annual Requirements ..........5-18 Table 5-3: Optional Education Toolbox ...............................................................................................5-18
Section 6: Water Supply Sources Table 6-1: Surface Water Supply Sources Through 2035 ......................................................................6-5 Table 6-2: Summary of 2035 Interbasin Transfers...............................................................................6-14
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Table of Contents
Table 6-3: Chattahoochee River Basin Other Potential Surface Water Supply Sources (Post-2035) ..........................................................................................................................6-17
Table 6-4: Coosa River Basin Other Potential Surface Water Supply Sources (Post-2035).............6-18 Table 6-5: Flint River Basin Other Potential Surface Water Supply Sources (Post-2035) ...............6-18 Table 6-6: Ocmulgee River Basin Other Potential Surface Water Supply Sources (Post-2035) ......6-19 Table 6-7: Tallapoosa River Basin Other Potential Surface Water Supply Sources (Post-2035) .....6-20
Section 7: Potential Source Evaluation Table 7-1: Water Reuse Terminology ....................................................................................................7-1
Section 8: Planned Water Supply Facilities Table 8-1: Planned Water Supply Reservoirs in the Metro Water District ............................................8-2 Table 8-2: Planned New Water Treatment Plants in the Metro Water District ......................................8-3 Table 8-3: Water Treatment Plants Planned to be Expanded before 2035 .............................................8-4 Table 8-4: Proposed Surface Water Treatment Plants............................................................................8-5
Section 9: Local Water Planning Table 9-1: Recommended Formula for Calculating Water System Interconnection Reliability
Target (IRT) ..........................................................................................................................9-6
Section 12: Education and Public Awareness Table 12-1: Education Focus for Target Audiences..............................................................................12-2 Table 12-2: Educational Materials Available to Local Governments by the Metro Water District .....12-7 Table 12-3: Minimum Local Education and Public Awareness Program Annual Requirements.........12-8 Table 12-4: Example Water Supply and Water Conservation Education / Outreach and Public
Participation / Involvement Activities ...............................................................................12-9 Table 12-5: Water Supply and Water Conservation Education and Public Awareness Resources ....12-10
Section 13: Implementation Plan Table 13-1: Local Water Provider Implementation Schedule...............................................................13-3 Table 13-2: Regional Agency Implementation Schedule .....................................................................13-4 Table 13-3: State Agency Implementation Schedule............................................................................13-5 Table 13-4: Unit Cost Estimates for Water Supply Treatment Facilities .............................................13-6 Table 13-5: Estimated Annual Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan
Implementation Cost by Program Category ......................................................................13-7
Section 14: Future Plan Evaluation Table 14-1: Summary of Plan Elements to Be Reviewed and Updated Regularly by the Metro Water
District ...............................................................................................................................14-3
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The Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District (Metro Water District) was created by the Georgia General Assembly in 2001 (O.C.G.A. 12-5-572) to serve as the water planning organization for the greater metropolitan Atlanta area. The Metro Water District's purpose is to establish policy, create plans and promote intergovernmental coordination of water issues in the District from a regional perspective.
The Metro Water District includes 15 counties (Bartow, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Forsyth, Gwinnett, Hall, Henry, Paulding, and Rockdale counties) as well as 91 municipalities partially or fully within these counties. The Metro Water District also has seven authorities which provide water, sewer and/or stormwater services. The Metro Water District's plans and policies work to protect water resources in the Chattahoochee, Coosa, Flint, Ocmulgee, Oconee and Tallapoosa River Basins.
With the adoption of the Georgia State-wide Water Management Plan by the Georgia General Assembly in 2008, the Metro Water District is now one of eleven regional water planning councils in the state, and will continue to work within the integrated framework of state water resources planning.
The Metro Water District enabling legislation mandated the development of three long-term regional plans to address the water resources challenges:
Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan
Wastewater Management Plan
Watershed Management Plan.
The first plans were completed and adopted in 2003 and have been actively implemented by local jurisdictions in the Metro Water District. This document serves as the first update to the original Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan and details strategies and recommendations for both effective water supply and water conservation. It includes specific tasks and milestones for implementing these recommendations for local governments as well as regional and state agencies.
THE PLAN UPDATE PROCESS
The Metro Water District utilized an integrated planning effort similar to that used to develop the original plans in order to build consensus for long-term regional water resources management solutions. The Metro Water District water resources plans are the result of a collaborative effort between the Metro Water District's local jurisdictions, the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (Georgia EPD), and numerous stakeholders.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
As envisioned by the Metro Water District's enabling legislation, the planning process includes the Metro Water District Governing Board, a Technical Coordinating Committee (TCC), six Basin Advisory Councils (BAC), Georgia EPD, planning staff from the Atlanta Regional Commission and technical consulting firms.
INTEGRATION OF PLANNING EFFORTS
The Metro Water District also prepared two other plans which together with the Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan represent an integrated and holistic approach to water resources planning and management. The Watershed Management Plan details strategies and recommendations for both effective watershed and stormwater management and water quality protection. It includes specific tasks and milestones for implementing these recommendations for local governments as well as regional and state agencies. The Wastewater Management Plan sets forth strategies for comprehensive wastewater management efforts to meet future needs across the Metro Water District. The plan outlines a long-term implementation schedule for public wastewater treatment. It also provides for comprehensive wastewater planning to establish future sewer service areas and calls for more intensive management of privately owned septic systems.
KEY CHANGES TO THE PLAN
In this plan update, there are a number of changes from the 2003 Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan, as amended, including a reorganization of the document. The most notable organizational change involved providing simple implementation summaries for each measure that have more background and implementation guidance than were included in the 2003 document.
Additionally, key elements of updating the 2003 Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan include a review and update of water conservation measures, water demand forecasts, existing and potential water sources, extension of the planning horizon to 2035 and ensuring compatibility with the State-wide Water Management Plan. As a result of the review of water conservation measures, three of the measures from the 2003 Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan, as amended have been enhanced and two new measures have been added to the Water Conservation Program and are described in Section 5.
EXISTING WATER SUPPLY AND TREATMENT FACILITIES
Water supply service and management throughout the Metro Water District is provided by over 50 individual water providers. Water management includes supply, treatment, distribution, interconnections, and the interaction of these infrastructure systems with the natural systems.
EXISTING WATER SUPPLIES
The Metro Water District relies primarily on surface water from rivers and storage reservoirs as its main source of water supply. In fact, surface water provides over 99 percent of the water supply in the District. Within the Metro Water District, almost 888 AAD-MGD (average annual day-million gallons per day) of permitted water supply (surface and groundwater) is available. The Chattahoochee basin accounts for approximately 73 percent of the permitted available water supply in the Metro Water District. A summary of existing permitted monthly average available water supply by basin is presented in Table ES-1.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
TABLE ES-1 Metro Water District Percent Permitted Monthly Average Available Water Supply by Basin
Source Basin Chattahoochee Coosa Flint Ocmulgee Oconee Tallapoosa
Percent Permitted Monthly Average Available Water Supply
72.6 % 14.0 % 5.0 % 8.1 % 0.2 % 0.1 %
EXISTING WATER TREATMENT FACILITIES
The Metro Water District currently has 38 existing publicly-owned surface water treatment plants, ranging in permitted capacity of less than 1 MGD to 150 PD-MGD (peak day - million gallons per day), providing a combined permitted treatment capacity of 1,135 PD-MGD. The permitted treatment capacity of 1,135 PD-MGD or 710 AAD-MGD treats water from the 882 AAD-MGD of permitted supply.
EXISTING WATER SUPPLY INTERCONNECTIONS
All of the counties within the Metro Water District maintain interconnections with at least one other county for either routine or emergency water sale. Some of these interconnections originally served as a primary water supply source before the water system in the receiving county was adequately developed. These connections are now kept for emergency uses. Interconnections with other water systems provide a valuable means of increasing water system reliability.
EXISTING INTERBASIN TRANSFERS
Interbasin transfers of water and wastewater occur among municipalities, counties, and basins. Transfers among basins are particularly common within counties that straddle the ridges between two or more basins. Interbasin transfers are a key and necessary element in supplying water throughout the Metro Water District; there are water supply and wastewater transfers into and out of every basin. Table ES-2 summarizes the existing water and wastewater interbasin transfers in the Metro Water District.
TABLE ES-2 Summary of Existing Net Interbasin Transfers
Source Basin Chattahoochee
Receiving Basin Ocmulgee
Net Transfer (AAD-MGD) 100
Chattahoochee
Oconee
7
Coosa
Chattahoochee
14
Flint
Chattahoochee
2
Flint
Ocmulgee
5
Note: Transfers estimated based on 2006 actual withdrawals and discharges.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
WATER DEMAND FORECASTS
The "Demand Side Management Least Cost Planning Decision Support System" (DSS) computer model developed by Maddaus Water Management, which was used for the 2003 Plan, was updated and used to forecast water demands and assess water conservation measures. The model uses current water production and billing data provided by most local water providers, along with population and employment forecasts, to estimate water demands through 2035. The model provides water use for each county by water use sector (single-family, multi-family, commercial, industrial, institutional), splits usage into indoor and outdoor components and further subdivides indoor use into major end uses (toilets, faucets, etc.). The level of detail increases the accuracy of both the forecasts as well as the anticipated benefits of the water conservation program, because the demand and savings are based on the specific aspects of water use within that county. For example, the replacement of old toilets will conserve more water in a county with older housing stock than in a county with newer housing stock.
With implementation of the enhanced water conservation program, the projected water demand is estimated to be 1,011 MGD on an average annual daily demand basis. Figure ES-1 shows that this Plan update provides a 20% reduction in per capita demand from 2001 to 2035. The starting point of 168 gallons per capita per day (gpcd) reflects billing data for 2001 collected for the 2003 Plan. The 2006 data shows a 151 gpcd, used in the Plan update. The end point reflects the benefit of the conservation program in the Plan update.
FIGURE ES-1 Metro Water District Overall Per Capita* Water Use Trends (2001 2035)
170
165
Demand Forecast (gpcd)
160
155
150
145
140
135
130 2000
2005
2010
2015
2020
2025
2030
2035
Year
* Overall per capita = total water demand supplied by public water systems in the Metro Water District divided by the Metro Water District's population.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
WATER CONSERVATION ANALYSIS
Water conservation was considered first in the planning process, prior to looking at new or expanded sources. The water conservation analysis used the DSS computer model to maximize the cost-benefit of the updated water conservation program. The updated water conservation program expands the existing Metro Water District program to further enhance water conservation into the future. The program resulted from an extensive analysis of the current program, evaluation of new methods and measures, and stakeholder involvement.
An important step in updating the water conservation program was the review and screening of additional potential water conservation measures. A list of 45 potential water conservation measures were identified and evaluated. Each potential conservation measure was ranked against three qualitative criteria: technology / market maturity, service area match, and customer acceptance / equity. The screening process resulted in a short-list of new potential water conservation measures. The selected measures that could be evaluated quantitatively for water savings were modeled and ranked based on the cost of the water saved (cost / million gallons saved).
Combinations of the best individual water conservation measures were then placed in several different "Option Packages" or programs. Three water conservation packages were identified for the Metro Water District, each with varying degrees of water savings and costs. The existing adopted water conservation measures provided the backbone for each of these packages. Package A was composed of the 10 existing water conservation measures to provide a benchmark for the analyses. Package B was composed of Package A plus 2 new water conservation measures and 3 revised existing measures. Package C is comprised of all evaluated water conservation measures.
Water Conservation Program B was selected as the recommended program. This aggressive water conservation program will achieve significant savings (88 MGD) in addition to the savings (60 MGD) that will occur through the natural replacement of less efficient plumbing fixtures. Implementation of Program B realizes the majority of the water savings available while Program C requires spending 5% more (or $19M) to gain just 4 MGD of additional water savings. Implementing the measures in Program B provides additional water conservation benefits on the foundation provided by the existing measures without exceeding the number of measures that a local water provider can realistically implement.
WATER CONSERVATION PROGRAM
Water conservation is a critical element in meeting the water supply needs within the Metro Water District. When fully implemented, these water conservation measures will reduce the Metro Water District's water demand by the end of the planning period. Much progress related to water conservation has been achieved since the adoption of the 2003 Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan. The Metro Water District's plan has been instrumental in making water conservation a priority in north Georgia. The Metro Water District is the only major metropolitan area in the country with more than 100 jurisdictions that is implementing such a comprehensive long-term water conservation program that is required and enforced. Tiered water conservation rates have been put in place throughout the Metro Water District. All of the largest water systems have implemented programs to reduce system water loss. Toilet rebate programs are in place and ahead of schedule. The water conservation
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
measures in this Plan update include and go beyond the measures in the 2003 Plan. This update includes:
The 10 water conservation measures from the 2003 plan o Conservation pricing o Replace older, inefficient plumbing fixtures o Pre-rinse spray valve retrofit education program o Rain sensor shut-off switches on new irrigation systems o Sub-meters in new multi-family buildings o Assess and reduce water system leakage o Conduct residential water audits o Distribute low-flow retrofit kits to residential users o Conduct commercial water audits o Implement education and public awareness plan
3 of those 10 water conservation measures are strengthened o Irrigation meter pricing at 200 percent of the first tier rate o 1.28 gpf toilet rebate program only by 2014 o Minimum local education requirements and optional toolbox of examples is provided.
2 new water conservation measures are added o Install 1.28 gpf toilets and low flow urinals in government buildings o Require new car washes to recycle water.
WATER SUPPLY SOURCES
By 2035, the Metro Water District's water demands with the aggressive water conservation program will approach 1,011 AAD-MGD. The current permitted surface water supply is 882 AAD-MGD; therefore, to meet the projected future water supply needs in the Metro Water District through 2035 additional water supply sources will be needed. The future water supply alternatives to meet 2035 demands include existing water supply sources and reservoirs, expansions of existing sources, and potential new water supply sources. It is important to note that the benefits of the water conservation program were considered prior to consideration of additional water supply sources.
On an average annual basis, the anticipated 2035 permitted surface water supply is 1,140 AAD-MGD. Figure ES-2 shows graphically that the water supplies identified will meet 2035 forecasted demands.
Groundwater use makes up less than 1% of the public water supplies for the Metro Water District, due to bedrock geology. Over the 2035 planning horizon, it is expected that the percentage of groundwater use will remain about constant. For planning purposes, groundwater supply sources have been factored into the water supply plan as a source for small towns and as a supplemental source.
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FIGURE ES-2 Metro Water District Water Demand and Supply
1,200
1,100 1,000
Baseline With Selected Conservation Program
2006 Permitted Supply 2035 Planned Permitted Supply
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Supply/Demand (AAD-MGD)
900
800
700
600 2005
2010
2015
2020
Year
2025
2030
2035
WATER SUPPLY FACILITIES
In order to maintain reliable water supply within the Metro Water District, the following action items are needed to further maximize existing sources, secure additional water supply sources and build additional treatment capacity.
Construct three water supply reservoirs that are in the planning stages plus continue to investigate three additional water supply reservoirs needed within the planning horizon.
Construct two new storage facilities to drought proof and extend existing supply sources.
Construct 6 new water treatment plants and expand 28 existing water treatment plants based on the phased approach provided in Appendix B.
In 2035, the planned treatment capacity in the Metro Water District is 1,726 PD-MGD or 1,079 AADMGD from a total of 44 publicly-owned surface water treatment plants.
Table ES-3 provides the future interbasin transfers, based on 2035 demand forecasts and the facilities planned to meet the forecasted demand. Future planned water supplies aim to minimize interbasin transfers. The net interbasin transfer shows the total interbasin transfer based on expected permitted withdrawals and discharges.
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TABLE ES-3 Summary of 2035 Net Interbasin Transfers
Source Basin Chattahoochee Chattahoochee Chattahoochee Coosa Coosa Flint
Receiving Basin Flint Ocmulgee Oconee Chattahoochee Tallapoosa Ocmulgee
Net Transfer (AAD-MGD) 7 97 6 32 2 2
WATER REUSE
There are several types of reuse that may be used in the Metro Water District to extend supplies or replace potential new water sources with reuse water. The plan outlines the different types of water reuse as well a discussion of existing and future applications in the Metro Water District identified to meet the 10% reuse planning standard identified by Georgia EPD.
Non-potable and indirect potable reuse are both currently practiced in the Metro Water District and are expected to sustain water supplies into the future. Indirect potable reuse is highly encouraged, where appropriate. Non-potable reuse is acceptable depending on each local community's consumptive use challenges, when it offsets an existing potable water supply.
Long-term sustainability of the resource can be achieved through returning reclaimed water to Lake Lanier and Allatoona Lake. The cities and counties that withdraw water from Lake Lanier for drinking water supply should maximize the return of reclaimed water to the Lake. Summing both planned and incidental indirect potable reuse, communities currently plan to return over 100 AAD-MGD to Lake Lanier and approximately 36 AAD-MGD to Allatoona Lake as outlined in the Wastewater Management Plan within the 2035 planning horizon.
LOCAL PLANNING RECOMMENDATIONS
This Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan is regional in breadth, looking holistically at regional issues. The action items in this Plan are intended to be refined at the local level by the affected local water providers through local water master plans. Local water master plans, at a minimum, must conform to the goals of the Metro Water District's Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan to ensure that customer service goals are cost-effectively met with a long-term regional perspective.
Other local planning recommendations include developing local emergency water plans, taking necessary steps to protect source water supplies and developing a water system asset management program.
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WATER SUPPLY ISSUES
Lake Lanier and Allatoona Lake have played a key role in assuring an adequate water supply for the Metro Water District since their construction by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) in the 1950s. These federal reservoirs are multi-purpose projects that store water for multiple purposes: hydropower production, flood control, navigation, water supply, water quality, recreation and navigation. Although the Corps controls the storage in these reservoirs, the water in the State of Georgia is allocated and managed among users by the State of Georgia.
This Plan assumes that the federal reservoirs will continue to operate to meet water supply needs within the Metro Water District consistent with the guidance about future yield expectations provided by Georgia EPD. After reviewing alternatives to the use of the federal reservoirs, the Water District has concluded that there are no alternatives to the Chattahoochee River and the Etowah River as major water supply sources for north Georgia.
It should be noted that expectations regarding water supply available from the operation of Lake Lanier and Allatoona Lake assume operation of these Corps reservoirs based on a balanced operation of the projects for all purposes. Recent changes in Corps operations of these Lakes beginning in 2006 represent a dramatic change and are of concern. In addition, the operation of the federal reservoirs is the subject of litigation of which the outcome is uncertain. Nonetheless, the Metro Water District trusts that the Corps will eventually develop Water Control Plans for the ACF and the ACT that provide a balanced approach for all the users of each system.
Other issues affecting the Metro Water District include: minimizing consumptive uses (water reuse, septic systems, land application systems, and interbasin transfers), reservoir storage reliability, regulation of small water withdrawals, instream flow protection policy, drought planning, impacts of climate change on water resources, surface water and groundwater treatment standards, chemicals of concern, and sedimentation of stream and river intakes.
STATE AND REGIONAL POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS
State and regional policy recommendations are provided to further implementation of water supply and water conservation management in the Metro Water District. These recommendations are intended for state and regional agencies, and require no action on the part of local governments. Policy recommendations include:
Metro Water District should facilitate ongoing discussions on post-2035 water supply planning.
Georgia EPD and the Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority (GEFA) should continue to financially support the construction of needed water supply sources through GEFA and other Federal and State funding sources.
Georgia EPD should consolidate the permit cycles for water withdrawal permits and water treatment facility permits. Georgia EPD should also work to consolidate and standardize reporting to enable reports be simplified to meet multiple requirements.
Through Georgia legislation, the State plumbing code should be adjusted to reflect market maturity for higher efficiency fixtures.
Georgia EPD should study and make recommendations to the Georgia General Assembly on requiring all withdrawals in the Metro Water District to adhere to the same drought restrictions
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as those on public water supplies and requiring permits for less than 100,000 gpd within the Metro Water District.
Georgia Department of Community Affairs (Georgia DCA) should consider updating the new Comprehensive Land Use Plan review audit checklist as needed to encourage coordination between land use planning and water supply planning. Georgia DCA should also review and support source water supply watershed protection as outlined in the Part V Environmental Planning Criteria.
The Metro Water District should continue working with the Technical Coordinating Committee (TCC) and if necessary a working sub-committee of the TCC to collect data and measure progress of the regional water conservation program.
EDUCATION AND PUBLIC AWARENESS
Education and public awareness is essential to effective water resources management. This Plan includes a detailed education and awareness program specifically designed to:
Raise public awareness of water issues and needs to foster support for solutions;
Educate the public and other identified target groups in order to increase awareness and encourage behavioral changes; and
Coordinate with other public as well as private entities to maximize the visibility of the Metro Water District and its messages.
The Metro Water District education and public awareness program is comprised of two elements: a regional program managed by the Metro Water District staff; and education activities undertaken by local governments. The Metro Water District provides a regional education and public awareness program and develops mass media content and educational tools, including a comprehensive website, brochures and presentation materials. The local governments' role in education and public awareness is to reach out to specific groups in their community, provide educational materials and share knowledge of subject matters with the public by undertaking specific education and outreach activities.
PLAN IMPLEMENTATION
The Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan provides implementation guidance and schedules for the management measures and actions included in the Plan. Local water providers have a high level of accountability for implementing the Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan's measures through the Georgia EPD audit process. Georgia EPD auditors conduct a thorough review of the local programs and procedures to determine consistency with the Metro Water District Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan. Communities must substantially comply with the Metro Water District plan provisions in order to modify or obtain new water withdrawal permits, wasteload allocations, GEFA loan funding, or the renewal of MS4 stormwater permits. Overall, this system has worked well to ensure implementation of the provisions of all three Metro Water District water resources plans.
IMPLEMENTATION FUNDING
Successful implementation of the water supply and water conservation action items located in this plan requires adequate funding. Local governments should develop a stable funding mechanism that will
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provide for complete implementation. There is only one appropriate primary funding method available to local governments, water rates. In addition, there are a number of secondary sources of funding, including the local government's general appropriations, loans, bonds, service fees, and grants. A blend of funding mechanisms is recommended for most local governments.
FUTURE PLAN EVALUATION
The Metro Water District enabling legislation identifies the need to periodically assess regional progress toward implementation of the specific actions identified in the Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan and toward meeting the long-term goal of comprehensive water resources management. The aggressive conservation program and action items provide the framework for evaluating implementation of this Plan. The future evaluation includes annual surveys completed by the Metro Water District that will track progress.
There are two types of plan reviews and updates: annual reviews and plan updates that occur every five years. The reviews and updates are an important component of an adaptive management approach for all three of the Metro Water District's long-term management Plans (water supply and conservation, wastewater, and watershed).
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The Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan provides regional water demand forecasts that include the effects of water conservation and identifies adequate future water supplies in the 15county Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District. The Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan prescribes strategies and recommendations for effective water supply management. The Plan builds upon existing efforts to meet the overall goal of protecting water supply in and downstream of the region.
THE METRO WATER DISTRICT
The Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District (Metro Water District) was created by the Georgia General Assembly in 2001 (O.C.G.A. 12-5-572) to serve as the water planning organization for the greater metropolitan Atlanta area. The Metro Water District's purpose is to establish policy, create plans and promote intergovernmental coordination of water issues in the District from a regional perspective.
The Metro Water District includes 15 counties (Bartow, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Forsyth, Gwinnett, Hall, Henry, Paulding, and Rockdale counties) as well as 91 municipalities partially or fully within these counties (Figure 1-1). The Metro Water District also has seven authorities which provide water, sewer and/or stormwater services. Table 1-1 provides a list of the local jurisdictions that make up the Metro Water District. The Metro Water District's plans and policies work to protect water resources in the Chattahoochee, Coosa, Flint, Ocmulgee, Oconee and Tallapoosa River Basins (Figure 1-2).
With the adoption of the Georgia State-wide Water Management Plan by the Georgia General Assembly in 2008, the Metro Water District is now one of eleven regional water planning councils in the state, and will continue to work within the integrated framework of state water resources planning.
REGIONAL WATER RESOURCES PLANS
The Metro Water District enabling legislation mandated the development of three long-term regional plans to address the water resources challenges: water supply and water conservation, wastewater management and watershed protection and management. The first plans were completed and adopted in 2003 and have been actively implemented by local jurisdictions in the Metro Water District over the last five years.
This document, the Metro Water District's Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan, details strategies and recommendations for effective water supply management and conservation. It includes the specific tasks and milestones for implementing these recommendations for both local governments as well as state and regional agencies.
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FIGURE 1-1 Metro Water District Area
Section 1: INTRODUCTION
Clermont
Hall
Adairsville
Nelson
Waleska
985
75 Kingston
White
Canton
Ball Ground 575
Forsyth LAKE
SIDNEY
Gainesville
Bartow
Euharlee Taylorsville
Cartersville ALLATOONA LAKE
Emerson
Acworth
Cherokee
Holly Springs
Milton
Cumming 400
Woodstock Mountain Park
Alpharetta
LANIER Oakwood
Flowery Branch
Sugar Hill
Rest Haven Buford
Suwanee
85
Braselton
Roswell
Johns Creek
Braswell
Paulding
Dallas
Kennesaw
Marietta
Cobb
Hiram
Powder Smyrna Springs
Austell
285
Duluth Berkeley Lake
Dunwoody Norcross
Sandy
Lilburn
Springs
Doraville
Chamblee
Gwinnett
Lawrenceville Dacula Grayson
Clarkston Stone
Decatur
Mountain
Snellville
Villa Rica 20
Douglasville
Douglas
Atlanta
Fulton
East Point Hapeville
Pine Lake
Avondale
Estates
Lithonia
DeKalb
Conyers
College Park Forest Park
Union
Lake City
Rockdale 20
Chattahoochee Hills
City Fairburn
ClayMotrorown675
Riverdale
Stockbridge
Palmetto
Auburn
Coweta
Newnan
Jonesboro
Tyrone 85
Fayetteville
Lovejoy
Peachtree
City Fayette
Sharpsburg
Woolsey
75 Hampton
McDonough
Henry
Locust Grove
JACKSON LAKE
Lula Gillsville
Grantville
Moreland
Turin Senoia
Haralson
Brooks
Legend
WEST POINT LAKE
0
5 10
20 Miles
Interstate Highways Metro Water District Counties Metro Water District Municipalities
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TABLE 1-1 Metro Water District Local Jurisdictions
Counties Bartow County Cherokee County Clayton County Cobb County
Coweta County DeKalb County Douglas County Fayette County
Forsyth County Fulton County Gwinnett County Hall County
Henry County Paulding County Rockdale County
Municipalities Acworth Adairsville Alpharetta Atlanta Auburn Austell Avondale Estates Ball Ground Berkeley Lake Braselton Braswell Brooks Buford Canton Cartersville Chamblee Chattahoochee Hills Clarkston
Clermont College Park Conyers Cumming Dacula Dallas Decatur Doraville Douglasville Duluth Dunwoody East Point Emerson Euharlee Fairburn Fayetteville Flowery Branch Forest Park Gainesville
Gillsville Grantville Grayson Hampton Hapeville Haralson Hiram Holly Springs Johns Creek Jonesboro Kennesaw Kingston Lake City Lawrenceville Lilburn Lithonia Locust Grove Lovejoy Lula
Marietta McDonough Milton Moreland Morrow Mountain Park Nelson Newnan Norcross Oakwood Palmetto Peachtree City Pine Lake Powder Springs Rest Haven Riverdale Roswell Sandy Springs Senoia
Sharpsburg Smyrna Snellville Stockbridge Stone Mountain Sugar Hill Suwanee Taylorsville Turin Tyrone Union City Villa Rica Waleska White Woodstock Woolsey
Authorities Cherokee County Water and Sewerage Authority Clayton County Water Authority Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority Coweta County Water and Sewerage Authority
Douglasville-Douglas County Water and Sewer Authority Henry County Water and Sewerage Authority Peachtree City Water and Sewerage Authority
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FIGURE 1-2 Metro Water District Major River Basins
Section 1: INTRODUCTION
COOSA BASIN
River
REivteorwah Bartow
Etowah
Cherokee
ALLATOONA
LAKE
Little River
Forsyth
LAKE SIDNEY LANIER
Middle
Hall
Oconee River
Apalachee River Yellow River
Paulding
Cobb
River Chattahoochee
OCONEE BASIN
Gwinnett Alcovy River
TABLALSAINPOOSA
CHATTAHOOCHEE
Sweetwater Creek
BASIN
Douglas
Chattahoochee River
Fulton
DeKalb
OCMULGEE
South River
BASIN
Clayton
Rockdale
Big Cotton Indian Creek
Fayette
Henry
Flint River
Line Creek White Oak
WEST POINT LAKE
Coweta
Creek
FLINT BASIN
0
5 10
20 Miles
JACKSON LAKE
Legend
Interstate Highways Metro Water District Counties River Basin Boundaries
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The 2003 Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan planning process evaluated a wide spectrum of water conservation measures to develop a comprehensive regional water conservation program. The selected measures established a program that calls for intensive water demand management and aggressive water conservation. The plan includes recommended supply sources and facilities for the Metro Water District, as well as the sizing of water treatment plants required to meet local demands. The communities within the Metro Water District have worked aggressively over the past five years towards implementation of these management measures.
The Metro Water District also prepared two other plans which together with the Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan represent an integrated and holistic approach to water resources planning and management. The Watershed Management Plan details strategies and recommendations for both effective watershed and stormwater management and water quality protection. It includes specific tasks and milestones for implementing these recommendations for local governments as well as regional and state agencies. The Wastewater Management Plan sets forth strategies for comprehensive wastewater management efforts to meet future needs across the Metro Water District. The plan outlines a long-term implementation schedule for public wastewater treatment. It also provides for comprehensive wastewater planning to establish future sewer service areas and calls for more intensive management of privately owned septic systems.
PLAN IMPLEMENTATION
The Metro Water District, Georgia EPD and local governments all play important roles in implementing the District's water resources plans as illustrated in Figure 1-3 below. The Metro Water District develops the plans which are implemented by local jurisdictions. The Georgia Environmental Protection Division (Georgia EPD) enforces the plans' provisions through its permitting process. All local jurisdictions within the Metro Water District are required to substantially comply with the plans in order to obtain new or expanded water withdrawals or wastewater discharges, renewal of their NPDES municipal stormwater permits, or any Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority (GEFA) grant or loan funding.
FIGURE 1-3 Metro Water District Plan Development and Implementation
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IMPLEMENTATION PROGRESS
Water Conservation Program
An aggressive water conservation program was developed for the 2003 Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan. The Metro Water District is the only major metropolitan area in the country with more than 100 jurisdictions implementing a long-term comprehensive water conservation program that is required and enforced. The water conservation program is essential for meeting future water supply demands in the Metro Water District. Implementation of the ten measures adopted in 2003 has been very successful.
To gauge regional progress, the Metro Water District surveyed local water providers in the fall of 2008 on the status of implementation of key plan measures. Fifty-two water providers representing 96% of the Metro Water District's population responded to the survey. The survey responses regarding water conservation are summarized in Figure 1-4. Results are displayed as both the percent of population served by a water provider implementing each measure and by percent of water providers that are implementing each measure.
FIGURE 1-4 Water Conservation Measures Implementation 2008
All Metro Water District water providers are required to adopt a multi-tiered conservation rate structure. In October 2008, the Metro Water District published the 2008 Water and Wastewater Rate Survey which was based on a detailed survey of local water and wastewater providers in the Metro Water District regarding water and wastewater rates. The survey received 100% participation from Metro Water District water and wastewater providers. The conservation pricing statistics in Figures 1-4 and 15 are based on the results of the 2008 Metro Water District Water and Wastewater Rate Survey. The water and wastewater rate survey results found that over 99% of the District's population is served by
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increasing block or tiered water conservation rates, with 92.7% served by 3 or more tiers and 7% served by 2 tiers.
FIGURE 1-5 Water Rate Structures by Population Served
Increasing Block, 99.7%
3 tiers 92.7%
Uniform, 0.3%
2 tiers 7.0%
Decreasing Block, 0.02%
All Metro Water District water providers are required to adopt a program to replace older, inefficient toilets by 2009. Many water providers are ahead of the implementation schedule and are already implementing programs. In March 2008, the Metro Water District kicked-off its regional toilet rebate program to retrofit older, inefficient toilets. The program offers rebates to single-family residential customers of participating water providers that own or rent homes built before 1993. The Metro Water District provides administrative support services for the 13 participating water providers. In addition, eight other water providers had a local rebate program in 2008 to replace older, inefficient toilets. These programs rebated over 17,800 toilets in 2008, which will save over 300,000 gallons of water per day.
Water Supply Strategies
The Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan includes a framework for water supply facilities and strategies for resource management. Local water providers and Metro Water District have made significant progress in implementing specific water supply strategies, including:
Intensification of water conservation efforts;
Construction of four new reservoirs;
Sharing of water resources through interconnections for reliability; and
Reclamation of water by indirect potable reuse through Lake Lanier.
Local water management plans and emergency plans are needed to support the water supply strategies. The results of the 2008 implementation survey of local water providers show that 96% of the Metro Water District's population is served by local water providers with current long-range local water management plans and 79% of the Metro Water District's population is served by a local water provider that has a current emergency water plan.
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Education and Public Awareness
Since the adoption of the 2003 Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan, the Metro Water District has provided many technical workshops. Some of the water conservation workshop topics have included water conservation pricing, residential water audits, finding and fixing leaks, commercial water audits, assessing and reducing water loss, water efficient landscaping, xeriscaping, rain gardens, rain barrels, Project WET conserve water educator training, water festivals and other educational topics. In addition, the Metro Water District provided the first training in the country on the American Water Works Association's Water Audit Software in September 2006 to local water providers in the Metro Water District.
The Metro Water District works with the Technical Coordinating Committees and Basin Advisory Councils to develop educational material for the local water systems' customers, such as the Do-ItYourself Household Water Assessment, the Low-Flow Pre-Rinse Spray Valve brochure, the Landscape Irrigation Watering Guide and the Maintenance Guide for Landscape Irrigation Systems. Almost 99% of the Metro Water District's population is served by local water providers that provide education on conserving water.
Other education and public awareness activities include the annual essay contest and media campaign. The Metro Water District has reached out to school age kids through the annual essay contest. Over the last five years, the essay contest has received over a thousand essays from middle school students across the District. Also, the Metro Water District runs a media campaign every year. The Metro Water District partners with a local news station each year to produce and air water conservation public service announcements. In 2006, the Metro Water District and WSB-TV produced and aired a television special called "Our Water, Our Future."
PLAN DEVELOPMENT
PLANNING PROCESS
The Metro Water District enabling legislation requires that "the district shall prepare an updated water supply and water conservation management plan no less frequently than every five years after finalization of the initial plan." (O.C.G.A. 12-5-582(c)) The first 5-year update of the Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan has been completed in conjunction with updates to the Watershed Management Plan and Wastewater Management Plan.
The Metro Water District utilized an integrated planning effort similar to that used to develop the original plans in order to build consensus for long-term regional water resources management solutions. The Metro Water District water resources plans are the result of a collaborative effort between the Metro Water District's local jurisdictions, the Georgia EPD, and numerous stakeholders.
PLANNING PARTICIPANTS
As envisioned by the Metro Water District's enabling legislation, the planning process includes the Metro Water District Governing Board, a Technical Coordinating Committee (TCC), six Basin Advisory Councils (BAC), Georgia EPD, planning staff from the Atlanta Regional Commission and technical consulting firms.
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Metro Water District Board: The 26-member Metro Water District Governing Board is the decision-making body for the Metro Water District which includes local representatives from the Metro Water District communities as well as citizen members.
Technical Coordinating Committee (TCC): The TCC is comprised primarily of local government officials and staff from counties, cities, and authorities in the Metro Water District, and provides planning and policy support in the areas of water supply and conservation, wastewater management, stormwater and watershed management, septic systems, and education and public awareness.
Basin Advisory Council (BAC): The BACs are comprised of basin stakeholders including water professionals, business leaders, environmental advocates and other interested individuals and groups. Six BACs represent the Chattahoochee, Etowah, Flint, Oconee, Ocmulgee river basins and the Lake Lanier basin. The BACs advise in the development and implementation of policy related to basin-specific issues and provide input on plan content to the Governing Board, TCC and Metro Water District staff.
POLICY GOALS
The Metro Water District planning process was driven by policy goals agreed upon by all planning participants and adopted by the Board in 2002. These policy goals (shown in Figure 1-6) served as guideposts and helped ensure consistency of purpose for the watershed, wastewater, and water supply plans.
FIGURE 1-6 Metro Water District Policy Goals
Manage Metro Water District Water Resources
Sustainable Economic Development
Enhance Water Quality
Equitably Distribute
Costs
Implementable Measures
Education and Public Awareness
PLAN UPDATE FOCUS
Since their adoption in 2003, the Metro Water District plans have become valuable tools for protecting and preserving water resources. For the plan update process, there were a number of objectives developed in conjunction between Metro Water District staff, TCC and BAC's. For the Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan these included:
Revisit and update key assumptions, forecasts, analytical tools and techniques and integrate with updated policies and regulatory changes.
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Reassess water demand forecasts, taking into account watering restrictions, abnormal weather patterns, and most recent regional population projections.
Enhance focus on efficiency. Revisit and revise water conservation program as part of the forecasts and then identify sources and facilities to meet needs.
Provide more flexibility in plan implementation dates and capacities in Appendix B to eliminate the need for minor plan amendments.
Enhanced focus on water reuse to sustain water supply.
INTEGRATION WITH STATE WATER PLAN
In 2004, the Georgia General Assembly passed the Comprehensive State-wide Water Management Planning Act to establish a set of policies to govern water management decisions. Following two years of development and public comment, the Comprehensive State-wide Water Management Plan (State Water Plan) was adopted by the Georgia General Assembly on January 18, 2008. The overall goal of the plan is to manage "water resources in a sustainable manner to support the state's economy, to protect public health and natural systems, and to enhance the quality of life for all citizens".
Key themes repeated throughout the State Water Plan include: management of consumptive use to ensure present and future opportunities for use of the resource, importance of water conservation, and identification of future water supplies including reservoirs. Several meetings were held with Georgia EPD throughout the planning process to provide consistency with the State Water Plan. Future action items that may affect the Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan include creation of rules related to the Water Conservation Implementation Plan (WCIP).
Georgia EPD will establish guidelines and criteria for local plans to be implemented by the Metro Water District and the other planning districts statewide. As the state water planning process progresses, the Metro Water District will evaluate and update its water resources plans and programs as needed to stay in compliance with the State Water Plan guidelines and criteria.
KEY CHANGES TO THE PLAN
In this plan update, there are a number of changes from the 2003 Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan, as amended, including a reorganization of the document. The most notable organizational change involved providing simple implementation summaries for each measure that have more background and implementation guidance than were included in the 2003 document.
Additionally, key elements of updating the 2003 Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan include the following:
Review and update water conservation measures
Update water demand forecasts
Update existing and potential water sources
Extend the planning horizon to 2035
Ensure compatibility with the State-wide Water Management Plan
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As a result of the review of water conservation measures, three of the measures from the 2003 Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan, as amended, have been enhanced and two new measures have been added to the Water Conservation Program and are described in Section 5.
PLAN OVERVIEW
ORGANIZATION OF THE WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
The Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan is organized in the following sections:
Section 1: Introduction Provides an overview of the Metro Water District, water supply and water conservation management planning process, a summary of the successes of the 2003 Plan, and organization of this Plan.
Section 2: Existing Water Supply and Treatment Conditions Summarizes the current conditions in the Metro Water District, including existing water supplies and water treatment facilities.
Section 3: Water Demand Forecasts Provides the methodology and results for water demand forecasts based on population and employment projections for the Metro Water District.
Section 4: Water Conservation Analysis Summarizes the development and evaluation of water conservation options for the Metro Water District.
Section 5: Water Conservation Program Outlines the water conservation program measures that all Metro Water District communities are required to implement.
Section 6: Water Supply Sources Identifies surface water supply sources for the Metro Water District to meet future water demands and additional water sources that may be needed beyond 2035.
Section 7: Reuse Provides an overview of reuse alternatives, opportunities and challenges in the Metro Water District.
Section 8: Planned Water Supply Facilities Provides an overview of the recommended infrastructure improvements and water system interconnections in the Metro Water District.
Section 9: Local Water Planning Describes the roles and requirements for local water master plans.
Section 10: Issues Summarizes the water supply issues and limitations considered in development of the Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan.
Section 11: State and Regional Policy Recommendations Summarizes recommendations for various state and regional agencies to help advance watershed protection in the Metro Water District.
Section 12: Education and Public Awareness Outlines public education and outreach efforts at the regional and local levels.
Section 13: Implementation Plan Includes the specific tasks, milestones, and responsibilities for implementation of the recommended Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan. In addition, funding mechanisms for local water providers are provided.
Section 14: Future Plan Evaluation Summarizes metrics for future evaluation of the Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan.
Appendices
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M A Y 2 0 0 9 1-11
Section 1: INTRODUCTION
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WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M A Y 2 0 0 9 1-12
The Metropolitan North Georgia region developed in the headwaters of six river basins. The Metro Water District withdraws drinking water from the Chattahoochee, Coosa, Flint, Ocmulgee, Oconee and Tallapoosa river basins. The vast majority of the water supply for the Metro Water District, over 99 percent, is from these surface water sources.
Approximately 600 AAD-MGD (average annual day-million gallons per day) of potable water is currently withdrawn and provided to customers within the Metro Water District by publiclyowned water providers through a series of raw water supplies and treatment facilities. The current water withdrawals are based on 2006 local water provider data and reflect the ongoing drought conditions and emergency drought management measures in place in 2006. Currently, interbasin transfers are used in supplying water throughout the Metro Water District; there are water supply and wastewater transfers into and out of every basin in the Metro Water District. Inter-jurisdictional water connections serve as a valuable means of providing emergency and routine water supplies to many water systems in the Metro Water District.
EXISTING WATER SUPPLIES
Existing water supply sources in the Metro Water District were identified through existing permits issued by Georgia EPD, interviews with local water providers, and a literature review of available state, regional and local studies. Within the Metro Water District, including both surface and groundwater, almost 888 AAD-MGD of permitted water supply is available. The Metro Water District relies primarily on surface water from rivers and storage reservoirs as its main source for this water supply. The most significant water supply source for the region is the Chattahoochee River system, which includes Lake Lanier; the Chattahoochee basin accounts for approximately 73 percent of the permitted available water supply in the Metro Water District. Table 2-1 summarizes the surface water supply sources permitted within the Metro Water District.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
MAY 2009
2-1
Section 2: EXISTING CONDITIONS
TABLE 2-1 Existing Municipal Permitted Surface Water Supplies (2006)
Water Supply Source
Owner/Operator Utilizing Source
Chattahoochee River Basin
Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority
Chattahoochee River
DeKalb County Water System City of Atlanta Watershed Management
Atlanta - Fulton County Water Resources
City of Cumming
Forsyth County Water Resources
Lake Lanier
Gwinnett County Public Utilities
City of Buford
City of Gainesville Public Utilities
Bear Creek Reservoir (Note 1)
Douglasville-Douglas County Water and Sewer Authority
Dog River Reservoir
Douglasville-Douglas County Water and Sewer Authority
Big Creek
City of Roswell
Sweetwater Creek (fills Ben Hill Reservoir)
City of East Point
Cedar Creek Reservoirs Cedar Creek (B.T. Brown) Reservoir J.T. Haynes Reservoir
City of Palmetto Coweta County Water and Sewerage Authority Newnan Utilities (filled by 3 sources)
Sandy Brown Creek
Newnan Utilities (fills J.T. Haynes Reservoir only)
Permitted Monthly Average Withdrawal in Chattahoochee River Basin
Coosa River Basin
Etowah River
City of Canton
City of Cartersville (Note 8)
Hollis Q. Lathem (Yellow Creek) Cherokee County Water and Sewerage
Reservoir/Etowah River
Authority
Allatoona Lake
City of Cartersville (Note 8) Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority
Lewis Spring
City of Adairsville
Bolivar Springs
Bartow County Water System
Moss Springs
City of Emerson
Hickory Log Creek Reservoir City of Canton
(Note 2)
Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority
Permitted Monthly Average Withdrawal in Coosa River Basin
Flint River Basin
Flint River (Note 3)
Clayton County Water Authority (fills J.W. Smith and Shoal Creek Reservoirs) Fayette County Water System (fills Lake Horton only)
J.W. Smith and Shoal Creek Reservoirs (Note 4)
Clayton County Water Authority
White Oak Creek Line Creek
Newnan Utilities (fills J.T. Haynes Reservoir only) Newnan Utilities (fills J.T. Haynes Reservoir only)
Permitted Monthly Average Withdrawal (MGD)
Supplemental Source
Source at Intake
87 140 180 90 18 14 150
2 30
6
23
1.2
11.5
0.45
6.7
14
8
767.85
5.45 5
36
18 78 4.1 0.8 0.5
-
147.85
40 16
17 7 12
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M AY 2 0 0 9 2-2
Section 2: EXISTING CONDITIONS
Water Supply Source
Owner/Operator Utilizing Source
Permitted Monthly Average Withdrawal (MGD)
Supplemental Source
Source at Intake
Hutchins' Lake
City of Senoia
Whitewater Creek
City of Fayetteville
Lake Kedron (Note 4)
Lake Peachtree (Flat Creek) Fayette County Water System
(Note 4)
Lake Horton
Fayette County Water System
Whitewater Creek
Fayette County Water System (fills Lake Horton only)
2
Lake McIntosh
Fayette County Water System
Still Branch Creek Reservoir City of Griffin (will provide water to Pike,
(Note 5)
Spalding and Coweta Counties)
Permitted Monthly Average Withdrawal in Flint River Basin
Ocmulgee River Basin
W.J. Hooper Reservoir (Little Cotton Indian Creek)
Clayton County Water Authority
Blalock Reservoir/Pates Creek Clayton County Water Authority
John Fargason (Walnut Creek) Reservoir
City of McDonough
S. Howell Gardner (Indian Creek) Reservoir
Henry County Water and Sewerage Authority
Rowland (Long Branch) Reservoir
Henry County Water and Sewerage Authority
Towaliga River Reservoirs (Strickland and Cole) (Note 1)
Henry County Water and Sewerage Authority
11
Tussahaw Creek Reservoir
Henry County Water and Sewerage Authority
Big Haynes Creek (Randy Poynter Lake)
Rockdale County
Brown Branch
City of Locust Grove
Permitted Monthly Average Withdrawal in Ocmulgee River Basin
Oconee River Basin
Cedar Creek Reservoir (Note 6) City of Gainesville
North Oconee River (fills Cedar Creek Reservoir only)
City of Gainesville
20
0.3 3 4.5 14
12.5 1.68 52.98
20 10 2.4 8 10
13 22.1 0.3 85.8
2
Permitted Monthly Average Withdrawal in Oconee River Basin
2
Tallapoosa River Basin
Lake Fashion Cowan Lake
City of Villa Rica
1.5
Total Permitted Monthly Average Withdrawal in Tallapoosa River Basin
1.5
Total Permitted Withdrawal in Metro Water District (Note 7) Monthly average basis Annual average basis
1057.98 881.65
Notes: 1. Staggered withdrawal permit to maintain in-stream flows; maintained for emergency use only. 2. Hickory Log Creek construction is complete; reservoir is off-stream storage filled with water pumped from the Etowah River. Water
will not be withdrawn from the reservoir but instead from intake facilities downstream. 3. Clayton County Water Authority has a tiered withdrawal permit to maintain in-stream flows. 4. Combined permit limit. 5. Maximum monthly yield is 42 MGD for the entire reservoir. This reservoir is located outside of the District and is owned by the City of
Griffin. Reservoir serves Pike and Spalding Counties as well Coweta County. Coweta County currently has a purchase contract for 1.68 MGD of finished water from the City of Griffin which escalates at 0.36 MGD/year for an ultimate 7.5 MGD. 6. Previously known as North Oconee Reservoir. Will be used as a future water supply source. 7. Annual average day equals monthly average day divided by 1.2. 8. The City of Cartersville has two intakes covered under one permit, with a permitted monthly average withdrawal of 23 MGD. Of that permitted amount, up to 18 MGD may be withdrawn from Allatoona Lake on a monthly average basis.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M AY 2 0 0 9 2-3
Section 2: EXISTING CONDITIONS
PLANNED RESERVOIRS
In addition to the existing reservoirs presented previously in Table 2-1, there are three reservoirs planned for the Metro Water District in the near future that require 404 permits. These planned reservoirs are far enough along in the permitting process, as State and Federal permits are being sought for these projects. Three additional reservoirs are in early planning stages but anticipated to be constructed by the end of the planning period. It is important to note that although these reservoirs are planned to meet future demands, they will need to secure all necessary state and federal permits prior to operation. Table 2-2 summarizes the planned reservoirs. Yield and size information included in Table 2-2 is based on best available data. Safe yield studies may be needed to confirm the permissible yield.
TABLE 2-2 Planned Reservoirs
Reservoir (Note 1)
Owner/Operator
Basin
Estimated Size and Yield
Glades Reservoir
Utilizing Resource Hall County
Chattahoochee
The 733-acre reservoir with an estimated yield of 6.4 MGD will release water to Lake Lanier. Currently in the permitting process.
Bear Creek Reservoir
Proposed South
Chattahoochee
Fulton Water Authority
(Note 2)
Impoundment on Bear Creek, a tributary of the Chattahoochee River. The permitting process has been initiated with an estimated yield of 15 MGD.
Richland Creek Reservoir
Paulding County
Coosa
A 305-acre reservoir with an estimated yield of 35 MGD is in the permitting process on Richland Creek.
Etowah Reservoir
Fulton County
Coosa
A reservoir is being considered by Fulton County with a proposed 30 MGD yield.
Ocmulgee Reservoir
Henry County Water Ocmulgee and Sewer Authority
A new reservoir is being considered in the Ocmulgee basin with a proposed 13 MGD yield.
Cedar Creek Reservoir Gainesville-Hall County
Oconee
The Cedar Creek reservoir is expected to have a yield of 9 MGD and be supplemented with water from the North Oconee River.
Notes: 1. Reservoirs that do not require 404 permits, off-line reservoirs, and reservoirs whose primary purpose is to facilitate water treatment
plant operations are not included herein. 2. The service provider for the Bear Creek Reservoir should be resolved through negotiation process or other means before a permit is
issued to resolve conflicts with existing service areas.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M AY 2 0 0 9 2-4
Section 2: EXISTING CONDITIONS
PLANNED STORAGE
In addition to the reservoirs listed above in Table 2-2, there are two projects planned in the Metro Water District that will provide additional storage, but do not provide additional yield. These storage facilities will help drought-proof and extend existing sources and are listed in Table 2-3.
TABLE 2-3 Planned Storage
Storage Coweta County Sandy Creek Reservoir
Bellwood Quarry Reservoir
Owner/Operator Coweta County
City of Atlanta
Basin
Estimated Size
Chattahoochee 2.7 Billion Gallons
Chattahoochee 2.5 Billion Gallons
GROUNDWATER SOURCES
Groundwater sources make up less than one percent of the total available water supply in the Metro Water District due to bedrock geology. Groundwater supplies several small towns and is used as a supplemental source. The development of new groundwater sources will generally be of the type found in Clayton County, where wells supplement the existing surface water supplies rather than being the primary source. Table 2-4 summarizes the groundwater sources utilized for water supply within the Metro Water District.
TABLE 2-4 Existing Permitted Groundwater Supplies
Owner/Operator Utilizing Resource
County
City of White
Bartow
City of Ball Ground
Cherokee
Clayton County Water Authority
Clayton
City of Senoia
Coweta
Coweta County Water & Sewer Department
Coweta
City of Villa Rica
Douglas
City of Fayetteville
Fayette
Fayette County Water System
Fayette
City of Lawrenceville
Gwinnett
City of Flowery Branch
Hall
City of Hampton
Henry
City of Locust Grove
Henry
City of McDonough
Henry
City of Stockbridge
Henry
Total Groundwater Supply (monthly average basis)
Total Groundwater Supply (AAD-MGD) (Note 1)
Notes: 1. Annual average day equals monthly average day divided by 1.2.
Monthly Average Permitted
Withdrawals in MGD (2006) 0.2 0.2 0.73 0.5
0.125 0.94 0.83
2 0.37 0.14
1 0.15 0.52 7.7 6.4
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M AY 2 0 0 9 2-5
Section 2: EXISTING CONDITIONS
INTERBASIN TRANSFERS
The water and wastewater systems of the Metro Water District operate as an interdependent service network. Generally speaking, water is moved from areas where it is available to areas where it is needed; likewise, wastewater is moved from water use points to available wastewater treatment facilities. Transfers of water and wastewater occur among municipalities, counties, and basins. Transfers among basins are particularly common within counties that straddle the ridges between two or more basins. This situation applies to 11 of the Metro Water District's 15 counties.
Currently, interbasin transfers are a key element in supplying water throughout the Metro Water District; there are water supply and wastewater transfers into and out of every basin in the Metro Water District. The majority of water interbasin transfers are from the Chattahoochee River Basin. Residents in the Ocmulgee River Basin currently rely heavily on the Chattahoochee River Basin for water supply. For example, raw water is withdrawn from the Chattahoochee River Basin and is treated by DeKalb and Gwinnett Counties for distribution to areas both inside and outside of the Chattahoochee Basin. Smaller quantities are also exported from the Chattahoochee River Basin to the Flint, Coosa, and Oconee River Basins. Water is also transferred from Allatoona Lake (Coosa River Basin) to the Chattahoochee River Basin. Table 2-5 summarizes the existing water and wastewater interbasin transfers in the Metro Water District.
TABLE 2-5 Summary of Existing Interbasin Transfers
Water Supply
Water Supply Basin Chattahoochee
Receiving Basin Flint
Transfer (AAD-MGD) 9
Chattahoochee
Ocmulgee
127
Chattahoochee
Oconee
11
Coosa
Chattahoochee
13
Ocmulgee
Flint
5
Basin Generated Coosa Flint
Wastewater Returns Basin Discharge
Chattahoochee Chattahoochee
Transfer (AAD-MGD) 1 11
Flint
Ocmulgee
10
Ocmulgee
Chattahoochee
27
Oconee
Chattahoochee
3
Source Basin Chattahoochee
Net Interbasin Transfer
Receiving Basin
Net Transfer (AAD-MGD)
Ocmulgee
100
Chattahoochee
Oconee
7
Coosa
Chattahoochee
14
Flint
Chattahoochee
2
Flint
Ocmulgee
5
Note: Transfers estimated based on 2006 actual withdrawals and discharges.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M AY 2 0 0 9 2-6
Section 2: EXISTING CONDITIONS
EXISTING CHATTAHOOCHEE BASIN RETURN FLOWS
As the Chattahoochee River and Lake Lanier account for approximately 73 percent of the permitted available water supply in the Metro Water District, returning flow to this basin is an important element of this Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan. Currently, approximately 66% of the water withdrawn from the Chattahoochee basin is returned to the basin.
FIGURE 2-1 Chattahoochee Basin Withdrawals and Discharges for 2006
Discharge/Withdrawals (AAD-MGD) Discharges to Withdrawal Ratio
500
100%
450
90%
400
80%
350
70%
300
60%
250
50%
200
40%
150
30%
100
20%
50
10%
0
0%
Withdrawals
1Returns
Ratio
EXISTING WATER TREATMENT FACILITIES
Water supply and treatment is provided for the Metro Water District by various public local water providers. The structure of these local water providers differs across the Metro Water District; however, the majority are city or county-operated water and/or wastewater providers. A few third-party providers exist that provide water for a conglomerate of entities. An example of this is the Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority, which was created by the Georgia legislature to serve as a regional wholesaler of water. This Authority treats and distributes potable water for wholesale purchase by municipalities within Cobb County, as well as in neighboring cities and counties.
The Metro Water District currently has 38 existing publicly-owned surface water treatment plants, ranging in permitted capacity of less than 1 MGD to 150 PD-MGD (peak day - million gallons per day), providing a combined permitted treatment capacity of 1,135 PD-MGD. The permitted treatment capacity of 1,135 PD-MGD or 710 AAD-MGD treats water from the 882 AAD-MGD of permitted surface supply.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M AY 2 0 0 9 2-7
Section 2: EXISTING CONDITIONS
The Metro Water District's 38 surface water treatment plants range in age and condition. Additionally, the source water quality for these treatment plants varies widely. The vast majority of the water treatment plants utilize conventional treatment with chemical coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection. Some water treatment plants in the Metro Water District currently utilize or are investigating advanced treatment technologies such as ozonation, ultraviolet (UV) disinfection, and membrane filtration. Regulatory treatment standards continue to become more stringent, requiring treatment plants to continually assess and optimize treatment for continued compliance.
Groundwater accounts for less than 1 percent of the water supply within the Metro Water District, and typically only requires disinfection prior to distribution to customers. The City of Lawrenceville owns and operates the only groundwater treatment plant in the Metro Water District that applies additional treatment for removal of radon, iron and manganese to a groundwater-only source.
Table 2-6 summarizes the existing surface water treatment plants in the Metro Water District, including capacities.
TABLE 2-6 Existing Surface Water Treatment Plants
County
WTP
Entity
Source Stream/ Reservoir
Lewis Spring WTP
City of Adairsville
Lewis Spring (Note 2)
Bartow
Clarence B. Walker WTP
Emerson WTP
City of Cartersville City of Emerson
Allatoona Lake Moss Spring (Note 2)
Bartow County WTP Bartow County
Bolivar Springs
Canton WTP
City of Canton
Etowah River
Cherokee Etowah River WTP
Cherokee County
Yellow Creek Reservoir and
Water and Sewerage Etowah River
Authority
Clayton
Terry R. Hicks WTP W.J. Hooper WTP J.W. Smith WTP
Blalock Reservoir
Clayton County Water Authority
W.J. Hooper Reservoir
J.W. Smith Reservoir
Cobb
James E. Quarles WTP Cobb County-Marietta Chattahoochee River
Hugh A. Wyckoff WTP Water Authority
Allatoona Lake
B.T. Brown WTP
Coweta County
Coweta Hershall Norred WTP City of Newnan
Cedar Creek (B.T. Brown) Reservoir
J.T. Haynes Reservoir
Senoia WTP
City of Senoia
Hutchins' Lake
DeKalb Scott Candler WTP DeKalb County
Chattahoochee River
2006 WTP Permitted Capacity (PD-MGD) (Note 1)
4 27
0.5 0.8 5.45
38
10 20 12 86 72 7.7
14 0.45 128
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M AY 2 0 0 9 2-8
Section 2: EXISTING CONDITIONS
2006 WTP
Permitted
County
WTP
Entity
Source Stream/ Reservoir
Capacity
(PD-MGD)
(Note 1)
Bear Creek WTP Douglas
Franklin Smith WTP
Douglasville-Douglas County Water and Sewer Authority
City of Villa Rica
Bear Creek Reservoir Dog River Reservoir Lake Fashion, Cowan Lake
16.36 1.5
Crosstown WTP Fayette South Fayette WTP
Fayette County
Lake Horton, Lake Kedron, Lake Peachtree, groundwater
13.5 6.2
Fayetteville WTP
City of Fayetteville Whitewater Creek
3
Cumming WTP
City of Cumming
Lake Lanier
24
Forsyth
Forsyth County WTP Forsyth County
Lake Lanier
13.9
Atlanta-Fulton County WTP
Atlanta-Fulton County
Water Resources
Chattahoochee River
90
Comm.
Fulton
Hemphill WTP
City of Atlanta
Chattahoochee WTP
Chattahoochee River
136.5 64.9
Roswell Cecil Wood City of Roswell
Big Creek
1.2
WTP
East Point WTP
City of East Point
Sweetwater Creek
13.9
Palmetto WTP
City of Palmetto
Cedar Creek
0.6
Lake Lanier WTP Gwinnett Shoal Creek WTP
Gwinnett County Public Utilities
Lake Lanier
150 75
Buford WTP
City of Buford
Lake Lanier
2
Hall
Lakeside WTP
City of Gainesville
Lake Lanier
10
Riverside WTP
25
Towaliga River WTP Henry County Water S. Howell Gardner (Indian Creek)
24
and Sewerage
and Rowland Reservoirs
Tussahaw WTP
Authority
Tussahaw Creek Reservoir
13
Henry
McDonough WTP
City of McDonough John Fargason (Walnut Creek)
2.28
Reservoir
Locust Grove WTP City of Locust Grove Brown Branch
0.45
Rockdale Big Haynes Creek WTP Rockdale County
Big Haynes Creek (Randy Poynter
22.1
Lake)
Total Metro Water District Treatment Capacity (PD-MGD)
1135.29
Total Metro Water District Treatment Capacity (AAD-MGD)
709.56
Notes: 1. WTP capacity is on a permitted peak day basis. 2. Lewis and Moss Springs are groundwater under the influence of surface water and therefore classified as a surface water WTP. 3. Annual average day equals monthly average day divided by 1.6.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M AY 2 0 0 9 2-9
Section 2: EXISTING CONDITIONS
EXISTING INTERCONNECTIONS
All of the counties within the Metro Water District maintain interconnections with at least one other county for either routine or emergency water sale. Some of these interconnections originally served as a primary water supply source before the water system in the receiving county was adequately developed. These connections are now kept for emergency uses.
Interconnections with other water systems provide a valuable means of increasing water system reliability. If water systems are interconnected, finished water supply can readily be available in the event of a major water system failure. These connections can function on an emergency-only basis, as a peaking supply, or they can provide major or sole sources of water supply for some water systems.
NON-MUNICIPAL PERMITTED WITHDRAWALS
This regional plan focuses on municipal water supply, however, given the limitations of water supply it is important recognize other water users in the region. Non-municipal permitted withdrawals sum to 1,859.34 PD-MGD and 1,399.47 MGD on a monthly average basis. Table 2-7 provides a list of non-municipal permitted withdrawals by basin. Non-municipal permitted water withdrawals are approximately double the municipal permitted water supply. The largest nonmunicipal permitted withdrawals are associated with power generation in the Chattahoochee basin. Non-municipal water permittees will have water conservation programs under the Comprehensive State-wide Water Management Plan and be responsible for submitting progress reports over the next planning period.
TABLE 2-7 Non-municipal Permitted Withdrawals
Peak Day Permitted Withdrawal (MGD)
Basin Chattahoochee
Power Generation 1,114
Other * 9.58
Coosa
520
21.4
Flint
-
-
Ocmulgee
194
-
Oconee
-
0.36
Tallapoosa
-
-
Total
1,828
31.34
* Other uses include industrial demand and golf course irrigation.
Monthly Average Permitted Withdrawal
(MGD)
Power Generation 1,094
Other* 6.65
85
19.5
-
-
194
-
-
0.32
-
-
1,373
26.47
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M A Y 2 0 0 9 2-10
INTRODUCTION
This Section documents the methodology used to develop water demand forecasts. The "Demand Side Management Least Cost Planning Decision Support System" (DSS) computer model developed by Maddaus Water Management was updated and used to forecast water demands and assess water conservation measures. The model uses current water production and billing data provided by most local water providers, along with population and employment forecasts, to estimate water demands through 2035.
Using two distinct approaches, "top-down" and "bottom-up", the model calculates indoor and outdoor anticipated demands for each of the customer categories: single-family residential, multifamily residential, commercial, industrial, institutional and other categories as established by the local water provider. The "top-down" approach breaks overall water usage by total consumed/billed, by customer category, and by indoor and outdoor usage. The "bottom-up" approach examines the frequency of use for a particular end use (such as toilets, showers, faucets, etc.) and aggregates them to total water usage for each customer category. To calibrate the model, the two approaches are adjusted and reconciled as needed. Each county's specific conditions were calibrated using this approach, and then the model was used to forecast future water demands and to assess the water conservation measures.
DATA COLLECTED
Water demand forecasts for the Metro Water District were based on three main data inputs: 1) billing and production data, 2) population and employment forecasts, and 3) estimates of the current stock of plumbing fixtures and appliances for each county. The first input enables the model to build a water use profile by customer category for existing conditions. The second input is used to project current unit-based demands forward through the planning horizon. The third input is used to quantify the expected reduction in current water use trends based on natural conversion of inefficient plumbing fixtures resulting from the existing State plumbing code. Other demographic data used in the model was obtained from the 2000 and 2006 US Census.
WATER BILLING AND PRODUCTION DATA
Water usage data was solicited from the local water providers in the Metro Water District. This data included water withdrawal and production data, as well as customer billing data (water use data) by category. Figure 3-1 shows the process by which water is conveyed from the source to the end use, and how the provided billing data was separated into its various components for further analysis.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M AY 2 0 0 9 3-1
FIGURE 3-1 Water System Diagram
Section 3: WATER DEMAND FORECASTS
Fulton
The current water use data for each county in the Metro Water District is shown in Figure 3-2 in million gallons per day on an annual average day demand (AAD-MGD). For the purposes of forecasting future water demands, the 2006 actual water use data was adjusted as discussed later in this Section to reflect the ongoing drought conditions and suppressed usage due to emergency drought measures in 2006. If water use data was not available, water production data was adjusted to reflect expected water use.
FIGURE 3-2 2006 Adjusted Municipal Water Use by County (AAD-MGD)
220
200
180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
County
Gwinnett
Cobb DeKalb
Total Water Production (MGD)
Hall Henry Paulding Rockdale
Bartow Cherokee
Clayton Coweta Douglas Fayette
Forsyth
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M AY 2 0 0 9 3-2
Section 3: WATER DEMAND FORECASTS
Non-revenue water (NRW) and water loss are indicators of the efficiency of the region's water distribution systems. NRW is identified by the International Water Association/American Water Works Association (IWA/AWWA) as the total water in the system (including water produced and imported) minus the total billed consumption, or as water that does not provide revenue to the local water provider. Water loss can be subdivided into a number of categories; unbilled authorized, apparent losses, and real losses. Unbilled authorized uses include fire fighting, hydrant flushing, street cleaning and public fountains. Apparent losses include meter inaccuracies, data errors and unauthorized consumption (theft or illegal connections). Real losses include physical losses from any type of leakage, break, or overflow. NRW and water loss were estimated based on the national information and limited local information, as available. The IWA/AWWA methodology that defines NRW and water loss is a new national standard and as it becomes more widely understood and used by water systems more complete data should be available.
The local water provider production data was broken out by customer category (such as single family residential, commercial, industrial, etc.) and was used along with NRW and water loss data to create the Metro Water District water use profile. The calibration of the top down and bottom up analyses in the model generated the typical single family residential end uses.
Figure 3-3 shows the water use profile for the Metro Water District. Residential water use, including single and multi-family use, accounts for 53 percent of the Metro Water District's total water use.
FIGURE 3-3 Metro Water District Water Use Profile (AAD-MGD)
POPULATION FORECASTS
Population and employment data for each of the 15 counties were obtained from each county's local Regional Development Center (RDC). Where data was not available from the local RDC, data from the Atlanta Regional Commission was used, with the exception of Hall County where the Gainesville-Hall Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) data was used. Table 3-1 shows the population forecasts by county.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M AY 2 0 0 9 3-3
Section 3: WATER DEMAND FORECASTS
TABLE 3-1 Population and Employment Forecasts by County
County Bartow1
Population Forecasts (# of people)
2015
2025
2035
139,600
210,800
304,900
Cherokee Clayton Cobb Coweta2
229,900 288,600 694,200 124,900
303,000 294,000 737,400 162,500
410,700 307,300 796,900 253,400
DeKalb
747,100
789,800
856,400
Douglas
Fayette Forsyth1
138,000 114,700 256,700
182,000 142,200 342,100
257,000 181,200 412,800
Fulton
943,900 1,065,500
1,233,800
Gwinnett Hall3
Henry Paulding1
843,900 245,300 222,600 215,700
945,900 325,200 309,700 353,000
1,044,300 405,200 424,100 445,600
Rockdale
88,600
117,100
159,200
District Total 5,293,700 6,280,200
7,492,800
County Bartow1
Employment Forecasts (# of employees)
2015
2025
2035
44,900
56,300
67,900
Cherokee
66,700
99,800
141,500
Clayton
138,900
155,700
181,600
Cobb Coweta2
DeKalb
361,600 43,300
343,600
415,200 59,600
397,100
480,700 82,900
459,200
Douglas
53,600
72,900
92,400
Fayette Forsyth1
Fulton
Gwinnett Hall3
56,800 89,800 845,600 396,100 134,300
76,900 120,700 978,300 477,200 230,700
99,100 146,600 1,103,600 546,100 327,200
Henry Paulding1
Rockdale
70,100 27,000 42,200
103,800 33,900 52,900
140,900 40,800 65,200
District Total 2,714,500 3,331,000
3,975,700
Source: ARC Population and Employment Forecasts were used for all counties within the ARC Region; sources for counties outside the ARC Region are as follows: 1. RDC Population and Employment Forecasts (Bartow, Forsyth and Paulding) 2. ARC Population and Employment Forecasts (Coweta) 3. Gainesville-Hall County 2030 MPO Population and Employment Forecasts (Hall)
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Section 3: WATER DEMAND FORECASTS
PLUMBING FIXTURE STOCK
Plumbing fixture stock was inferred from housing data provided by the Metro Water District and the 2000 US Census. The Metro Water District provided estimates of housing age from the 2000 Census and the 2006 American Community Survey that were adjusted based on a projected replacement rate to more efficient fixtures.
The types of plumbing fixtures installed in houses and other buildings play a large role in current internal use as well as forecasted use in the future. Counties with recent development, such as Forsyth and Paulding have very low estimates of inefficient toilets. Alternatively, counties which developed more heavily in past decades, such as Fulton and DeKalb, have a higher percentage of inefficient toilets. Toilets are the largest water users inside the home; therefore, counties with large percentages of high flush toilets have a higher water savings potential in the future from the natural replacement of fixtures due to plumbing code. Estimates for existing types of toilet fixtures by county are provided in Figure 3-4.
FIGURE 3-4 Toilet Fixture Estimates by County, Year 2006
100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0%
1.6 gpf (ULFT) 3.5 gpf 5 gpf (Hi Flush)
Bartow Cherokee
Clayton Cobb
Coweta DeKalb Douglas Fayette Forsyth Fulton Gwinnett
Hall Henry Paulding Rockdale
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Section 3: WATER DEMAND FORECASTS
ASSUMPTIONS
Certain assumptions and adjustments were made to the billing data collected from local water providers in order to account for non-typical weather patterns and for certain data that was not available. General assumptions in the model include the following:
The base year for the water use forecasts is 2006. However, drought management restrictions in effect during 2006 depressed the normal water use rates. In order to create a representative base year for water demands forecasts, 2006 demands were adjusted to take into account drought management restrictions. The adjustment was based on the last 10 years of weather data looking at water use during both wet and dry years of record, long-term permanent changes in water use behavior as the result of drought, and the benefits of natural conservation and the Metro Water District's aggressive water conservation program in reducing historical demand. The difference in per capita demand between the 2006 actual and the 2006 adjusted demand essentially reflects demand suppression resulting from emergency drought response actions, including outdoor watering restrictions, which are not reflective of normal water use patterns.
Once the per-account unit-based demands for each customer category were established, the number of accounts was used to estimate the total demand for each county. In cases where complete billing data was available, the numbers of accounts were taken directly from the data.
In cases where part or all of the billing data was not available, accounts were either increased from the 2003 Plan model relative to either the increase in population and employment, or the increase in housing units over the 5-year period.
When both production and billing data were available, non-revenue water was estimated as a percentage of production. When this value was not available, non-revenue water was based on percentages in the 2003 Plan.
Table 3-2 shows the resulting adjusted base year per capita and per employee uses for residential singleand multi-family, as well as other non-residential uses, including indoor and outdoor use.
ADJUSTED BASE YEAR PROFILE
As 2006 water use was unnaturally depressed as a result of the ongoing drought, the water use data was adjusted to create an adjusted base year profile that would reflect normal water use conditions. For long-term regional planning, normal water conditions provide a more reasonable estimate of future needs than the drought-impacted actual water usage. The 2006 data shown in Figure 3-2 was adjusted to develop the 2006 adjusted base year profile, which represents water use under normal conditions. Following the adjustment, the total system per capita use adjusted is approximately 10% lower than the 2003 Plan despite regional growth as residual demand suppression from drought restrictions will remain. Table 3-2 shows the adjusted base year per capita and per employee uses for residential single and multi family, as well as all other non-residential uses, including indoor and outdoor use.
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Section 3: WATER DEMAND FORECASTS
TABLE 3-2 Adjusted Base Year Water Use Profile by County
Overall (gpcd) (Note 2)
Single Family Residential Multi Family Residential
(gpcd)
(gpcd)
(Note 3)
(Note 3)
Non-Residential (gpd/employee)
(Note 3)
Total System Use (Note 1) Total Consumption Indoor Outdoor (Note 5) % Outdoor Total Indoor Outdoor (Note 5) % Outdoor Total Indoor Outdoor (Note 5) % Outdoor Total Indoor Outdoor (Note 5) % Outdoor
County
Bartow
241 186 152 34 18% 88 68 20 23% 75 66 9 12% 266 225 41 15%
Cherokee 126 106 84 22 21% 79 61 18 23% 69 59 10 15% 117 94 22 19%
Clayton 124 108 91 17 16% 81 68 14 17% 78 66 12 15% 61 52 9 15%
Cobb
140 127 100 27 22% 82 63 19 23% 67 60 7 10% 98 73 25 25%
Coweta 127 101 84 17 17% 83 66 17 20% 67 60 7 10% 78 70 8 10%
DeKalb
143 120 98 22 18% 85 68 17 20% 69 61 8 12% 89 76 13 15%
Douglas 115 88 73 15 18% 78 65 13 17% 60 57 3 5% 62 47 16 25%
Fayette Forsyth (Note 4)
130 116 92 23 20% 87 69 160 130 88 42 32% 99 70
18 21% 63 57 6 10% 85 70 15 18% 30 30% N/A N/A N/A N/A 83 50 32 39%
Fulton
202 168 135 33 19% 106 79 28 26% 83 73 10 12% 94 77 17 18%
Gwinnett 142 116 90 27 23% 91 71 20 22% 67 60 7 10% 58 38 20 34%
Hall
138 123 97 26 21% 79 63 16 20% 61 55 6 10% 132 102 30 23%
Henry
121 102 77 24 24% 78 63 16 20% 69 59 10 15% 103 65 39 37%
Paulding 95 85 71 14 17% 80 66 14 17% 72 64 7 10% 44 37 7 15%
Rockdale 154 105 84 21 20% 83 68 15 18% 71 64 Weighted Average (Note 6) 151 127 101 26 20% 89 69 20 22% 69 61
7 10% 53 39 15 27% 8 11% 89 70 19 22%
Notes: 1. Total adjusted per capita use (total adjusted demand including non-revenue water divided by total population) includes self-supplied
water demands, shown in gpcd 2. Includes self-supplied, does not include non-revenue water 3. Publicly supplied water and population only 4. Billing data includes multi-family in single family category 5. Outdoor use is defined as all use above the winter minimum level 6. Weighted average based on population gpcd = gallons per capita (person) per day gpd = gallons per day
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Section 3: WATER DEMAND FORECASTS
METHODOLOGY
TOP-DOWN ANALYSIS
The total adjusted demand for each county was estimated based on the per-account unit-based demands for each customer category and the number of customer accounts. In cases where complete billing data was available, the numbers of accounts were taken directly from the data. In cases where part or all of the billing data was not available, accounts were either increased from the 2003 Plan model relative to either the increase in population and employment, or the increase in housing units over the 5-year period. Since there is not a standard billing category system in place in the Metro Water District, common categories were used across the Metro Water District for comparative purposes. The main categories were as follows:
Single Family Residential
Multi Family Residential
Commercial
Industrial
Institutional
Other categories vary as defined based on the billing data submitted by the utilities. These include separate irrigation metering, wholesale customers, individual industries (i.e., food processing), etc. A "self-supplied" category was added to counties with a significant population on private wells. Based on these account categories and data supplied by water providers, the number of accounts per customer category was determined.
The top-down analysis also looked at housing stock information to estimate the percentage of water use by plumbing fixtures. The makeup of plumbing fixtures in the Metro Water District was based on housing age (derived from the 2000 census and 2006 American Community Survey) and adjusted with a modest natural replacement rate, shown in Table 3-4.
The natural replacement converts existing less efficient plumbing fixtures with more efficient fixtures as they are damaged or due to changes in style. The Georgia plumbing standards ensure that older fixtures are replaced with more efficient fixtures. Over time, the plumbing code will gradually reduce indoor per capita demands, as the percentage of efficient fixtures in homes and buildings increases. This demand, which includes water savings due to efficient fixtures, is referred to as the `baseline' demand.
BOTTOM-UP ANALYSIS
The American Water Works Association Research Foundation (AWWARF) study, "Residential End Uses of Water" provided the initial bottom-up estimates for fixture use frequencies and quantities. Table 3-3 shows the average water end uses and frequency of use factors for a singlefamily account, based on the AWWARF study. These initial end use estimates were compared in each model to the existing stock of plumbing fixtures in each of the counties, based on the topdown analysis. For instance, counties with a larger percentage of older homes have a larger portion of indoor use attributed to toilet flushing than counties with a higher percentage of new
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
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Section 3: WATER DEMAND FORECASTS
development. The top-down and bottom-up were adjusted until they matched to assure calibration of the model, with preference provided to the more accurate top-down generated numbers.
TABLE 3-3 Single Family Water End Uses (AWWARF)
End Use
Toilets Clothes Washers Shower Faucet Leaks Other Domestic
Share
26.7% 21.7% 16.8% 15.7% 13.7% 2.2%
Gallons Per Person
Per Day
18.5 15.0 11.6 10.9 9.5 1.5
Average Uses per Person Per Day
5.05 flushes 0.37 loads 0.75 showers and baths 8.1 minutes
Bath Dishwasher
1.7% 1.4%
1.2
1.0
0.1 loads
Indoor Total
100%
69.3
Source: "Residential End Uses of Water," Mayer, AWWARF, 1999.
TABLE 3-4 Natural Plumbing Fixture Conversion
End Use Toilets Urinals Showerheads
Washing Machine
Current Plumbing Code
1.6 gallons/flush 1.0 gallons/flush 2.5 gallons/minute
19 gallons/load or less
Natural Replacement Rate
2% per year 2% per year 4% per year 6.7% per year Up to 2007, 30% will be efficient From 2007 to 2010, 50% will be efficient Beyond 2010, all replacements will be efficient
Specific water savings resulting from the plumbing code vary by county depending upon the demographics of each county and its current share of low, medium, and high flow fixtures in existing dwellings and businesses.
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FIGURE 3-5 Water Use Model Methodology
Section 3: WATER DEMAND FORECASTS
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M A Y 2 0 0 9 3-10
Section 3: WATER DEMAND FORECASTS
BASELINE WATER DEMAND FORECASTS
The without conservation trend forecasts water demands without water savings due to the existing plumbing code; while the baseline water demand forecast incorporates future reductions in indoor use as a result of the continued implementation of the existing plumbing code. The natural replacement of less efficient plumbing fixtures is expected to reduce future water demand by 5% in 2035. Figure 3-6 provides a comparison of the demands considered "baseline" and those demands based on trends without conservation.
The baseline savings in the 2003 Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan was estimated to be 9%. While a reduced savings is anticipated from progress since 2004 in implementing the conservation plan and plumbing code, the difference between 9% and 5% is worth noting.
The 2003 Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan used a base year of 2001 for the water supply and water conservation models. The models used the best available information at that time, and relied heavily on the typical residential water use, as published in the AWWA Research Foundation (AWWARF) Residential End Uses report that shows average residential water uses from 12 American cities in the mid 1990s.
For this Plan update, the Metro Water District relied more heavily on fixture stock (inferred from housing age) than the outdated residential end uses presented in the AWWARF Residential End Uses report due to the availability of more accurate local data on housing age and toilet replacement rates. The typical end uses in this report no longer reflect conditions in the Metro Water District; including the relatively new housing stock compared to other cities, the high level of bathroom remodels in the past decade, and the impact of the federal and state plumbing code requirements. For the Plan update, housing stock information provided by the Metro Water District was not adjusted to match the AWWARF study. The makeup of residential toilets in the Metro Water District was based on housing age (derived from the 2000 census and 2006 American Community Survey) and adjusted with a modest natural replacement rate of 1% to 1.5% per year. The current residential water usage profile for the Metro Water District, shown on page 3-3, does not match the AWWARF Report for 12 cities from the mid 1990s. The Plan update water use profile is more reflective of existing conditions in the Metro Water District.
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Section 3: WATER DEMAND FORECASTS
FIGURE 3-6 Forecast of Baseline and Without Conservation Demands
1,200
1,100
Without Conservation Trend Baseline
} 5%
Annual Average Day Water Demand (MGD)
1,000
900
800
700
600 2005
2010
2015
2020 Year
2025
2030
2035
FINAL WATER DEMAND FORECASTS WITH METRO WATER DISTRICT CONSERVATION PROGRAM
The baseline water demands were reduced though the application of the chosen Metro Water District Water Conservation Program. The analysis and selection of the recommended water conservation program is further described in Section 4. The recommended water conservation program, discussed in Section 4, is projected to reduce the baseline water demands by 8 percent from a baseline demand of 1,099 AAD-MGD to 1,011 AAD-MGD. Table 3-5 shows the baseline and projected water demands with the conservation program by county.
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Section 3: WATER DEMAND FORECASTS
TABLE 3-5 2035 Water Demand Forecasts by County
County
Bartow Cherokee Clayton Cobb Coweta DeKalb Douglas Fayette Forsyth Fulton Gwinnett Hall Henry Paulding Rockdale District Total
Without Conservation
AAD-MGD
55.4 50.5 45.0 121.0 33.5 123.4 29.7 26.0 69.5 263.2 161.5 57.3 49.2 52.0 22.0
1,159.2
2035 Forecasts
Baseline AAD-MGD
Recommended Conservation Program
AAD-MGD
52.8 47.8 42.7 115.3 31.9 116.0 27.5 24.3 66.9 250.0 153.6 54.3 46.9 49.2 20.2
46.4 44.6 40.0 108.7 29.3 106.4 24.5 23.1 59.7 228.2 140.4 52.0 43.4 47.2 16.9
1,099.4
1,010.8
Comparing the water demand forecasts by county to the 2003 Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan, the increase in demands correlate to the population and employment forecasts. These forecasts are also impacted by the current water use patterns for each county as well as the potential for water conservation associated with the housing stock and the blend of water users specific to each county.
BEYOND 2035
The 2050 demand forecasts are provided to initiate consideration of supplies needed outside of the planning horizon. With the cost and time needed to develop new water sources, communities may wish to consider demand beyond the 2035 planning horizon. Population information for 2050 was obtained, where available, from long range planning by the local Regional Development Centers (RDC), Counties, and the City of Atlanta. Where this information was not available, the 2035 population forecasts were linearly projected out to 2050. Water demands for 2050 were estimated by multiplying the 2050 population by each county's future gallons per capita daily estimates with conservation. The results of the forecasts are shown in Table 3-6. As population and employment forecasts for 2050 are not available in any degree of precision, the forecasts of demands followed the same straight line analysis. The population and employment forecasts for 2050 as part of the Comprehensive State-wide Water Management Plan will be used, when available, for the next Plan update.
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Section 3: WATER DEMAND FORECASTS
TABLE 3-6 2050 Population and Demand Forecasts
County
2050 Population
2050 Demand (AAD-MGD)
Bartow (Note 1)
486,254
Cherokee
499,639
Clayton
388,064
Cobb
869,974
Coweta
287,444
DeKalb
923,885
Douglas (Note 2)
310,000
Fayette
208,278
Forsyth (Note 2)
538,606
Fulton (Note 3)
1,692,114
Gwinnett (Note 2)
1,158,000
Hall (Note 1)
442,800
Henry
531,098
Paulding (Note 1)
479,393
Rockdale
185,543
District Total
9,001,092
Notes: 1. Population projection provided by local RDC. 2. Population projection provided by county water system. 3. Population projection provided by county water system and City of Atlanta.
74 54 44 119 33 120 31 27 78 284 156 57 54 51 20 1,202
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
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M A Y 2 0 0 9 3-14
This Section presents the water conservation measures evaluated and selected for the 2008 Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan. The updated water conservation program expands the existing Metro Water District program to further enhance water conservation into the future. The program resulted from an extensive analysis of the current program, evaluation of new methods and measures, and stakeholder involvement. The process yielded a program of water conservation measures that has the potential to reduce Metro Water District water demand up to 13 percent beyond trends without conservation by the end of the planning period.
Water conservation was considered first in the planning process, prior to looking at new or expanded sources. This Section discusses the process for evaluation and selection of the water conservation measures that build on progress from the 2003 Plan. In general, the water conservation program includes the measures that were most cost-beneficial across the Metro Water District. After identifying the water savings resulting from the water conservation program, additional sources and reservoirs were considered as discussed in Section 6 to meet outstanding demand.
EXISTING WATER CONSERVATION PROGRAM
Water conservation is an essential element of water resources management within the Metro Water District. With the adoption of the 2003 Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan, the Metro Water District and its member water providers immediately began implementing the recommended water conservation measures. Table 4-1 lists the water conservation measures in the existing program. Much progress has been achieved through this program. For example, the majority of local water providers have adopted tiered water rates; the Metro Water District has also begun a toilet rebate program; and many local water providers have begun aggressive leak detection and repair programs. More detail on progress of implementation items is provided on an annual basis by the Metro Water District in the Activities and Progress Reports. Through the plan update process, the goal is to build on this successful water conservation foundation.
TABLE 4-1 Existing Water Conservation Measures in Metro Water District in 2003 Plan, as amended
Number Measure Description
1.
Establish conservation pricing by all local water providers.
2.
Replace older, inefficient plumbing fixtures.
3.
Require pre-rinse spray valve retrofit education program.
4.
Enact legislation to require rain sensor shut-off switches on new irrigation
t
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Section 4: WATER CONSERVATION ANALYSIS
Number Measure Description
5.
Require sub-unit meters in new multi-family buildings.
6.
Assess and reduce water system leakage.
7.
Conduct residential water audits.
8.
Distribute low-flow retrofit kits to residential users.
9.
Conduct commercial water audits.
10. Implement education and public awareness plan.
EVALUATION OF ADDITIONAL POTENTIAL WATER CONSERVATION MEASURES
An important step in updating the water conservation program was the review and screening of additional potential water conservation measures. The process included a review of the current water conservation measures required by the 2003 Plan, identification of additional water conservation measures that may be appropriate for the region, and the screening of these water conservation measures to a short-list for detailed evaluation (benefit-cost analysis). To accomplish this process, a list of 45 potential water conservation measures were identified and evaluated.
Each potential conservation measure was ranked against three qualitative criteria, listed below. Scores for each criterion were based on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the most acceptable. Measures with low scores were eliminated from further consideration, while those with high scores were passed into the next evaluation phase (cost-effectiveness analysis). The three qualitative criteria are:
Technology/Market Maturity: Is required technology available commercially and supported by the local service industry? For example, a water-saving device would score very low if it is not yet commercially available in this area.
Service Area Match: Is the technology appropriate for the area's climate, building stock, or lifestyle? For example, promoting xeriscape gardens for multifamily or commercial sites may not be appropriate where water use analysis indicates relatively little outdoor irrigation.
Customer Acceptance/Equity: Are customers willing to implement measures? If not, the water savings would be too low to be significant. Measures should also be equitable to ensure that one category of customers does not benefit while another pays the costs without receiving benefits. Customer acceptance may be based on convenience, economics, perceived fairness, or aesthetics.
The screening process resulted in a short-list of 16 new potential water conservation measures (beyond those currently adopted by the Metro Water District) for consideration. These water conservation measures were placed into two categories: those that were assessed quantitatively using a cost-benefit model and those that were assessed on a qualitative basis. The qualitative measures provide opportunities for water savings and good stewardship of water resources but are better suited to qualitative analyses as precise water savings attributable to these measures are not available. Estimates of implementation costs for both the quantitative and qualitative measures were taken into consideration.
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Section 4: WATER CONSERVATION ANALYSIS
COST-EFFECTIVENESS ANALYSIS
The Least Cost Decision Support System (DSS) model, as described in Section 3, was used to evaluate the quantitative water conservation measures (measures 1 through 16 in Table 4-2). Because of interactions between measures when assembled into a conservation program, each existing as well as potential new measure was modeled individually as well as in packages to assess the overall water savings.
An economic screening analysis was performed, as illustrated in Figure 4-1. First, the DSS model evaluated each of these 16 water conservation measures individually, simulating them as if they were implemented alone. The DSS model evaluated potential water savings based on conditions specific to each county. Information specific to each county and each water use sector was used to evaluate potential savings for each conservation measure. For instance, the DSS model calculated the savings for pre-rinse spray valve retrofits based on the number and age of restaurants specific to each county as well as the percent of total restaurant use for those devices. Similarly, the DSS model calculated the water savings for toilet retrofits by county based on the number and age of the single-family housing stock as well as the percentage of single-family use of water for toilet flushing. Based on existing information, and forecasted demands, potential savings for each measure were quantified. Next, the individual water conservation measures were ranked based on the cost of the water saved (cost / million gallons saved) and the best water conservation measures were selected. Combinations of the best individual water conservation measures were then placed in several different "Option Packages" or programs.
Three water conservation packages were identified for the Metro Water District, each with varying degrees of water savings and costs. The existing adopted water conservation measures provided the backbone for each of these packages. Package A was composed of the 10 existing water conservation measures to provide a benchmark for the analyses. Package B was composed of Package A plus four new water conservation measures. Package C is comprised of all 16 evaluated water conservation measures.
FIGURE 4-1 Evaluation Process of Water Conservation Measures
Finally, the option packages were evaluated to determine how much water savings could be obtained when these water conservation measures were combined (this accounts for overlapping measures and interaction). Feedback from the Technical Coordinating Committee and Basin Advisory Councils was used in conjunction with input from the Metro Water District to create the most appropriate overall option package.
The time value of money was explicitly considered. The value of all future costs and benefits was discounted to 2006 (the base year) at the real interest rate of 3.0%. The DSS model calculates this real interest rate, adjusting the current nominal interest rate (assumed to be approximately 6.1%) by the assumed rate of inflation (3%). Cash flows discounted in this manner are referred to as
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Section 4: WATER CONSERVATION ANALYSIS
"Present Value" sums herein, and are used in order to properly make comparisons of water conservation measures.
Benefit-cost analyses can be performed from several different perspectives, based on who is affected. For planning water conservation programs for local water providers, the perspectives most commonly used for benefit-cost analyses include the local water provider and the community. The local water provider or "utility" benefit-costs are based on the benefits and costs to the local water provider. The "community" benefit-costs includes the local water provider benefit and costs together with account owner/customer benefits and costs. These include customer energy benefits and costs of implementing the water conservation measure, beyond what the local water provider pays.
The local water provider perspective offers two advantages for this analysis. First, it considers only the program costs that will be directly borne by the local water provider. This enables the local water provider to fairly compare potential investments for conserving and supplying water. Second, because revenue shifts are treated as transfer payments, the analysis is not complicated with uncertainties associated with long-term rate projections and rate design assumptions. Because of the local water provider's paramount role in the Metro Water District's water conservation program, the local water provider or utility perspective was primarily used to evaluate elements of the water conservation measures.
COMPARISON OF MEASURES
Table 4-2 shows the evaluation of water conservation measures for the Metro Water District, which is a sum of the individual results for each county. This table presents the estimated water savings for each conservation measure, how much each would cost and the benefit-cost ratios for each of the measures considered on a stand-alone basis, i.e. without interaction or overlap from other measures that might affect the same end use(s). Note that water conservation measures with benefit-cost ratios less than 1.0 have a negative Net Utility Benefit. Water savings shown are averaged over the 29-year analysis period. Other key statistics include the cost of water saved in dollars per million gallons ($/MG), and the benefit-cost ratios. Benefits and costs are defined below:
Utility benefits and costs: Those benefits and costs that the utility would receive or spend.
Community benefits and costs: Community benefits equal utility benefits plus customer energy (cost to heat water) benefits. Community costs include utility and customer costs.
Water benefits: Based on assigning a typical unit value for avoided treated and distributed surface water at a cost of $3,000/MG. The $3,000/MG is based on national surveys that indicate the typical cost for surface water treatment plant capital as well as operations and maintenance costs per million gallons treated.
Costs for the utility: Includes measure set-up, annual administration, and payment of rebates or purchase of devices or services as specified in the measure design.
Customer costs: Includes costs of implementing the measure and maintaining its effectiveness over the life of the measure.
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Section 4: WATER CONSERVATION ANALYSIS
TABLE 4-2 District-Wide Results of Conservation Measures Evaluation
Conservation Measure
Present Present Present
Value of Value of Value of
Water
Total
Water
Utility Community Utility
Benefits Benefits Costs
(million $) (million $) (million $)
(Note 1) (Note 1) (Note 1)
1 Conservation Pricing Replace Older Inefficient
2 Plumbing Fixtures
$231.5 $55.5
$293.5 $55.5
$13.6 $22.3
3 Rain Sensor Regulations
$23.4
$23.4
$5.7
4 Multi-Family Submetering Water Loss Reduction (Audits &
5 Leak Detection/Repair)
$44.8 $431.6
$102.9 $431.6
$1.2 $161.8
6 Residential Water Audits Low flow showerhead & aerator
7 distribution
$2.9 $35.1
$5.2 $118.8
$0.4 $16.2
8 Commercial Water Audits
$80.6
$128.5
$30.3
9 Public Information
$34.6
$70.0
$36.2
10 High Efficiency Toilets Rebate Install High Efficiency Toilets
11 and Urinals in Gov Buildings
$125.9 $14.7
$125.9 $14.7
$44.4 $7.9
12 Hotel & Motel Water Audits Commercial Kitchen Spray
13 Wash
$9.5
$9.5
$1.2
$9.6
$26.2
$1.7
14 Irrigation Meter Pricing
$44.0
$44.0
$4.6
15 Washer Rebate
$24.4
$74.1
$12.4
16 Car Wash Recycling
$8.6
$8.6
$0.1
Notes: 1. Present Value calculated using 3% interest rate 2. Annual water savings averaged over the 29-year planning period 3. 2035 water savings represent water savings realized in the year 2035
Present Value of
Total Community
Costs (million $) (Note 1)
$13.6
$47.0 $21.7 $102.5
$161.8 $4.2
$19.5 $39.6 $36.2 $84.6
$16.6 $3.2
$1.7 $35.0 $37.2 $3.3
Water Utility BenefitCost Ratio
Total Community
BenefitCost Ratio
17.03
2.48 4.07 36.91
2.67 7.47
2.16 2.66 0.96 2.84
1.88 7.84
5.57 9.65 1.97 87.77
21.59
1.18 1.08 1.00
2.67 1.26
6.10 3.24 1.93 1.49
0.89 2.99
15.11 1.26 1.99 2.60
Average Water
Savings (MGD) (Note 2)
11.85
2.43 1.23 2.19
14.65 0.14
1.60 4.04 1.52 5.65
0.68 0.44
0.44 2.25 1.12 0.40
Cost of Savings per Unit Volume ($/MG)
$104.74
$840.48 $424.72 $50.47
$1008.44 $258.33
$924.35 $684.09 $2,177.87 $717.12
$1,055.61 $252.33
$355.28 $185.21 $1,011.97 $22.19
Net Utility Benefit
(million $)
$217.9
$33.1 $17.7 $43.6
$269.8 $2.5
$18.8 $50.3 -$1.6 $80.5
$6.9 $8.3
$7.9 $42.5 $12.0 $8.5
2035 Water Savings (MGD) (Note 3)
19.8
2.4 2.5 4.6
35.5 0.2
1.9 8.5 1.2 6.7
0.9 0.6
0.6 3.8 1.4 0.6
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M AY 2 0 0 9 4-5
Section 4: WATER CONSERVATION ANALYSIS
BEST OPTION PACKAGES
Table 4-3 provides a short description of the 26 water conservation measures and the option packages in which they were placed. Three option packages were designed to accomplish an increasing level of water savings. The DSS model was used to quantify the interaction between measures in terms of water savings and benefits to estimate the combined savings and benefits from the three best option packages. This analysis was performed at the county level and then aggregated to the Metro Water District level.
TABLE 4-3 Descriptions of the Conservation Measures Evaluated Quantitatively and Qualitatively
Conservation Measure
Establish Conservation
1 Rates
Applicable Category
Water Provider
Replace older,
inefficient
Existing Indoor -
2 plumbing fixtures Residential
Rain-sensor shut
off device on
irrigation
New Development -
3 controllers
SF & MF & CII
Multi-family Sub
metering
New Development -
4 requirement
MF
Water loss
5 reduction
Water Provider
Distribution Method and Incentive
Water Provider
Water Provider
Statewide Requirement City/County or Water Provider Requirement
Water Provider
Description
Package
Implement or modify rate structures to provide inclining block rates that charge customers more per unit for higher use. To speed the conversion of older, inefficient plumbing fixtures towards current lower flow models, local water providers will be required to implement a program targeting the replacement of older plumbing fixtures. Low flow fixtures are defined according to current code standards. To reduce wasted irrigation water, establish regulations requiring rain sensor irrigation shut-off switches on all new irrigation systems - both residential and non-residential. A new State law was established to implement this requirement across the Metro Water District. A water provider policy or local ordinances should be adopted to require that all new multi-family buildings (i.e. apartments, town homes, condominiums) be built with sub-meters that bill for water service, based on volume of use. Water providers must identify methods to reduce leakage in their systems, and to reduce unbilled water. Each water provider should perform a distribution system water audit based on the International Water Association (IWA) methodology, in order to maintain uniform assessments of leakage and set targets at the economic level of leakage.
A, B, C A, B, C A, B, C A, B, C A, B, C
Residential
6 water audits
Existing Indoor & Outdoor - SF & MF
Water Provider
Water providers will provide water audits (indoor and outdoor use) to residential customers. The largest 25 percent of water users should be targeted to evaluate water saving measures, and audits should be made available to customers who complain about high water bills.
A, B, C
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
MAY 2009
4-6
Section 4: WATER CONSERVATION ANALYSIS
Conservation Measure
Applicable Category
Distribution Method and Description Incentive
Package
Water providers will distribute low-flow
retrofit kits to customers. These kits could
include low-flow showerheads, faucet
Low flow
aerators, and other applicable retrofit
showerhead &
items. The kits would be distributed to the
aerator
portion of the service areas that have pre-
7 distribution
Existing Indoor - SF Water Provider 1992 homes.
A, B, C
Water providers will provide water audits
(indoor and outdoor use) to commercial
customers. This audit will include a
feasibility report that outlines changes to
process and operations to reduce water
usage. The Pollution Prevention
Assistance Division (P2AD) of the DNR
Commercial
can be used to train auditors in performing
8 water audits
Existing Indoor - CII Water Provider the water audits.
A, B, C
Public education would be used to raise
awareness of other conservation
measures available to customers.
Programs could include emphasis on
school programs but also include
landscape classes for homeowners,
poster contests, speakers to community
groups, radio and television time, and
Expand public
Metro Water printed educational material such as bill
education
District and inserts, etc. Program would continue
9 program
Water Provider
Water Provider indefinitely.
A, B, C
High Efficiency
Toilet (HET)
Rebates
(possible
Provide a rebate for the installation of a
refinement to
high efficiency toilet (HET). HET's are
Plan Action No. Existing Indoor -
defined as any toilet that is 1.28 gallons
10 2)
Residential
Water Provider per flush or less.
B, C
Installation of
Install high efficiency toilets and high
HETs and high
efficiency urinals in government facilities.
efficiency urinals
Local
Replacements would include urinals
in government Indoor -
Government and flushing with 0.5 gpf or less and toilets that
11 buildings
Government
Water Provider flush 1.28 gpf or less.
B,C
Provide water audits to hotels and motels.
Standardize the types of services offered
to reduce costs. Included would be
Focused water
bathrooms, kitchens, ice machines,
audits for
cooling towers, landscaping, and irrigation
12 hotels/motels Existing Indoor - CII Water Provider systems and schedules.
C
Restaurant low
flow spray rinse
nozzles
(possible
Provide installation of 1.6 gpm spray
refinement to
nozzles for the rinse and clean operation
Plan Action No.
in restaurants and other commercial
13 3)
Existing Indoor - CII Water Provider kitchens.
C
Irrigation meters
If allowed, these meters will be charged on
pricing (possible
a separate rate schedule that recognizes
refinement to New and Existing
the high peak demand placed on the
Plan Action No. Development MF
system by irrigators - at a rate much
14 1)
& CII
Water Provider higher than base rate.
B, C
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
MAY 2009
4-7
Section 4: WATER CONSERVATION ANALYSIS
Conservation Measure
Applicable Category
Distribution Method and Description Incentive
Package
Water provider would offer a rebate for the
purchase of an efficient clothes washer
Clothes washer Existing Indoor - SF
until such time as they are required to be
15 rebates
& MF & CII
Water Provider sold in stores.
C
Require car washes to
16 recycle water
Qualitative Measures
New Outdoor - CII
Water waste
17 ordinance
All Categories
Pass a regulation that required all new
City/County drive-through car washes to recycle water,
Requirement in order to get a water meter.
B, C
Metro Water District to
Develop Model Ordinance
Model ordinance would provide a general policy statement for local governments that would prohibit water waste such as runoff from over-watering landscaping, irrigation during rainfall events, not repairing leaks, and other wasteful activities.
Optional Education Toolbox
Prohibit HOA or
Homeowners Associations would not be
CC&R
Metro Water allowed to require automatic irrigation
conditions that
District to systems nor specify the amount of
Optional
mandate
Determine watering per week. Metro Water District Education
18 irrigation
SF & MF
Approach will research the feasibility.
Toolbox
Optional
Cooling Tower
Metro Water Provide education to industry about
Education
19 Education
CII
District
efficient use of cooling towers.
Toolbox
Metro Water District staff to work with local
Promote water
green building associations, developers,
efficiency
designers, vendors to promote
Optional
aspects of
New Development - Metro Water incorporating water efficiency into building Education
20 green buildings All Categories
District
design.
Toolbox
Co-sponsor award program to developers
New home
that are "green builders" and offer homes
efficiency
for sale that meet certain criteria such as
award program
EPA's new Water Sense program for new Optional
promotion
New Outdoor - SF & Metro Water homes. This could be combined with
21 (WaterSense) MF
District
energy efficient homes.
Education Toolbox
Award program
for water
Metro Water District would sponsor an
Optional
savings by
Metro Water annual awards program for businesses
Education
22 businesses
Existing Indoor - CII District Sponsor that significantly reduce water use.
Toolbox
Water Provider
Offer landscape
with Cooperative Conduct a landscape water efficiency
Optional
training classes
Extension training program for homeowners in the Education
23 to homeowners Existing Outdoor -SF
Service
spring of each year.
Toolbox
Donate or acquire a portion of public or
private land to create a demonstration
garden displaying living examples of low
water-using gardens and landscaping.
Xeriscape
Water Provider
The Water provider would provide signs
Optional
demonstration Property or Other
and brochures to educate those people
Education
24 gardens
Public Property
Water Provider visiting the garden.
Toolbox
The Water provider would sponsor school
conservation by providing presentations,
opportunities for field trips, and/or coloring Optional
School
books, etc. to teach students the
Education
25 education
Water Provider
Water Provider importance of conserving water.
Toolbox
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
MAY 2009
4-8
Section 4: WATER CONSERVATION ANALYSIS
Conservation Measure
Applicable Category
Provide
historical water
use on water
26 bills
All Categories
Notes: gpm = gallons per minute gpf = gallons per flush SF = single family MF = multi-family CII = commercial, industrial, institutional
Distribution Method and Description Incentive
Package
Provide detailed information on customer's Optional
historical water use, including typical
Education
Water Provider usage and trends.
Toolbox
Selection criteria for the water conservation measures in each option package included the following, by program:
Program A includes the existing measures from the 2003 Plan, as amended.
Program B includes Program A measures plus two new additional measures and three revised existing measures. Program B is designed to be the midpoint program and includes costeffective measures that are able to conserve significant amounts of water.
Program C includes all the quantitative measures presented in Table 4-3.
An optional education toolbox category was developed to provide guidance on optional measures for utilities. All of the qualitative measures were assigned to this category, which can be used to enhance the education and public awareness program measure.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
MAY 2009
4-9
Section 4: WATER CONSERVATION ANALYSIS
DISTRICT-WIDE RESULTS OF OPTION PACKAGES EVALUATION
Table 4-4 presents key evaluation statistics compiled from the individual county DSS models. Assuming all measures are successfully implemented, projected water savings in MGD are shown for 2035, as are the costs to achieve this water demand reduction. The costs are expressed in two ways: total present value over the 30-year period and the cost for each million gallons of water saved.
TABLE 4-4 District-wide Results of Option Packages Evaluation
Conservation Option Package
(includes plumbing code)
Water Utility BenefitCost Ratio
2035 Water Savings (MGD)
2035 Indoor Water Savings (MGD)
2035 Outdoor
Water Savings (MGD)
Water Savings as a percent of 2035 Without Conservation
Trend
Present Value of
Water Utility Costs
(million $)
Cost of Water Saved ($/MG)
A
2.5 136.0 117.3 18.7
12%
B
2.6 148.4 125.4 23.0
13%
C
2.6 153.1 130.1 23.0
13%
Notes: Present Value is determined using an interest rate of 3% Programs A, B and C include plumbing code savings Cost of water saved is present value of water utility cost divided by total 30-year water savings. 1. Includes non-revenue water reduction savings.
$286.9 $345.7 $364
$675 $654 $650
The 13 percent water savings in Table 4-4 reflects only conservation beyond 2006 and does not incorporate total savings since 2001, when the Metro Water District began comprehensive regional water conservation planning. It is anticipated that there will be a 20 percent reduction in per capita use from 2001 to 2035. See the `Comparison with 2003 Plan" discussion at the end of this Section for an explanation of how this compares to water saving estimates in the 2003 Plan. Figure 4-2 shows the cost of the three option packages for the local water provider versus the amount of water saved for each water conservation program.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M A Y 2 0 0 9 4-10
Section 4: WATER CONSERVATION ANALYSIS
FIGURE 4-2 Present Value of the Three Water Conservation Option Packages
180
Program
160
B
140
2035 Water Savings (mgd)
120
Program Program C
100
A
80
60
40
Plumbing
20
Code Only
0
$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
Present Value of Utility Costs ($Millions) Period of Analysis = 2006- 2035
COUNTY RESULTS OF OPTION PACKAGES EVALUATION
Table 4-5 presents selected evaluation statistics for the three option packages for each of the Metro Water District's 15 counties. Water savings tend to vary based on the size of the county, the age of the housing stock and plumbing fixtures, the amount of commercial and outdoor water use, and the age and condition of the distribution system as indicated by the amount of nonrevenue water.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M A Y 2 0 0 9 4-11
Section 4: WATER CONSERVATION ANALYSIS
TABLE 4-5 County Results of Option Packages Evaluation
County
Water Utility Benefit-Cost Ratio
2035 Water Savings (MGD)
2035 Water Savings (% of 2035 Without Conservation Trend)
Present Value of Water Utility Costs ($M)
A
B
C
A
B
C
A
B
C
A
B
C
Bartow
4.5
4.4
4.4
8.8
9.0
9.0
16%
16%
16% $ 11.1 $ 11.9 $ 12.3
Cherokee
2.1
2.2
2.2
5.8
5.9
6.0
11%
12%
12% $ 13.7 $ 14.6 $ 15.2
Clayton
1.3
1.6
1.7
4.2
5.0
5.1
9%
11%
11% $ 19.5 $ 23.3 $ 24.0
Cobb
3.3
3.5
3.5
10.4
12.3
13.0
9%
10%
11% $ 18.1 $ 26.7 $ 29.4
Coweta
1.8
1.9
2.0
3.9
4.2
4.3
12%
13%
13% $ 10.3 $ 11.0 $ 11.3
DeKalb
2.7
2.7
2.7
15.4
17.0
17.4
13%
14%
14% $ 32.6 $ 43.7 $ 45.6
Douglas
2.1
2.1
2.1
5.0
5.2
5.2
17%
17%
17% $ 11.3 $ 12.5 $ 12.8
Fayette
1.5
1.5
1.6
2.8
2.9
2.9
11%
11%
11% $ 8.1 $ 9.2 $ 9.5
Forsyth
3.4
3.7
4.0
7.9
9.8
11.8
11%
14%
17% $ 14.7 $ 17.7 $ 21.6
Fulton
4.1
3.9
3.9
32.4
35.0
35.7
12%
13%
14% $ 45.0 $ 60.3 $ 63.4
Gwinnett
2.5
2.7
2.7
19.3
21.1
21.4
12%
13%
13% $ 47.9 $ 55.3 $ 57.6
Hall
1.3
1.5
1.6
5.0
5.3
5.4
9%
9%
9% $ 16.6 $ 18.4 $ 18.9
Henry
1.6
1.7
1.7
5.5
5.8
5.9
11%
12%
12% $ 16.9 $ 18.6 $ 19.1
Paulding
1.4
1.5
1.5
4.7
4.8
4.9
9%
9%
9% $ 14.3 $ 14.7 $ 15.3
Rockdale
3.6
3.5
3.5
4.9
5.1
5.1
22%
23%
23% $ 6.8 $ 7.8 $ 8.0
Total
2.5
2.6
2.6
136.0 148.4 153.1 12%
13%
13% $ 286.9 $ 345.7 $ 364
Notes: Present Value is determined using an interest rate of 3% Variations in forecasted water savings amongst counties depends on the existing plumbing stock, age of infrastructure, and demographics.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M AY 2 0 0 9 4-12
Section 4: WATER CONSERVATION ANALYSIS
RECOMMENDED WATER CONSERVATION PROGRAM (B)
Water Conservation Program B was selected as the recommended program. Although all three water conservation programs were evaluated as cost effective for the local water provider, Program B represented an approach that would be widely accepted. This aggressive water conservation program will achieve significant savings and maximize returns on investments in the program. Implementation of Program B realizes the majority of the water savings available while Program C requires spending 5% more (or $19M) to gain less than 5 MGD of additional water savings. Implementing the measures in Program B provides additional water conservation benefits on the foundation provided by the existing measures without exceeding the number of measures that a local water provider can realistically implement. However, the additional measures in Program C may be held in reserve for implementation as substitution measures if one or more of the measures in Program B is determined to either be too difficult to implement, or if expected water savings do not materialize.
FUTURE WATER DEMAND WITH OPTION PACKAGES
Figure 4-3 is a graphical representation of how the three option packages would reduce overall water demands in the Metro Water District below the baseline level (which includes natural conservation related to current plumbing codes). By 2035, the average water savings across the Metro Water District would be as follows:
Program A 7% (76 AAD-MGD)
Program B 8% (88 AAD-MGD)
Program C 8% (93 AAD-MGD)
The savings listed above are beyond the 5 percent (60 AAD-MGD) Metro Water District benefits achieved by 2035 through natural replacement associated with the plumbing code.
Beyond 2006, a total conservation benefit of 13 percent over current water use trends is expected from conservation program B in combination with natural replacement benefits. The Metro Water District currently uses water efficiently with a relatively low adjusted per capita water use; therefore the 13% reduction is aggressive. This reduction is also significant given the age of the housing stock and extent of the distribution systems in the Metro Water District. Comparisons of per capita demands and percent savings through conservation can often be misleading. Communities using water very efficiently will not be able to achieve the same large percent reductions as communities who are not as efficient with their current water use. Newer urban areas have more efficient housing stock and therefore may have lower per capita demands than older communities.
The 13 percent water savings reflects only conservation beyond 2006 and does not incorporate total savings anticipated since 2001, when the Metro Water District began comprehensive regional water conservation planning. It is anticipated that there will be a 20 percent reduction in per capita use from 2001 to 2035. See the `Comparison with 2003 Plan" discussion at the end of this Section for an explanation of how this compares to water saving estimates in the 2003 plan.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M A Y 2 0 0 9 4-13
Section 4: WATER CONSERVATION ANALYSIS
FIGURE 4-3 Metro Water District Annual Average Day Water Demand Forecasts (2006-2035)
1,200
1,100 1,000
Baseline With Conservation Program A With Conservation Program B With Conservation Program C
Demand (MGD)
900
800
700
600 2005
2010
2015
2020 Year
2025
2030
2035
Table 4-6 provides the 2035 average annual day water use forecasts for each county in the Metro Water District after the savings from the recommended water conservation program have been applied. The water demand forecasts that include the savings from water conservation will be used in the remainder of the Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan to determine water supply and facility needs.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M A Y 2 0 0 9 4-14
Section 4: WATER CONSERVATION ANALYSIS
TABLE 4-6 Metro Water District 2035 Water Use Forecasts by County
County
Bartow Cherokee Clayton Cobb Coweta DeKalb Douglas Fayette Forsyth Fulton Gwinnett Hall Henry Paulding Rockdale District Total
Without Conservation
AAD-MGD
55.4 50.5 45.0 121.0 33.5 123.4 29.7 26.0 69.5 263.2 161.5 57.3 49.2 52.0 22.0
1,159.2
2035 Forecasts
Baseline AAD-MGD
Recommended Conservation Program
AAD-MGD
52.8 47.8 42.7 115.3 31.9 116.0 27.5 24.3 66.9 250.0 153.6 54.3 46.9 49.2 20.2
46.4 44.6 40.0 108.7 29.3 106.4 24.5 23.1 59.7 228.2 140.4 52.0 43.4 47.2 16.9
1,099.4
1,010.8
Water conservation is essential to meeting projected Metro Water District water demands. By the year 2035, the planned level of water conservation could reduce water demands by approximately 88 AAD-MGD, or 8 percent District-wide (beyond the savings achieved through the plumbing code). This can be achieved through more efficient indoor and outdoor water use and reduction of water losses by local water providers through system leakage detection and elimination programs. Each of these water conservation measures are described in greater detail in Section 5, Water Conservation Program.
COMPARISON WITH 2003 PLAN
The DSS model used for the water conservation analysis for the 2003 Plan as well as for the 2008 Plan Update looks at existing water use and forecasts forward. Many changes have occurred since 2003 in population, water use, drought restrictions, natural conservation due to plumbing code changes, and the Metro Water District's aggressive water conservation program.
The Metro Water District's first Water Supply and Water Conservation Plan was adopted at the end of 2003. In four short years, the local governments and water providers in the Metro Water District made great progress in implementing the Plan's conservation requirements. This update continues and improves upon the Metro Water District's commitment to water conservation.
This Plan update shows the Metro Water District will use less water and be more efficient in 2035 compared to the 2003 Plan estimates for 2030. With an additional 5 years of growth and
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M A Y 2 0 0 9 4-15
Section 4: WATER CONSERVATION ANALYSIS
development, Table 4-7 shows that both the total consumption and the total per person forecasts are lower as compared with the 2003 Plan.
TABLE 4-7 Comparison of 2003 Plan and this Plan Update
Comparison
2003 Plan (2030 forecasts)
Draft Update (2035 forecasts)
Planned Future Water Demand with Recommended Conservation Program
1,081 AAD-MGD
1,011 AAD-MGD
Future Per-Capita Demand Under District Plan
138 gpcd*
135 gpcd*
* Total gallons per capita per day this number reflects all the water used in the Metro Water District divided by the population within the Metro Water District.
Figure 4-4 shows a 20% reduction in per capita demand from 2001 to 2035 based on implementation of the Plan update. The starting point of 168 gallons per capita per day (gpcd) reflects billing data for 2001 collected for the 2003 Plan. The 2006 data shows a 151 gpcd, used in this Plan update. The end point reflects the benefit of the conservation program in this Plan update.
FIGURE 4-4 Metro Water District Overall Per Capita* Water Use Trends (2001 2035)
170
165
Demand Forecast (gpcd)
160
155
150
145
140
135
130 2000
2005
2010
2015
2020
Year
2025
2030
2035
* Overall per capita = total water demand supplied by public water systems in the District divided by the District's population.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M A Y 2 0 0 9 4-16
Section 4: WATER CONSERVATION ANALYSIS
The water conservation measures in this Plan update go beyond the measures in the 2003 Plan. This update includes:
The 10 water conservation measures from the 2003 plan o Conservation pricing o Replace older, inefficient plumbing fixtures o Pre-rinse spray valve retrofit education program o Rain sensor shut-off switches on new irrigation systems o Sub-meters in new multi-family buildings o Assess and reduce water system leakage o Conduct residential water audits o Distribute low-flow retrofit kits to residential users o Conduct commercial water audits o Implement education and public awareness plan
3 of those 10 water conservation measures are strengthened o Irrigation meter pricing at 200 percent of the first tier rate o 1.28 gpf toilet rebate program only by 2014 o Minimum local education requirements
2 new water conservation measures are added o Install 1.28 gpf toilets & low flow urinals in government buildings o Require new car washes to recycle water
This Plan update identifies future water conservation opportunities based on current water use patterns. This Plan's updated conservation forecasts are based on more accurate data:
Updated population and employment forecasts Housing stock age data reflects increased emphasis on local census data and the 2006 American
Community Survey which shows our housing stock is younger and more water- efficient. Base year water use data from 2006 provides a lower starting point of 151 gpcd for forecasts
versus 2001 data of 168 gpcd used in the 2003 Plan; reducing future water demand forecasts.
The availability of better data for the Plan update produces a more robust plan while maintaining the same commitment to water conservation. In fact, comparing the per capita demand from the beginning of the regional water conservation program to the 2035 per capita demand, the Plan update demonstrates a 20% reduction in demand.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M A Y 2 0 0 9 4-17
Section 4: WATER CONSERVATION ANALYSIS
FIGURE 4-5 Comparison of Baseline and Plan with Conservation between 2003 and 2009 Plans
Annual Average Day Water Demand (MGD)
1,300 1,200 1,100
2009 Plan Baseline 2009 Plan w/ Conservation 2003 Plan Baseline 2003 Plan w/ Conservation
1,000
900
800
700
600 2000
2005
2010
2015
2020
Year
2025
2030
2035
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M A Y 2 0 0 9 4-18
Water conservation is a critical element in meeting the water supply needs within the Metro Water District. This Section presents the water conservation measures selected for the 2008 Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan. When fully implemented, these water conservation measures have the potential to reduce the Metro Water District's water demand up to 13 percent beyond the trend without conservation by the end of the planning period.
Much progress related to water conservation has been achieved since the adoption of the 2003 Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan. The Metro Water District's plan has been instrumental in making water conservation a priority in north Georgia. The Metro Water District is the only major metropolitan area in the country with more than 100 jurisdictions that is implementing such a comprehensive long-term water conservation program that is required and enforced. Tiered water conservation rates have been put in place throughout the Metro Water District. All the largest water systems have implemented programs to reduce system water loss. Toilet rebate programs are in place and ahead of schedule.
The updated plan builds upon 10 measures in the 2003 Plan and advances the Metro Water District's conservation efforts even further. The 10 measures from the 2003 Plan, as amended, will continue to be implemented with revisions to 3 of those measures. The revisions include the following:
Measure 5.1 Conservation Pricing: If local water providers allow irrigation meters, at a minimum, the rate for irrigation use should be equal to or greater than 200 percent of the first tier rate.
Measure 5.2 Replace Older, Inefficient Plumbing Fixtures: By 2014, local water provider's toilet replacement programs will only include high efficiency toilets (HET).
Measure 5.10 Implement Education and Public Awareness Plan: Minimum annual requirements are identified for education and outreach activities and public participation and involvement activities. An optional toolbox is provided as examples of how to meet the annual requirements.
In addition, two new required measures have been added including the following:
Measure 5.11 Installing HET and High Efficiency Urinals in Government Buildings
Measure 5.12 Require New Car Washes to Recycle Water
All measures are currently required unless provided for otherwise. The implementation schedule for these water conservation measures is presented in Section 13, Implementation Plan.
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ACTION ITEM 5.1 CONSERVATION PRICING
ACTION ITEM
Implement water conservation pricing.
OBJECTIVE
Responsible Party
; Local Water Provider Local Government Other: _________________
The objective of this measure is to reduce excessive discretionary water use, especially outdoor irrigation, by increasing the cost of water as the volume of use increases.
DESCRIPTION OF MEASURE
In Coordination With
Local Water Providers Local Wastewater Provider ; Local Government Other: _________________
Single Family Residential
In general, tiered rate structures encourage water conservation by charging higher rates for customers with higher water use. Local water providers should perform a rate and revenue analysis to determine what percent of customers will typically fall into each tier to produce an estimated revenue stream over time. The rate and revenue analysis is needed for the following reasons:
To determine the rates to assign each tier;
To determine the effect on the revenue stream; and
To maintain fair and equitable billing rates.
All Metro Water District water providers should be implementing at least a 3 tiered rate structure. It is important to note that local water providers may elect to create more than three tiers to further enhance water conservation and revenue needs. Table 5-1 provides a guideline for setting effective conservation rates. However, each local water provider should establish rate structures based on a local rate study and an understanding of the local customer base. While rate structures may vary by customer category, decreasing block rate structures are not allowed within the Metro Water District.
TABLE 5-1 Water Conservation Tiered Rate Structure (Example)
Tier First Tier (Conservation Tier)
Second Tier (Middle Tier)
Third Tier (High Use Tier)
Water Use 125% of the average winter use for the customer type/ meter type
Bound by the first tier and the third tier
Rate Base rate
At least 25% above base rate
Highest 5-10% of customers or the customers who use 10-20% of the total water volume
At least 200% above base rate
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The average winter use, which is the basis of the conservation tier, is calculated by the billing system for the residential customer category. Outdoor water is typically not used during the winter months so the average winter use reflects baseline indoor water use. The lowest tier should be calibrated against average winter single-family residential water use numbers. The AWWA Research Foundation estimated a typical single-family winter use of 69.3 gallons per capita per day or 6,000 gallons per single-family account per month, nationally, is common for conservation use estimates1. Once the winter use baseline is determined for the residential customer category, the first tier rates can be established.
As conservation rates achieve success, use in the top tier should reduce; therefore, conservation rates should be re-analyzed periodically. Periodic rate adjustments may be needed to ensure that the funds needed for regular operations are not jeopardized.
Commercial
Commercial, multi-family, institutional and industrial categories should be analyzed to determine the best approach to encourage conservation. Office, institutional and multi-family categories that use outdoor irrigation and have similar use patterns to single-family may benefit from tiered rates set with appropriate bases for those categories. However, many commercial customers have water use patterns that are appropriate for uniform rates. The type of conservation rate for commercial accounts is left to the discretion of the local water provider. At a minimum, a uniform rate structure should apply.
Irrigation Meters
If local water providers allow the use of irrigation meters, the irrigation rate should be significantly higher than the rate for indoor use. The true cost of peak demand as a result of irrigation can be calculated through a rate study. At a minimum, the rate for irrigation use should be equal to or greater than 200 percent of the first tier rate. Discouraging irrigation meters through high fees for irrigation meters purchase and/or installation is also encouraged.
Water customers have traditionally requested irrigation meters to avoid sewer charges that accompany water rates. Water rates typically are equal to or less than rates for indoor use. However, irrigation often poses an added burden to the local water provider by creating very large peaks in water demand. Rate schedules for irrigation meters should recognize the impact that the high peak demand of irrigation places on the local water system and encourage conservation of our region's limited water supplies.
It is important to note that this measure does not require the use of irrigation meters. If a local water provider does not have any active irrigation meters, no action is required for that local water provider with respect to this conservation measure. Local water providers that currently offer and/or have active irrigation meters must establish an irrigation rate structure that reflects the impact on the local water system.
Billing System Functionality
New billing systems could potentially represent a multi-million dollar investment and two-year implementation time-frame for most local water providers. While local water providers in the
1 American Water Works Association Research Foundation "Residential End Uses of Water, " Mayer, 1999.
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Metro Water District are not required to update existing billing software, as existing billing software is replaced it should include certain functionality to facilitate conservation. Functionality that should be available in new billing system packages in the Metro Water District include:
Ability to sub-divide customers into the following customer categories; single-family residential, multi-family residential, commercial, industrial and institutional.
Include both current and historical water use information on bills.
Include an explanation of the conservation pricing. This information will allow the customer to set goals for water use to avoid the top pricing tier.
Clearly identify the billing units, with preference given towards gallon-based units. Most customers are familiar with gallons as a unit of measure and less familiar with other units.
The increased billing functionality over time will provide water customers in the Metro Water District with more information to make water use choices. Additionally, the proper classification of customer categories will assist with future forecast updates as well as the future evaluation of the benefit of the regional conservation program.
SPECIFIC SUB-TASKS
Sub-Task Perform a rate and revenue analysis Commercial rates Irrigation meter pricing
Billing system functionality
Review and update pricing
Description Perform a rate analysis to develop a minimum 3-tiered water conservation pricing schedule.
Determine appropriate commercial rates for the service area.
If irrigation meters are allowed, develop an irrigation meter pricing schedule that recognizes the impact on peak demand from irrigation.
As local water providers replace existing billing systems, they will assess the functionality of new software to facilitate conservation.
Periodically review and adjust conservation pricing to respond to changes in demand and ensure sufficient operation and maintenance funds are available. At least every 5 years, review rates specifically for effectiveness of conservation pricing.
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ACTION ITEM 5.2 REPLACE OLDER, INEFFICIENT PLUMBING FIXTURES
ACTION ITEM
Implement a program to convert older, inefficient toilets to low flow toilets.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this measure is to reduce indoor water use and speed the conversion of older, inefficient toilets towards lower flow models. Toilets are one of the highest water users and replacement of older, inefficient models will reduce water use.
Responsible Party ; Local Water Provider Local Government Other: _________________
In Coordination With Local Water Providers Local Wastewater Provider ; Local Government Other: _________________
DESCRIPTION OF MEASURE
Homes built in or prior to 1993 may contain inefficient toilets. Before the 1950s, toilets typically used 7 gallons or more for each flush. By the end of the 1960s, toilets were designed to flush with 5.5 gallons, and in the 1980s the new toilets being installed were using only 3.5 gallons. Today, a new toilet uses no more than 1.6 gallons of water and high efficiency toilets (HETs) use no more than 1.28 gallons of water per flush. Replacing an inefficient toilet with a low flow model will conserve water.
Each local water provider should offer a program to convert older, inefficient toilets to 1.6 gallons per flush (gpf) models and / or 1.28 gpf models within their community. Local water providers should implement a strategy to distribute, install, or provide incentive to replace higher flow fixtures on accounts owning pre-1993 built homes. The program must specifically address toilet replacement rather than provide toilet retrofit devices and implementation should begin no later than 2009. Examples of such programs include:
1. Rebate incentive program Customer receives a credit to water bill, cash, or voucher offsetting the cost for a new low-flow toilet.
2. Direct install program Customer exchanges older toilet for a low-flow toilet with discounted installation through the local water provider.
3. Other Any program that provides at least the same rate of replacement as the above examples. The local water provider must estimate exchange rate.
The Metro Water District currently administers a toilet rebate program for single family residences that replace older toilets with either 1.6 gpf or 1.28 gpf toilets as a service for water providers in the Metro Water District that choose to participate. Local water providers not currently participating in the Metro Water District's toilet rebate program should adopt a program, either independently or through the Metro Water District, to replace 3.5 gpf or higher toilets.
The Metro Water District website includes a summary by county of older plumbing fixtures that includes the number of housing units built by decade and maps showing the density of homes
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constructed prior to 1993. These summaries include estimates by county and calculate the number of homes that are anticipated to need retrofits based on natural conversion of older plumbing fixtures. These summaries are helpful to local water providers in developing their local program.
This water conservation measure will be enhanced in the future, as the HET technology matures. HETs are a relatively new technology and are not as widely available as 1.6 gpf toilets. By 2014, the technology is expected to be widely available to the Metro Water District and local water providers will be required to provide only 1.28 toilet rebates, either through the Metro Water District rebate program or their own local program.
SPECIFIC SUB-TASKS
Sub-Task
Establish a replacement strategy (through the Metro Water District program or local program)
Enhance replacement program
Description
Participate in the regional program or implement a local rebate or other incentive program for the replacement of pre-1993 toilets.
As HET technology matures, encourage the replacement of older toilets to HET toilets.
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ACTION ITEM 5.3 REQUIRE PRE-RINSE SPRAY VALVE RETROFIT
EDUCATION PROGRAM
ACTION ITEM
Develop an education program targeting food service establishments on retrofitting with low-flow pre-rinse spray valves.
Responsible Party
; Local Water Provider Local Government Other: _________________
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this measure is to speed the installation of low-flow pre-rinse spray valves in food preparation establishments to reduce water demand.
In Coordination With
Local Water Providers ; Local Wastewater Provider ; Local Government Other: _________________
DESCRIPTION OF MEASURE
A pre-rinse spray valve is a handheld device that uses a spray of water to remove food and grease from dishware, utensils and pans before placing them in the dishwasher. A low-flow pre-rinse spray valve uses only 1.6 gallons per minute (gpm) or less. A typical pre-rinse spray valve uses 3 gpm and older spray valves use up to 7 gpm.
The dishwashing operations in a typical restaurant consume over two-thirds of all the water used. In some cases, nearly one-half of the water used in dishwashing is consumed by the pre-rinse spray valve. A low-flow pre-rinse spray valve is one the easiest and most cost effective water saving devices available to the food service operator. New efficient low-flow valves can reduce rinse water usage by 30 to 70 percent compared to older spray valves.
Each local water provider must develop an education program that targets food service establishments such as grocery stores, restaurants, cafeterias, and institutional housing facilities. This program is to begin no later than January 2009. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 sets the maximum flow rate of pre-rinse spray valves at 1.6 gpm. Pre-rinse spray valve education programs will not be required after 2013 since the market will be saturated with low-flow spray valves.
The Metro Water District has created a pre-rinse spray valve brochure, available on the website, that local water providers may distribute to meet the requirements of this measure. The Metro Water District website also includes a summary of the number of food service establishments, both full service restaurants and limited service eating places, by county that can assist in the development of the program and the level of effort in each area.
Other optional program suggestions are to distribute brochures during grease trap inspections of food service establishment, other site visits, direct mailings or rebate or direct installation programs.
SPECIFIC SUB-TASKS
Sub-Task Develop a pre-rinse spray valve retrofit educational program
Description
Using the Metro Water District brochure or other media, develop a program targeting food service operators.
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ACTION ITEM 5.4 RAIN SENSOR SHUT-OFF SWITCHES ON NEW IRRIGATION SYSTEMS
ACTION ITEM
Implement state law requiring the installation of rain sensor irrigation shut-off switches for all new properties.
OBJECTIVE
Responsible Party
Local Water Provider Local Government ; Other: State Legislation
The objective of this measure is to reduce water wasting by requiring rain sensor shut-off switches on irrigation systems, so they do not operate during or immediately following a rain event.
DESCRIPTION OF MEASURE
In Coordination With
; Local Water Providers Local Wastewater Provider ; Local Government Other: _________________
In 2004, the Georgia General Assembly passed a law (Georgia Code Section 12-5-6), which requires rain sensor shut-off switches on new landscape irrigation systems for both residential and nonresidential properties within the Metro Water District. The law took effect on January 1, 2005; therefore, all new in-ground residential and commercial landscape irrigation systems in the Metro Water District will have rain sensor shut-off switches. At the local level, building inspection checklists should be updated to reflect rain sensor requirements for new construction with irrigation systems.
A rain sensor shut-off switch is an electric device that detects and measures rainfall and turns off the irrigation system when a predetermined amount of rain has fallen. This prevents the irrigation system from watering when the landscape has already receiving enough water from the rainfall. Rain sensors reduce unnecessary watering during rainfall events.
There are over 1,500 outdoor service companies within the 15-county Atlanta region that employ approximately 13,000 people according to the 2006 Census County Business Patterns. These companies account for 60 percent of the outdoor service companies across the entire state of Georgia. Over 400 companies in the Atlanta region deal directly with installing irrigation systems.
In April 2006, the Metro Water District sent letters to all of the irrigation companies in the 15county Atlanta region in an effort to reach out to these companies and ask for help implementing this water conservation measure. This letter was sent with the support of the Metro Atlanta Landscape and Turf Association (MALTA) and the Georgia Green Industry Association.
SPECIFIC SUB-TASKS
Sub-Task Enact rain sensor shut-off legislation
Update building inspection checklists
Description Require all new irrigation systems to include rain sensor shutoff switches.
Update checklists to inspect irrigation systems for shutoff switches.
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ACTION ITEM 5.5 REQUIRE SUB-METERS IN NEW MULTI-FAMILY BUILDINGS
ACTION ITEM
Adopt local ordinances or water provider policy that requires all new multi-family buildings (e.g. apartments, townhomes, and condominiums) be individually metered or sub-metered.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this measure is to reduce water use in multi-family properties by allowing each unit to be billed based on volume of use.
Responsible Party ; Local Water Provider Local Government Other: _________________
In Coordination With Local Water Providers Local Wastewater Provider ; Local Government Other: _________________
DESCRIPTION OF MEASURE
Local water providers must adopt an ordinance or local policy to require sub-metering of multifamily buildings. The adoption of a local sub-metering ordinance is authorized by O.C.G.A. 125-180.1. A local policy may be used in lieu of an ordinance. The Metro Water District website includes example language to assist in creating a local ordinance or policy.
The National Multiple Family Submetering and Allocation Billing Program Study shows that submetering reduced water use by 15.3% compared with traditional in-rent multi-family properties, providing a substantial savings. To accomplish sub-metering, local water providers may either install individual meters that will be billed by the local water provider on each unit or require the property owner to install sub-unit meters owned and managed by the property owner with a utility owned master meter. If sub-meters are installed, local water providers are not responsible for billing sub-metered units. Typically, multi-family properties will use a third party meter reading and billing service.
High water use detected by a sub-meter can also assist with leak detection efforts beyond the master meter. This is beneficial for the multi-family property management for several reasons: 1) the location of the leak can be more easily identified; and 2) since a leak will cause a resident's water bill to be high they will be more likely to report leaks before they become a bigger problem.
SPECIFIC SUB-TASKS
Sub-Task Adopt a local sub-meter ordinance or policy
Description
Adopt a local ordinance or require sub-meters as a condition of purchasing a master meter for multi-family properties.
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ACTION ITEM 5.6 ASSESS AND REDUCE WATER SYSTEM LEAKAGE
ACTION ITEM
Assess local water losses annually using the IWA/ AWWA water audit methodology.
Develop a program for identifying and reducing local water system loss.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this measure is to reduce water losses within the water distribution system and water treatment facilities.
Responsible Party ; Local Water Provider Local Government Other: _________________
In Coordination With Local Water Providers Local Wastewater Provider ; Local Government ; Other: Fire & Police Departments
DESCRIPTION OF MEASURE
Water providers must identify methods to reduce leakage in their systems, and to reduce unbilled water. The first step is to determine the extent of water losses in the distribution system using the International Water Association (IWA) and American Water Works Association (AWWA) methodology, herein referred to as the IWA / AWWA method.
The IWA / AWWA methodology is recommended to quantify and classify non-revenue water because it addresses some of the major problems in estimating system water loss. The commonly used percentage of "unaccounted-for-water" method of determining system water loss does not provide a standard for measurement of water use and water loss. The IWA / AWWA methodology defines all uses and losses and is designed to function with different units and measures using a water balance format.
The methodology uses an Excel spreadsheet and is more comprehensive and accurate than previously available tools for water loss calculations. Within IWA/AWWA methodology, no water is considered "unaccounted for", as it is allocated as either a consumption or loss. Water loss programs can then target the most significant categories of losses, which will vary for every local water provider. The spreadsheet provides benchmark information and allows utilities to easily set performance targets.
Local water providers must establish a goal for reducing the "real" water losses, or those associated with loss through all types of leaks, breaks and overflows on mains, service reservoirs and service connections, up to the point of customer metering. The goal for reducing the real component of water loss will be based on existing water loss, the specifics for the distribution system and the water loss program. The goal for real water loss established by each local water provider will be achieved over the next five years.
The IWA/AWWA identifies the areas of biggest water losses as well as their financial impact. Based on water loss data, each local water provider can develop a water loss program that will be
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beneficial to their particular water system. Optional example programs to reduce water losses include the following list. All options will not be appropriate for all water systems.
Conduct an on-going meter calibration and/or replacement program. Older meters should routinely be checked for accuracy. Faulty meters almost always underestimate the amount of water used, resulting in significant amounts of non-billed water.
Use leak detection equipment (sonar) and software to identify leaks. There are several different types of leak detection equipment on the market, ranging from hand- held listening devices to permanent and semi-permanent devices that are placed within the system to record leaks at low demand times (such as early morning hours, 3 am). Proactive leak detection programs have been successful in the Metro Water District in finding minor leaks that are not usually found, and can result in significant water losses over time.
Maintain an understanding of the system through a current water distribution model. Optimization of the system and understanding of system challenges will allow for quicker identification of leaks and other losses.
Establish DMAs (district metered areas) within the system to identify real losses. A DMA is a distribution system zone monitored routinely to produce a pattern for night flows. DMAs enable the identification and location of unreported breaks and leakage, or real losses.
Actively manage system pressure by establishing different pressure zones for the system or by reducing pressures across the system. Care must be taken when lowering system pressure to adhere to minimum required pressures for daily operation and fire protection. Benefits of pressure management include: reduction in leakage volumes, reduction in new break frequencies, reduced hydraulic impact, and extension of the existing infrastructure.
Work with intergovernmental departments (fire and police staff) to routinely inform the utility of standing water areas and potential leaks.
Establish a strategy for prioritizing leak repairs. Although main breaks require swift response time, losses on smaller lines deserve as much or more attention, as small losses over long periods of time may result in significant losses.
Address leaks or inefficiencies in the water treatment plant.
Maintain an asset management program to track aging pipes and meters with a schedule for planned replacement.
Maintain accurate billing system records through communication between meter reading, distribution maintenance and customer service staff. Lack of communication can sometimes result in customer service staff entering erroneous information into the system (wrong multiplier, active vs. inactive accounts, etc.). Periodic field checks of billing system data may help identify and correct these errors.
A leak detection and repair program to recover lost water may benefit the water provider in many ways because recovered lost water:
delays the need for developing new water sources and infrastructure;
is treated and ready for use by the customer;
is pressurized to reach the customer;
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generates additional revenue; and conserves energy.
SPECIFIC SUB-TASKS
Sub-Task Assess local water losses annually Develop a program for identifying and reducing local water system loss
Set a goal for real water losses
Description
Use the IWA/AWWA methodology annually to calculate the system water loss and causes of greatest water loss.
Based on the water loss assessment and local knowledge, develop steps for reducing apparent and real losses as used in the AWWA Water Audits. These steps should be based on local conditions, such as the age and condition of the system and past efforts at reducing water losses.
Each water system must set a goal for real water losses that will be achieved and/or maintained over the next five years.
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ACTION ITEM 5.7 CONDUCT RESIDENTIAL WATER AUDITS
ACTION ITEM
Provide residential water audit information to residential water customers.
OBJECTIVE
Responsible Party
; Local Water Provider Local Government Other: _________________
The objective of this measure is to reduce residential water use by educating residents on how they use water and how use can be reduced.
In Coordination With Local Water Providers
Local Wastewater Provider
DESCRIPTION OF MEASURE
Local Government
Residential water audits should be made available to the
Other
top 25% of water users. In addition, audits can be made
available to customers who complain about high water bills. This guidance may be made available
either through mailings, provided at the local water provider office or hosted on the website.
The Metro Water District has developed a "Do It Yourself Household Water Assessment" to assist water providers with residential water audits. The assessment process includes:
Analyzing how much water you use; Detecting leaks (pipes, toilets, faucets); Checking for and using water-efficient appliances; Assessing outdoor water use; and Changing water use habits.
Copies of the assessment tool will be made available for display in local water provider billing offices. In addition, the local water provider may choose to mail the brochure with a bill and/or place on website. This measure may be conducted jointly with conservation measure #8 (distribute low-flow retrofit kits to residential users).
SPECIFIC SUB-TASKS
Sub-Task Develop a water audit program
Distribute water audits
Description
Utilize the "Do It Yourself Household Water Assessment" or other materials to educate customers on their water use through a self-water audit.
Distribute the "Do It Yourself Household Water Assessment" or other materials to target audience.
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ACTION ITEM 5.8 DISTRIBUTE LOW-FLOW RETROFIT KITS TO RESIDENTIAL USERS
ACTION ITEM
Distribute low-flow retrofit kits to customers.
OBJECTIVE
Responsible Party
; Local Water Provider Local Government Other: _________________
The objective of this measure is to reduce residential indoor water use by retrofitting faucets, showerheads and
In Coordination With
other water-saving devices.
Local Water Providers
Local Wastewater Provider
DESCRIPTION OF MEASURE
Local Government
Retrofit kits are intended to target portions of the service
Other: _________________
area with homes built before 1993. Local water providers
may advertise the availability of retrofit kits, direct mail, distribute at festivals, or other forms of
distribution.
A low-flow retrofit kit is a package of water saving devices that can assist residents to save water at home and typically includes low-flow showerheads, faucet aerators, and other applicable retrofit items. It is important to promote water conservation in the home due to the fact that 54 percent of water used in the Atlanta region occurs in the home. The distribution of low-flow retrofit kits can accelerate the natural conversion of less efficient plumbing fixtures.
The recommended water conservation retrofit kit currently contains 5 products including a lowflow showerhead, a kitchen aerator, a low-flow faucet aerator, leak detection dye tablets and a flow meter bag. Each local water provider should tailor their kits toward their customer base. Detailed product descriptions are provided below.
Low-Flow Showerhead: A highly efficient showerhead uses 2.0 gallons/min. The showerhead uses air pressure instead of extra water to provide water at a comfortable rate. Low flow showerheads provide an even spray pattern and may also offer a variety of spray patterns.
Kitchen Faucet Aerator: A highly efficient kitchen aerator provides an even spray pattern at 2.0 gallons/ minute.
Low-Flow Lavatory Faucet Aerator: A highly efficient faucet aerator provides an even spray pattern at 1.0 gallons/min.
Leak Detection Dye Tablets: The leak detection dye tablets provide a way to check for leaks in toilets.
Flow Meter Bag: The flow meter bag helps with measuring the flow from a showerhead or faucet.
The Metro Water District provides a list of retrofit kit providers on their website. Local water providers with high outdoor use consumption may choose to include outdoor water saving devices in retrofit kits.
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SPECIFIC SUB-TASKS
Sub-Task Purchase low flow retrofit kits
Distribute low flow retrofit kits
Section 5: WATER CONSERVATION PROGRAM
Description Identify and purchase low flow retrofit kits appropriate for the local water service area. Target the distribution of retrofit kits to customers in pre-1993 properties.
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ACTION ITEM 5.9 CONDUCT COMMERCIAL WATER AUDITS
ACTION ITEM
Develop a commercial water audit program that targets high water users.
OBJECTIVE
Responsible Party
; Local Water Provider Local Government Other: _________________
The objective of this measure is to reduce water consumption from commercial and industrial water users, by site specific assessments of use and potential for improved efficiency.
DESCRIPTION OF MEASURE
In Coordination With
Local Water Providers Local Wastewater Provider Local Government ; Other: P2AD
A commercial water audit program includes on-site water audits at commercial, industrial and institutional facilities. Water providers should inform customers of the program and offer the onsite water assessment. Interested customers will typically provide basic water use information about the facility prior to an on-site assessment. Local water providers may want to ask commercial and industrial facilities to make an early commitment to reduce water consumption.
Once an on-site assessment is performed, the water provider should provide the customer with recommended measures based on payback period. The Pollution Prevention Assistance Division (P2AD) has developed a spreadsheet for assessing water conservation opportunities based on the payback period for capital improvements. Following the audit, local water providers could periodically check in with facilities to encourage implementation.
Commercial, Industrial and Institutional (CII) uses are variable and complex. Examples of types of facilities may include, but are not limited to, commercial and retail centers, office buildings, hotels and motels, coin and card operated laundries, auto service and repair shops, restaurants and fast food, bakery and pastry shops, beverage manufacturers, commercial printers, fuel service stations and convenience stores, vehicle washes, schools, grocers, hospitals, industrial bakers, industrial laundries and dry cleaners, laboratories, metal finishers, paper manufacturers, water features and pools and landscapes. A facility's water use can be related to those they serve, such as industrial processes, number of hotel customers, students at a school or patients at a hospital. Different types of facilities will have different water use characteristics and potential efficiencies; however, this may also vary within the same type of facility. Therefore, an on-site water audit of a facility provides a more accurate assessment than estimating efficiencies of certain types of facilities. Commercial water audits include a site visit, characterization of existing water uses, and recommended changes to process and operations to reduce water usage.
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SPECIFIC SUB-TASKS
Sub-Task Train personnel
Advertise water audit program
Conduct audits with interested commercial partners Report results to commercial partners
Description
Train personnel to conduct commercial water audits using the P2AD water audit spreadsheet or other method of assessing water conservation potential.
Contact highest commercial water users or otherwise advertise the audit program.
Perform water audits with interested commercial partners based on the local program.
Provide recommendations of cost-beneficial water conservation measures based on the site audit.
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ACTION ITEM 5.10 IMPLEMENT EDUCATION AND PUBLIC AWARENESS PLAN
ACTION ITEM
Responsible Party
Develop a local public education program with both education and outreach activities.
OBJECTIVE
; Local Water Provider Local Government Other: _________________
The objective of this measure is to enhance public
In Coordination With
cooperation and support for water conservation by
Local Water Providers
conducting information and outreach programs.
; Local Wastewater Provider
DESCRIPTION OF MEASURE
; Local Government ; Other: Keep America Beautiful
There are a number of regional education programs outlined in Section 12, Public Education and Awareness.
Affiliate, Environmental Education
Based on the regional program, local water providers must
implement a local water conservation education and outreach program. Local water providers
must implement a minimum number of education and outreach activities based on Table 5-2. The
optional education toolbox is provided in Table 5-3 to provide ideas for enhancing existing local
public education programs.
TABLE 5-2 Minimum Local Education and Public Awareness Program Annual Requirements
Population <50,000 >50,000
Education and Outreach Activities
2
3
Public Participation and Involvement Activities
2
3
TABLE 5-3 Optional Education Toolbox
Education and Outreach Activities
Bill stuffers or newsletters Brochures at municipal facilities Website with water conservation information Local Cable or Government TV station
programming Speakers bureau presentations
Press releases
Public Participation and Involvement Activities
Water treatment facility tours Citizen advisory group Water festivals
School classroom education
Technical training to target audiences
Retrofit kit distribution
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
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Section 5: WATER CONSERVATION PROGRAM
Education and Outreach Activities
Provide historical water use on water bills Adopt a water waste ordinance Xeriscape demonstration garden Promote toilet rebate program
Other innovative education and outreach activities
Public Participation and Involvement Activities
Essay contests
Coloring book contest Community workshops Interactive kiosks / exhibits
Other innovative public participation and involvement activities
Local water providers are encouraged to work with the local wastewater providers, local government staff, extension service agent, and Keep America Beautiful affiliates to include water conservation in existing programs and events.
In addition to the regional education and public awareness program, as described in Section 12, the Metro Water District may consider the following:
Research Homeowner Association conditions that mandate irrigation and determine approach to prohibit mandatory irrigation.
Develop a model "water waste" ordinance.
Promote water efficiency aspects of green building.
Assist with development of a new home efficiency award program.
Sponsor an annual awards program for water saving businesses.
Offer cooling tower education and training.
Add additional emphasis to outdoor watering education including developing educational materials on rainwater harvesting and efficient water use for pools, spas, pressure washing and non-commercial car washing.
Provide education on energy and water savings possible through implementing water conservation practices.
SPECIFIC SUB-TASKS
Sub-Task
Develop a local public education program
Perform public education and outreach activities
Perform public participation and involvement activities
Description
In conjunction with the regional educational efforts, each local water provider will implement a local education program.
Perform activities to educate the public either individually, or in combination with other agencies/partners.
Perform activities to engage the public either individually, or in combination with other agencies/partners.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
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Section 5: WATER CONSERVATION PROGRAM
ACTION ITEM 5.11 INSTALL HIGH EFFICIENCY TOILETS AND HIGH EFFICIENCY URINALS IN GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS
ACTION ITEM
Develop a program and schedule for the replacement of inefficient toilets and urinals within government buildings with high efficiency toilets and high efficiency urinals.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this measure is to demonstrate leadership in water conservation and reduce water use by replacing older plumbing fixtures with high efficiency toilets and high efficiency urinals within government buildings.
DESCRIPTION OF MEASURE
Responsible Party ; Local Water Provider ; Local Government Other: _________________
In Coordination With Local Water Providers Local Wastewater Provider Local Government Other: _________________
Local governments and local water providers should demonstrate leadership in practicing water conservation. Replacing inefficient fixtures with high efficiency fixtures in government buildings not only conserves water for the local government, it provides an opportunity for public awareness and education. High efficiency replacement fixtures include HET toilets, 1.28 gpf or less, and high-efficiency urinals, 0.5 gpf or less.
This measure focuses on government buildings and includes public administration buildings, local water provider administration buildings, public libraries, and court buildings. This action item only requires the retrofit of 3.5 gpf or higher toilets and urinals greater than 1.0 gpf.
Funding for this measure can come from a variety of sources including local water provider budgets, City or County general funds or building renovation funds. Options for implementation of this action item include; direct replacement programs, establishing a new toilet replacement line item in department budgets to cover replacement costs, or providing rebates for government buildings.
HETs are a relatively new technology that is not available at all retail locations within the Metro Water District. This measure will not be required until the technology is widely available, with replacement programs initiated by 2014 and all of the listed buildings retrofitted by 2020.
SPECIFIC SUB-TASKS
Sub-Task Develop a list of eligible government buildings
Develop a retrofit schedule and program Retrofit fixtures
Description
Develop a list of all public administration buildings, local water provider administration buildings, public libraries, and court buildings with the approximate number of fixtures to retrofit.
Determine the schedule and funding mechanism for retrofitting the less efficient fixtures. Programs should begin by year 2014.
Replace all toilets greater than 3.5 gpf with HET toilets and all urinals greater than 1.0 gpf by 2020.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M A Y 2 0 0 9 5-20
Section 5: WATER CONSERVATION PROGRAM
ACTION ITEM 5.12 REQUIRE NEW CAR WASHES TO RECYCLE WATER
ACTION ITEM
Responsible Party
Adopt an ordinance that requires all new drive-through car washes to recycle water.
OBJECTIVE
Local Water Provider ; Local Government Other: _________________
The objective of this measure is to reduce water consumption from drive-through car wash facilities by requiring them to recycle water.
DESCRIPTION OF MEASURE
In Coordination With
; Local Water Providers Local Wastewater Provider Local Government Other: _________________
This measure requires local governments to pass ordinances or regulations requiring all new drive-through car washes, including in-bay and conveyor washes, to recycle water. In lieu of an ordinance, local water providers may require car washes to recycle water in order to get a water meter or local governments may incorporate the requirement in local development guidance. A local policy may be used in lieu of an ordinance.
Car washes are estimated to use an estimated 1.7 MGD in the State of Georgia, according to the Southeastern Car Wash Association. The number of carwashes in the Metro Water District is estimated at 200. Recycling water at car washes is estimated to potentially reduce car wash water usage by 35%.
There are three main types of car washes: self-service, in-bay, and conveyor. The self-service car washes are typically coin-operated with spray wands and brushes operated by the customer. Inbay automatic car washes are characterized by a wash bay in which the customer stays in their car as the carwash equipment uses either spray nozzles or brushes, or a combination of both to process the individual cycles. The conveyor car wash is usually installed in a tunnel, and includes a series of cloth brushes or curtains and arches from which water is sprayed while the car is pulled through the tunnel on a conveyor chain. The self-service car wash typically uses 15 gallons per wash, while the in-bay and conveyor washes typically use 50 and 35 gallons per wash, respectively. Because the self-service washes use less water, these facilities do not generally recycle water. However, the in-bay and conveyor washes will be subject to recycle requirements.
The Metro Water District should develop guidance for an ordinance to require recycling of water at drive-through car washes.
SPECIFIC SUB-TASKS
Sub-Task Adopt a local ordinance or regulation Update plan review procedures
Description
Require all new drive-through car washes to recycle water by 2010.
Update plan review procedures, as needed, to ensure new drivethrough car washes recycle water.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
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Section 5: WATER CONSERVATION PROGRAM
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WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
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This Section identifies surface water supply sources for the Metro Water District to meet future water demands. The first part of this Section discusses the water supply sources intended to meet water needs through the 2035 planning horizon. The rest of this Section discusses alternate potential water supply sources or those for post-2035 consideration.
MEETING 2035 DEMAND
By 2035, the Metro Water District's water demands will be approaching 1,011 AAD-MGD as shown in Table 3-5 with the aggressive water conservation program discussed in Section 5. The current permitted surface water supply is 882 AAD-MGD, therefore to meet the projected future water supply needs in the Metro Water District through 2035, additional water supply sources will be needed. It is important to note that the savings from the Metro Water District water conservation program were considered first, prior to looking at additional water supply sources. The water supply evaluation performed for the 2003 plan served as a starting point for identifying new sources, supplemented by additional water supply sources identified through discussions with local water providers and previous water supply evaluations performed by local and regional agencies. These future water supply alternatives to meet 2035 demands included:
Existing water supply sources and reservoirs
Expansions of existing sources
Potential new water supply sources
Each of these sources was evaluated and considered in conjunction with local plans, priorities and preferences. On an average annual basis, the anticipated year 2035 permitted surface water supply is 1,140 AAD-MGD. Figure 6-1 shows graphically that the water supplies identified will meet 2035 forecasted demands.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
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Section 6: WATER SUPPLY SOURCES
FIGURE 6-1 Metro Water District Water Demand and Supply Forecasts
1,200 1,100
2035 Planned Permitted Supply
Supply/Demand (AAD-MGD)
1,000
900
2006 Permitted Supply
800
700
600 2005
2010
Baseline With Selected Conservation Program
2015
2020
Year
2025
2030
2035
To meet the 2035 water demands, this Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan relies on (1) an aggressive water conservation program, (2) maximizing existing supply sources, and (3) new supply sources through new reservoirs. Figure 6-2 shows that the majority of planned future supplies over currently permitted supplies are the result of maximizing existing water supply sources while conservation provides slightly more water than new reservoir sources.
FIGURE 6-2 Comparison of Future Water Supplies to Meet Demands
New supply through
maximizing existing sources/
increasing permits: 165 AAD-MGD,
48%
New supply through new reservoirs: 87 AAD-MGD,
26%
New supply through
conservation: 89 AAD-MGD,
26%
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Section 6: WATER SUPPLY SOURCES
WATER SUPPLY EVALUATION CRITERIA
The evaluation criteria used to develop the recommended water supply sources was based on the alternatives evaluation in the 2003 Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan with some adjustments as outlined below.
Maximize the use of existing sources and facilities. Water supply sources and treatment facilities are a major investment for local water providers; therefore maximizing existing water supply sources is cost-effective and generally involves the lowest environmental impact.
Minimize interbasin transfers and maximize basin self-sufficiency. Maximizing basin selfsufficiency includes both minimizing interbasin transfers and careful use of the allocations from Lake Lanier and Allatoona Lake. The Metro Water District has always supported the minimization of interbasin transfers.
Maximize reuse opportunities. With limited drinking water supplies in the Metro Water District, indirect potable reuse is viewed as an amenity to replenish drinking water supplies. Indirect potable reuse is critical to meeting future water supply needs in Lake Lanier and Allatoona Lake. Non-potable reuse replaces demands for potable water supply, thereby extending limited available water supply sources.
Continue to protect water quality. Protecting existing and future drinking water supplies is a strong priority of the Wastewater Management Plan and the Watershed Management Plan. The location of new drinking water supply sources must consider water quality as well as instream water needs.
Advanced treatment technologies. As the use of indirect potable reuse to augment water supplies increases, it will likely be accompanied by upgrades to treatment technologies in drinking water treatment plants. Technologies such as UV disinfection may provide added barriers and ensure continued delivery of high quality potable water.
2035 WATER SUPPLY SOURCES
The following discussion presents the preferred water supply sources to meet 2035 water demands consistent with the County Level Summaries in Appendix B. The sources identified to meet 2035 water demands are shown on Figure 6-3 and in Table 6-1.
As discussed in Section 2, groundwater use makes up less than 1% of the public water supplies for the Metro Water District due to bedrock geology. Over the 2035 planning horizon, it is expected that the percentage of groundwater use will remain about constant. For planning purposes, groundwater supply sources have been factored into the water supply as a source for small towns and as a supplemental source.
While water reuse is an important component of this Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan, it is considered a mechanism for increasing reliability and extending supplies. Reuse is covered in detail in Section 7.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
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Section 6: WATER SUPPLY SOURCES
FIGURE 6-3 Surface Water Supply Sources Identified to Meet 2035 Demands
!(19
!(21
Coosa Basin
!(16 !(13
!(17
!(20
!(14
!(18
!(15 !(22 !(23 !(1
!(4 !(2
!(3 !(44
Oconee Basin
!( TaBllaapsoinosa45
Chattahoochee Basin
!(5
Ocmulgee Basin
!(43
!(7!(6
!(8
!(9
!(34
!(10
!(24 !(35 !(36
Legend
!(40 !( Future Source
!(12
!(11 !(31
!(30 !(27 !(26 !(29
!(25
!(37 !(38 !(39
!(41 !(42
County Boundaries Streams
!( Flint 32 !(28
Lakes
Basin
!(33
Major River Basins
Chattahoochee Basin
Coosa Basin
5 0 5 10 Miles
Flint Basin Ocmulgee Basin Oconee Basin Tallapoosa Basin
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Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
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Section 6: WATER SUPPLY SOURCES
TABLE 6-1 Surface Water Supply Sources Through 2035
Water Supply Source
Owner/Operator Utilizing Source
Chattahoochee River Basin
1 Lake Lanier
2 Chattahoochee River
3 Glades Reservoir (Flat Creek) 4 Big Creek 5 Sweetwater Creek 6 Bear Creek (Douglas County) 7 Dog River 8 Bear Creek (Fulton County)
City of Cumming Forsyth County Water Resources Gwinnett County DWR City of Buford City of Gainesville Public Utilities Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority DeKalb County Watershed Management City of Atlanta Watershed Management Atlanta - Fulton County Water Resources Forsyth County / City of Cumming Hall County City of Roswell City of East Point Douglasville-Douglas County Water and Sewer Authority Douglasville-Douglas County Water and Sewer Authority
TBD
9 Cedar Creek (Fulton County)
10 Cedar Creek (BT Brown) Reservoir (Coweta County)
11 Sandy Brown Creek and J.T. Haynes Reservoir
12 Chattahoochee Basin Options
City of Palmetto Coweta County Water and Sewerage Authority
Newnan Utilities
Coweta County
Chattahoochee River Basin Total
Coosa River Basin 13 Etowah River
City of Canton City of Cartersville
2035 Planned Permitted Monthly Average Withdrawal
(MGD) (Note 10)
27 51 169 3.22 53 87 140 180 116 (Note 1) TBD 3.75 11.5
(Note 2)
23
11 0.45
7.5
15.8
8 907.22
13.5 (Note 3)
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Section 6: WATER SUPPLY SOURCES
Water Supply Source
Owner/Operator Utilizing Source
14 Etowah Watershed Reservoir (Note 4) 15 Etowah River / Yellow Creek (Lathem Reservoir)
16 Etowah River / Hickory Log Creek
17 Allatoona Lake
18 Etowah River / Richland Creek 19 Lewis Spring 20 Moss Springs 21 Bolivar Springs 22 Bannister Creek 23 Etowah Watershed Reservoir Coosa River Basin Total
Fulton County
Cherokee County Water and Sewerage Authority Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority City of Canton Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority City of Cartersville Paulding County City of Adairsville City of Emerson Bartow County Forsyth County Forsyth County
Flint River Basin
24 Flint River
25 J.W. Smith and Shoal Creek Reservoirs
26 Whitewater Creek
27 Lake Kedron / Lake Peachtree (Flat Creek) 28 Lake Horton (Horton Creek) 29 Lake McIntosh (Line Creek) 30 Line Creek 31 White Oak Creek 32 Hutchins' Lake (Keg Creek) 33 Still Branch Creek Flint River Basin Total
Clayton County Water Authority Fayette County Water System
Clayton County Water Authority
City of Fayetteville Fayette County Water System (Note 6)
Fayette County Water System
Fayette County Water System Fayette County Water System Newnan Utilities Newnan Utilities City of Senoia City of Griffin (to Coweta County)
2035 Planned Permitted Monthly Average Withdrawal
(MGD) (Note 10) 15 39.8
(Note 5) 106.5 52.5 30 4.5 0.5 0.8
TBD (Note 1) 263.1
(Note 6) (Note 7) 19.8 (Note 8)
3
31
(Note 9) 0.45 7.5 61.75
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Section 6: WATER SUPPLY SOURCES
Water Supply Source
Owner/Operator Utilizing Source
Ocmulgee River Basin
34 W.J. Hooper Reservoir (Little Cotton Indian Creek)
Clayton County Water Authority
35 Blalock Reservoir (Pates Creek) Clayton County Water Authority
36 Fargason (Walnut Creek) Reservoir
City of McDonough
37 Towaliga River Reservoirs (Strickland and Cole)
Henry County Water and Sewerage Authority
38
Gardner (Indian Creek) Reservoir
Henry County Water and Sewerage Authority
39 Rowland (Long Branch) Reservoir
Henry County Water and Sewerage Authority
40 Ocmulgee Reservoir
Henry County Water and Sewerage Authority
41 Tussahaw Creek Reservoir
Henry County Water and Sewerage Authority
42 Brown Branch
City of Locust Grove
43 Big Haynes Creek
Rockdale County
Ocmulgee River Basin Total
2035 Planned Permitted Monthly Average Withdrawal
(MGD) (Note 10)
39.5 (Note 8) 2.4
21.75
39 0.34 22.1 125.09
Oconee River Basin
44 North Oconee River / Cedar Creek
City of Gainesville Public Utilities
9
Tallapoosa River Basin
45 Little Tallapoosa River (Lake Fashion / Cowan Lake)
City of Villa Rica
2.25
Totals
Metro Water District Total
Monthly Average Annual Average
1,368.41 1,140.34
Notes: 1. Alternate intake if additional supplies are unavailable from Lake Lanier 2. The Bear Creek Reservoir serves as a supplemental supply to the Dog River Reservoir. 3. Cartersville's permit for Etowah River is included within it's Allatoona Lake permit. 4. The specific location of the reservoir has not been identified, but is likely to be near the Fulton County service area. 5. Water released to Etowah River--included in Canton / Cobb County Marietta Water Authority withdrawals 6. Water pumped to fill Shoal Creek reservoir 7. Water pumped to fill Lake Horton reservoir 8. Clayton County Water Authority will increase capacity at one of its three facilities to 79 PD-MGD (59.3 MGD on a monthly average
basis) by 2035. This table shows capacities evenly split. 9. White Oak Creek and Line Creek withdrawals fill JT Haynes Reservoir. 10. Annual average day equals monthly average divided by 1.2.
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Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
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Section 6: WATER SUPPLY SOURCES
CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVER BASIN
The Chattahoochee River, along with Lake Lanier and several tributaries will continue to be the largest water supply source in the Metro Water District through 2035 and beyond. The major supply sources through the planning horizon are described below.
Lake Lanier: Lake Sidney Lanier is the largest reservoir on the Chattahoochee River and extends 44 miles up the Chattahoochee from Buford Dam. Gwinnett County, City of Buford, City of Cumming/Forsyth County and City of Gainesville have water supply intakes on Lake Lanier. All five local water providers are expected to increase their withdrawals through 2035 to meet demands.
Chattahoochee River: The main stem of the Chattahoochee River in the Metro Water District for water supply includes the reach from Buford Dam to Peachtree Creek. The City of Atlanta, Atlanta-Fulton County Water Resources Commission, Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority, and DeKalb County all have major water supply intakes on this reach. Through 2035, it is anticipated that Atlanta-Fulton County Water Resources Commission will increase its permitted withdrawal from the Chattahoochee River. Forsyth County/City of Cumming may develop an intake on the Chattahoochee River during the planning horizon if additional supplies from Lake Lanier are not obtained.
Flat Creek (Glades Reservoir): A land owner in Hall County is currently in the permitting process for a new 733-acre reservoir on Flat Creek that will release water into Lake Lanier in Hall County. Expected year 2035 monthly withdrawal from this source is yet to be determined.
Big Creek: Big Creek in north Fulton County is a water supply source for the City of Roswell with a permitted monthly average withdrawal of 1.2 MGD. A safe yield analysis of Big Creek and additional supplemental sources are currently under investigation. Roswell plans to continue using this supply with a total monthly average withdrawal of 3.75 MGD by 2035 from a combination of groundwater and surface water sources.
Sweetwater Creek: The City of East Point has a water withdrawal intake on Sweetwater Creek in Douglas County. The Ben Hill reservoir provides storage and serves as a management tool to ensure the minimum required flow from Sweetwater Creek to the Chattahoochee River and to ensure adequate flows in Sweetwater Creek during droughts. Through 2035, no expansion or changes in the permitted monthly average withdrawal of 11.5 MGD are being considered.
Bear Creek (Douglas County): The Douglasville-Douglas County Water and Sewer Authority operates a reservoir on Bear Creek in Douglas County. The Bear Creek Reservoir serves as a supplemental supply to the Dog River Reservoir.
Dog River: The Dog River Reservoir in Douglas County is operated by the Douglasville-Douglas County Water and Sewer Authority. A project currently underway to increase the dam height will allow for an increase of permitted monthly withdrawal to 23 AAD-MGD.
Bear Creek (Fulton County): A new impoundment is proposed on Bear Creek in south Fulton County. This project would have an expected permitted monthly withdrawal of 11 MGD in year 2035.
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Section 6: WATER SUPPLY SOURCES
Cedar Creek (Fulton County): The City of Palmetto has a water withdrawal intake and chain of reservoirs on Cedar Creek in south Fulton County. This facility has a maximum yield of 1.0 AAD-MGD. Palmetto plans to continue utilizing this source through 2035.
Cedar Creek (Coweta County): The B.T. Brown Reservoir on Cedar Creek in Coweta County is operated by the Coweta County Water and Sewerage Authority. The Authority proposes increasing the yield of this reservoir to allow for 10 PD-MGD capacity at the treatment plant by reducing the 12-foot freeboard between the top of the dam and normal pool without any additional structural changes.
Sandy Brown Creek and JT Haynes Reservoir: The City of Newnan uses Sandy Brown Creek as a water supply source for the off-stream J.T. Haynes Reservoir. The J.T. Haynes Reservoir is also supplemented with flows from White Oak Creek and Line Creek. Withdrawals from the J.T. Haynes Reservoir are expected to increase to a permitted monthly average withdrawal of 16 MGD by 2035.
Chattahoochee Basin Options: Coweta County will explore either purchasing water from the City of Atlanta or developing an intake on the Chattahoochee River for meeting future demands in Coweta County.
Chattahoochee Basin Limitations
Georgia EPD has determined a withdrawal limit from Lake Lanier and the Chattahoochee River above Peachtree Creek for the Metro Water District of 664 AAD-MGD. However, additional withdrawals are allowed if returns are equal to 100% of the withdrawal increment over the 664 AAD-MGD limit. Georgia EPD has also provided guidance on the rate of return for withdrawals in the Chattahoochee River Basin above Whitesburg for the Metro Water District. This Chattahoochee River Basin average annual return rate is 58% of withdrawals.
This plan complies with both requirements. The return rate in the Chattahoochee River Basin for this plan is 78% of the annual average withdrawals in 2035. This plan also complies with the withdrawal limit based on returns. The plan includes a total withdrawal of 688 AAD-MGD from the Chattahoochee River and Lake Lanier by meeting the 100% return rate of the 24 AAD-MGD beyond the 664 AAD-MGD.
COOSA RIVER BASIN
The Coosa River in the Metro Water District, which includes the Etowah River and Allatoona Lake, will continue to be the second largest water supply source for the Metro Water District through 2035. The water supply sources through the planning horizon are described below.
Etowah River: The main stem of the Etowah River provides water supplies for the City of Canton, the City of Cartersville and the Cherokee County Water and Sewerage Authority. The Cherokee County Water and Sewer Authority utilizes the Hollis Q. Lathem Reservoir as an instream drought contingency facility on Yellow Creek. Water is released from this reservoir during periods of critical flow in the Etowah River. Both Canton and the Cherokee County Water and Sewer Authority plan to increase withdrawals from the Etowah to meet demands through 2035. The Etowah River is also the primary source of water for the Hickory Log Creek Reservoir. The City of Cartersville in conjunction with Bartow County is considering an intake
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
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Section 6: WATER SUPPLY SOURCES
on the Etowah River downstream of Allatoona Lake. Forsyth County is also considering adding a withdrawal from an Etowah River source. A new reservoir is under consideration by Fulton County to meet demands in North Fulton. The specific location of the reservoir within the Etowah basin has not been identified, but is likely to be near the Fulton County service area.
Allatoona Lake: Allatoona Lake is an impoundment of the Etowah River which is operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps). Both the Cobb-County Marietta Water Authority and the City of Cartersville have water supply intakes on the Lake. Both local water providers plan to increase their withdrawals through 2035.
Richland Creek: Paulding County is currently in the permitting stages of a new reservoir on Richland Creek; expected permitted monthly withdrawal is 30 MGD.
Lewis Spring: The City of Adairsville utilizes Lewis Spring which is a groundwater spring, considered a surface water source. Adairsville plans to increase its use of this source slightly through 2035.
Moss Springs: The City of Emerson utilizes Moss Springs, which is a groundwater spring, considered a surface water source.
Bolivar Springs: Bartow County utilizes Bolivar Springs, which is a groundwater spring, considered a surface water source.
Bannister Creek: Forsyth County is exploring a supplemental water source to an off-stream reservoir by pumping water from Bannister Creek to the Etowah River, just upstream of its confluence with the Etowah River.
Hickory Log Creek Reservoir: Hickory Log Creek Reservoir is off-stream storage filled with water pumped from the Etowah River. Water is not withdrawn from the reservoir but instead from intake facilities downstream.
Coosa Basin Limitations
Georgia EPD has set a withdrawal limit from Allatoona Lake of 200 AAD-MGD. For other new or expanded withdrawals in the Coosa Basin, an instream protection flow of monthly 7Q10 is required. A third restriction is that interbasin transfers from the Coosa River Basin are limited to a maximum of 100 AAD-MGD.
This plan complies with those requirements. The total withdrawal from Allatoona Lake in the plan is 133 AAD-MGD. The net withdrawal for the entire Coosa Basin within the Metro Water District is 219 AAD-MGD. The interbasin transfer amount is 34 AAD-MGD.
FLINT RIVER BASIN
The Flint River basin will continue to be an important water supply source for southern Metro Water District communities through 2035. The water supply sources through the planning horizon are described below.
Flint River: The Flint River is utilized as a water supply source by both the Clayton County Water Authority and the Fayette County Water System. Clayton County Water Authority pumps
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
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Section 6: WATER SUPPLY SOURCES
from the Flint River to fill two reservoirs located on Shoal Creek. Fayette County pumps from the Flint River to Lake Horton. Fayette County plans to increase withdrawals from the Flint River by 2035. Clayton County may also increase withdrawals from the Flint River by 2035.
J.W. Smith and Shoal Creek Reservoirs: Clayton County Water Authority has two reservoirs on Shoal Creek: the J.W. Smith Reservoir and Shoal Creek Reservoir. Both facilities are filled primarily with off-stream pumping from the Flint River.
Whitewater Creek: The City of Fayetteville and Fayette County both have intakes on Whitewater Creek. Fayette County pumps water from Whitewater Creek to either the Crosstown Water Treatment Plant or to the Lake Horton reservoir. The City of Fayetteville is considering an off-stream reservoir by 2015 for additional drought protection.
Flat Creek Reservoirs (Lake Kedron/Lake Peachtree): Lake Kedron and Lake Peachtree are two impoundments of Flat Creek which are used as a water supply source by Fayette County. No increased withdrawals from the Flat Creek reservoirs are anticipated through 2035.
Horton Creek (Lake Horton): Lake Horton is a water supply reservoir on Horton Creek in Fayette County. Water is pumped from the Flint River and Whitewater Creek to the Lake. The Fayette County Water System plans to expand withdrawals from Lake Horton through 2035.
Line Creek: Fayette County has an impoundment on Line Creek, Lake McIntosh, which provides a yield of 12.5 AAD-MGD. Newnan Utilities has an intake on Line Creek which is used as a supplemental water supply source for the off-stream J.T. Haynes Reservoir. Both Fayette County and Newnan Utilities plan to utilize additional withdrawals from Line Creek by 2035.
White Oak Creek: White Oak Creek is used by Newnan Utilities as a water supply source for the off-stream J.T. Haynes Reservoir. No additional withdrawals are expected from this source through 2035.
Hutchins' Lake: The City of Senoia located on Keg Creek just upstream of the confluence with Line Creek. This is a small drinking water supply reservoir that serves the needs of the City of Senoia. Senoia plans to expand their permitted withdrawal by year 2015.
Still Branch Creek: Coweta County has an existing contractual agreement with the City of Griffin to purchase water from Still Branch Creek. The impoundment is located east of the Flint River in Pike County. The maximum 24 hour withdrawal is 48 MGD and the not to exceed monthly average is 42 MGD. Still Branch Creek serves the City of Griffin as well as seven wholesale customers.
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Section 6: WATER SUPPLY SOURCES
OCMULGEE RIVER BASIN
The Ocmulgee River Basin includes a number of important water supply sources for the southwest communities in the Metro Water District, including Clayton, Henry and Rockdale Counties. The water supply sources through the planning horizon are described below.
W.J. Hooper Reservoir (Little Cotton Indian Creek): The Clayton County Water Authority has the William J. Hooper Reservoir on Little Cotton Indian Creek in Henry County near Stockbridge. The reservoir is supplemented with flows from the upstream Blalock Reservoir. Clayton County Water Authority has a permit to pump supplemental water from Big Cotton Indian Creek, but is not currently using this source. It is expected that some increases in withdrawals from the reservoirs on Little Cotton Indian Creek will occur by 2035.
Blalock Reservoir (Pates Creek): The Edgar Blalock Reservoir is another Clayton County Water Authority reservoir on Pates Creek fives miles upstream on its confluence with Little Cotton Indian Creek. The Blalock Reservoir can release up to 20 AAD-MGD downstream to the Hooper Reservoir. No expansions of this facility are planned through 2035.
John Fargason (Walnut Creek) Reservoir: The City of McDonough uses Walnut Creek as a water supply source and owns and operates the in-stream John Fargason reservoir. The City of McDonough plans to expand this supply source before 2010.
Towaliga River (Strickland and Cole) Reservoirs: The Henry County Water and Sewerage Authority has two reservoirs on the Towaliga River; The Edward Cole (Upper Towaliga) Reservoir and the Strickland (Lower Towaliga) Reservoir. The Towaliga Reservoirs feed the S. Howell Gardner (Indian Creek) and Rowland (Long Branch) Reservoirs. The Authority plans to expand withdrawals from the Towaliga watershed to allow for an additional 5 PD-MGD by 2025 at the Towaliga Water Treatment Plant. The additional needed capacity will be obtained through a permit increase at the Towaliga, Gardner, and/or the Rowland Reservoirs.
S. Howell Gardner (Indian Creek) Reservoir: The S. Howell Gardner Reservoir is an impoundment of Indian Creek used as a water source by the Henry County Water and Sewerage Authority at the Towaliga Water Treatment Plant. The Authority is planning for an additional 5 PD-MGD by 2025 at the Towaliga Water Treatment Plant. The additional needed capacity will be obtained through a permit increase at the Towaliga, Gardner, and/or the Rowland Reservoirs.
Rowland (Long Branch) Reservoir: The Rowland Reservoir is an impoundment of Long Branch used as a water source by the Henry County Water and Sewerage Authority at the Towaliga Water Treatment Plant. The Authority is planning for an additional 5 PD-MGD by 2025 at the Towaliga Water Treatment Plant. The additional needed capacity will be obtained through a permit increase at the Gardner Reservoir and/or the Rowland Reservoir.
Tussahaw Creek: The Tussahaw Creek Reservoir, a 1,500-acre impoundment on Tussahaw Creek, provides water supply for the Henry County Water and Sewerage Authority. The Henry County Water and Sewerage Authority plans to expand withdrawals to a maximum of 52 MGD by 2035.
Ocmulgee Reservoir: The Henry County Water and Sewerage Authority is considering a new reservoir on the Ocmulgee River. The specific location of the reservoir has not been identified.
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Section 6: WATER SUPPLY SOURCES
Withdrawals from the proposed Reservoir would likely be routed to the Tussahaw Water Treatment Facility.
Brown Branch: The City of Locust Grove treats spring water from Brown Branch, which forms the headwaters to Wolf Creek. The spring water is blended with well water.
Big Haynes Creek: Big Haynes Creek is the major water supply source for Rockdale County, which withdraws from Randy Pointer Lake, an instream water supply reservoir. Rockdale County plans to increase withdrawals from this source by 2025.
OCONEE RIVER BASIN
The Oconee River Basin in the Metro Water District is composed mostly of smaller headwater streams; therefore there is only one water supply source below that is being considered for meeting 2035 demands.
North Oconee River / Cedar Creek: The City of Gainesville plans to use the North Oconee Reservoir on Cedar Creek for water supply purposes and pump from the North Oconee River as a supplemental source. This reservoir will have an expected permitted monthly withdrawal of 9 MGD.
TALLAPOOSA RIVER BASIN
The Tallapoosa River Basin accounts for less than 2% of the land area in the Metro Water District with primarily small headwater streams. There is only one water supply source that is planned for meeting 2035 demands.
Lake Fashion/ Cowan Lake: The City of Villa Rica withdraws water from the main reservoir Lake Fashion and the backup reservoir Cowan Lake. Both reservoirs are located in the Upper Little Tallapoosa River; Cowan Lake is fed by Astin Creek and Lake Fashion is fed by the Little Tallapoosa River. The City of Villa Rica plans to expand this supply source before 2015.
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Section 6: WATER SUPPLY SOURCES
FUTURE INTERBASIN TRANSFERS
Table 6-2 provides the future interbasin transfers, based on 2035 demand forecasts and the facilities planned to meet the forecasted demand. Future planned water supplies aimed to minimize interbasin transfers are discussed in the evaluation criteria discussion.
In Table 6-2, the water supply interbasin transfer shows the difference between withdrawal and consumption and the wastewater shows the difference between consumption and discharge. The net interbasin transfer shows the total interbasin transfer based on expected permitted withdrawals and discharges.
TABLE 6-2 Summary of 2035 Interbasin Transfers
Water Supply Basin Chattahoochee Chattahoochee Chattahoochee Coosa Coosa Ocmulgee
Basin Generated Chattahoochee Flint Flint Ocmulgee Oconee
Source Basin Chattahoochee Chattahoochee Chattahoochee
Coosa Coosa Flint
Water Supply Receiving Basin
Flint
Transfer (AAD-MGD) 19
Ocmulgee
179
Oconee
15
Chattahoochee
36
Tallapoosa
2
Flint
15
Wastewater Returns Basin Discharge
Coosa
Transfer (AAD-MGD) 4
Chattahoochee
12
Ocmulgee
17
Chattahoochee
82
Chattahoochee
9
Net Interbasin Transfer
Receiving Basin
Net Transfer (AAD-MGD)
Flint
7
Ocmulgee
97
Oconee
6
Chattahoochee
32
Tallapoosa
2
Ocmulgee
2
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Section 6: WATER SUPPLY SOURCES
POST-2035 WATER SUPPLY OPTIONS
The following potential new water supply sources are not required to meet the expected future demands of the Metro Water District through 2035. However, they may be considered as water supply alternatives if any of the planned water supply sources are not realized and for future water supply demands beyond 2035. While not all of these water supply sources may be needed to meet demands beyond 2035, a wider range of potential alternatives will provide for better future planning.
The information on yield for the water supply sources are for future planning purposes and based on data collected for the 2003 Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan with supplemental information provided by the local water providers. Safe yield analysis would be required to confirm the ability of these potential sources to meet future demands.
A number of the post-2035 water supply options include regional reservoirs. The development and use of water supply sources outside the Metro Water District will be determined in accordance with the regional planning process under the Comprehensive State-wide Water Management Plan adopted by the 2008 General Assembly. Georgia EPD certification of this Plan does not constitute an endorsement of the development of the post-2035 potential water supply sources listed in the remainder of this Section.
Realizing future water supply sources can require decades of planning and significant capital expenditure. Knowing these time and financial investments, planning ahead for needs beyond the 2035 planning horizon within the bounds of the 2035 planning horizon is critical. Further evaluation and vetting of these post-2035 potential water supply sources beyond this Plan by the TCC is recommended in Section 11. Figure 6-4 shows the location of these potential water supply options that are further summarized by basin.
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Section 6: WATER SUPPLY SOURCES
FIGURE 6-4 Additional Potential New Surface Water Supply Sources for the Metro Water District (Post-2035)
Coosa
Basin !(9 !(4
!(8 !(6
!(5
!(7
Oconee Basin
!( TaBllaapsoinosa17
Chattahoochee Basin
!(2 !(1 !(3
!(10
Flint Basin
Ocmulgee Basin
!(13
!(14
!(16 !(11
50
!(15
!(12
Legend
!( Post-2035 Supply
County Boundaries
Streams
Lakes
Major River Basins
Chattahoochee Basin
Coosa Basin
5 10 Miles
Flint Basin Ocmulgee Basin Oconee Basin Tallapoosa Basin
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Section 6: WATER SUPPLY SOURCES
CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVER BASIN
Anneewakee Creek: A new reservoir on Anneewakee Creek near the confluence with Chattahoochee River.
Sweetwater Creek: A new dam and reservoir on Sweetwater Creek near the confluence with Chattahoochee River.
Dog River Reservoir: The Dog River Reservoir could be expanded as a water supply source by raising the dam and expanding storage volume from its current 1.9 BG to 5.44 BG.
TABLE 6-3 Chattahoochee River Basin Other Potential Surface Water Supply Sources (Post-2035)
Water Supply Source
Description
1 Anneewakee Creek 2 Sweetwater Creek 3 Dog River Reservoir
Reservoir on Anneewakee Creek near confluence with Chattahoochee River
New dam and reservoir on Sweetwater Creek near confluence with Chattahoochee River
Increase dam height on Dog River Reservoir
COOSA RIVER BASIN
Shoal Creek (Options 1 and 2): Pump water from Shoal Creek about 5 miles upstream of its confluence from the Etowah River to an off-stream storage reservoir to supplement flows in the Etowah River. A second option would be a reservoir site in southwest Dawson County filled by Shoal Creek only or with water pumped from the Etowah River.
Long Swamp Creek (Options 1 and 2): Construct a low dam and river intake on Long Swamp Creek and store water during wet weather conditions in quarries near Tate, Georgia to augment flows to Allatoona Lake. Another option would involve constructing off-stream storage reservoir on Long Creek, two miles upstream of its confluence with the Etowah River.
Settingdown Creek: Off-stream reservoir on Settingdown Creek at its confluence with the Etowah River, with regulated releases to the Etowah River.
Sharp Mountain Creek: New dam and reservoir located on Sharp Mountain Creek, 1,000 feet upstream of Spence Road. The Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority has purchased most of the land required for the reservoir.
Boston Creek: A new 249-acre reservoir on Boston Creek with estimated usable volume of 1,950 MG at normal pool.
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Section 6: WATER SUPPLY SOURCES
TABLE 6-4 Coosa River Basin Other Potential Surface Water Supply Sources (Post-2035)
Water Supply Source
Description
4 Shoal Creek (Option 1)
5 Shoal Creek (Option 2)
6 Long Swamp Creek
Option 1 Option 2
7 Settingdown Creek 8 Sharp Mountain Creek 9 Boston Creek
Pump water from Shoal Creek to an off-stream storage reservoir to supplement flows in Etowah River.
Reservior site in Dawson County filled by Shoal Creek only or water pumped from the Etowah River.
Construct a low dam and river intake on Long Swamp Creek and store water in quarries to augment flows to Allatoona Lake.
A potential off-stream storage reservoir on Long Swamp Creek, two miles upstream of its confluence with the Etowah River.
Off-stream reservoir on Settingdown Creek at its confluence with the Etowah River, with regulated releases to the Etowah River.
New dam and reservoir located on Sharp Mountain Creek.
A new 249-acre reservoir on Boston Creek for withdrawal credits from Allatoona Lake.
FLINT RIVER BASIN
Whitewater Creek: New reservoir on Pelham Creek near Davis Road supplied by Whitewater Creek. The land for this facility has been purchased by Fayetteville, but permitting has not been started.
TABLE 6-5 Flint River Basin Other Potential Surface Water Supply Sources (Post-2035)
Water Supply Source 10 Whitewater Creek
Description New reservoir on Pelham Creek near Davis Road.
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Section 6: WATER SUPPLY SOURCES
OCMULGEE RIVER BASIN
Walnut Creek (Options 1 and 2): One option for additional water supplies from Walnut Creek would involve raising the dam elevation of the McDonough John Fargason Reservoir from 735 feet to 755 feet mean sea level. A second option would be a new 60-foot dam and reservoir on Walnut Creek at Turner Drive which would create 3,070 MG of usable storage.
Big Haynes Creek: The Randy Poynter Reservoir on Big Haynes Creek could be expanded as a water supply source by raising the dam by one foot.
South River: DeKalb County is investigating the possibility of a surface water intake or offstream reservoir on the South River within the County. If feasible, this source will include indirect potable reuse to augment existing supplies.
Ocmulgee Reservoir: Additional development of water sources in the Ocmulgee Basin are being considered to meet future demands.
Big Cotton Indian Creek: Flows into the Clayton County Water Authority Hooper Reservoir have occasionally been supplemented in the past by pumping water from the Big Cotton Indian Creek at an old low-head dam site located approximately 6 miles downstream.
TABLE 6-6 Ocmulgee River Basin Other Potential Surface Water Supply Sources (Post-2035)
Water Supply Source
Description
11 Walnut Creek (Option 1) 12 Walnut Creek (Option 2) 13 Big Haynes Creek 14 South River 15 Ocmulgee Basin Source
16 Big Cotton Indian Creek
*indicated increase in yield
Raise the dam elevation from 735 feet mean sea level (MSL) to 755 feet MSL to increase yield.
New 60-foot dam and reservoir on Walnut Creek at Turner Drive.
Raise the dam by one foot to increase the safe yield.
New intake or off-stream reservoir on South River with flows augmented by indirect potable reuse.
Source in the Ocmulgee basin.
Clayton County Water Authority has an inactive intake on this source. If they reactivated the withdrawal, it would be used to supplement the W.J. Hooper Reservoir.
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Section 6: WATER SUPPLY SOURCES
OCONEE RIVER BASIN
No post-2035 sources are being considered in the Oconee River basin.
TALLAPOOSA RIVER BASIN
West Georgia Reservoir: There has been regional interest in creating a West Georgia Reservoir as a water supply source for communities both inside and outside of the Metro Water District.
TABLE 6-7 Tallapoosa River Basin Other Potential Surface Water Supply Sources (Post-2035)
Water Supply Source
Description
17 West Georgia Reservoir
A dam and reservoir on the Tallapoosa River mainstem or a major tributary have been discussed by several west Georgia communities in Carroll or Haralson counties.
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With the challenges associated with permitting surface water and the limited availability of groundwater, water reuse may be a viable option to extend limited, local water supply sources. Water reuse is the use of reclaimed water as a substitute for another generally higher quality water source. There are several types of reuse that may be used in the Metro Water District to extend supplies or replace potential new water sources with reuse water. Georgia EPD provided the Metro Water District with a goal to reuse 10% of the water withdrawn. This Section outlines the different types of water reuse as well as a discussion of existing and future applications in the Metro Water District identified to meet the 10% reuse goal.
TYPES OF WATER REUSE
There are several types of water reuse that may be considered now or in the future by local water providers in the Metro Water District. To provide a common starting point for a discussion of reuse, Table 7-1 defines several common water reuse terms.
TABLE 7-1 Water Reuse Terminology
Term Reclaimed Water
Definition
Wastewater that has received treatment to urban water reuse standards, meets the treatment criteria specified in Georgia EPD's reuse guidelines, and is utilized at a reuse area or is sent to a designated user for reuse. Reclaimed water can include municipal wastewater, industrial wastewater, or treated effluent.
Water Reuse or Non-potable Reuse
Use of reclaimed wastewater as a substitute for another generally higher quality water source. Reclaimed water can be reused for beneficial irrigation of areas that may be accessible to the public (such as golf courses, residential and commercial landscaping parks, athletic fields, roadway medians, and landscapes) and for other beneficial uses such as cooling towers, concrete mixing, car washes, etc.
Direct Potable Reuse
The introduction of highly treated reclaimed water either directly into the potable water supply distribution system downstream of a water treatment plant, or into the raw water supply immediately upstream of a water treatment plant. This method of reuse incorporates no dilution or blending with other water sources.
Indirect Potable Reuse
The planned incorporation of reclaimed water into a raw water supply such as in water storage reservoirs or a groundwater aquifer, resulting in mixing and assimilation, thus providing an environmental buffer.
Grey water
"Grey water" is defined as the wastewater produced from lavatories, bathtubs, showers, clothes washers and laundry trays. It does not include wastewater from water closets, kitchen sinks, photo lab sinks, dishwashers, or any other water deemed not appropriate for grey water systems.
Notes: 1. Georgia Comprehensive State-wide Water Management Plan, January 2008. 2. Water Reuse Issues, Technologies, and Applications, Metcalf & Eddy, Inc., 2007
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Section 7: REUSE
METRO WATER DISTRICT WATER REUSE ALTERNATIVES
Of the water reuse categories listed in Table 7-1, only non-potable reuse and indirect potable reuse are recommended for the Metro Water District at this time. Direct potable reuse is not currently practiced in the United States, due to a lack of regulatory acceptance, public confidence with its safety and costs associated with implementing this type of reuse. Therefore, direct potable reuse is not being actively pursued for the Metro Water District at this time. Beyond 2035, both direct potable reuse and grey water may be considerations.
Water reuse in the Metro Water District offers a consistently available water supply to sustain existing sources. Treated municipal wastewater is a more reliable supply source than stormwater runoff or industrial discharges, because rain is intermittent and the treatment is not as significant. Despite these benefits, water reuse must consider public health, treatment process reliability, and carefully plan future infrastructure.
Non-potable and indirect potable reuse are both currently practiced in the Metro Water District and are expected to sustain water supplies into the future. Indirect potable reuse is highly encouraged, where appropriate. Non-potable reuse is acceptable depending on each local community's consumptive use challenges, when it offsets an existing potable water supply. The available applications and challenges of both non-potable reuse and indirect potable reuse are outlined below.
NON-POTABLE REUSE
Non-potable reuse is currently practiced in the Metro Water District in the form of golf course irrigation, industrial process water, and other urban irrigation. Several local water providers in the Metro Water District with high irrigation demands have found that non-potable reuse can offset peak potable water demands.
Existing non-potable reuse applications in the Metro Water District generally belong to one of the following categories:
Irrigation with secondary-treated effluent in restricted areas or land treatment of wastewater
Irrigation with high quality treated effluent in unrestricted areas such as golf courses and parks
Although most of these non-potable reuse projects were developed to eliminate or reduce wastewater discharges, the reclaimed water from at least one treatment system recharges the potable water supply via soil percolation and constructed treatment wetlands. Non-potable reuse and land application of wastewater contribute to consumptive use of water as they have varying rates of returning water to the surface water source. Non-potable reuse that replaces surface water withdrawals is one way that this practice can be considered beneficial. Below is a listing of important factors for communities to consider related to non-potable reuse.
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Section 7: REUSE
Matching Supply and Demand
Successful programs require thorough planning to identify sufficient end-users of non-potable reuse water. Most of the irrigation users do not require water year-round, therefore storage or other uses of the water must be identified. Before initiating a non-potable reuse program, communities should develop a demand profile to assess the diurnal and seasonal variations in demand which may affect the infrastructure and storage size and location.
Providing irrigation water to golf courses can offset potable water usage and/or withdrawals from streams and groundwater, which is beneficial to the Metro Water District. Golf courses requesting increases in a water withdrawal permit or a new well permit should consider the use of reclaimed water for irrigation, when available from local wastewater providers.
Infrastructure Requirements
Infrastructure needs for pipelines, pumping stations, and storage have a significant impact on the financial viability of reuse. Early adopters of non-potable reuse typically resulted from proximity to the water reclamation facility. Proximity of industrial users to the water reuse facility can also be a challenge for some communities as dedicated reuse pipelines may be prohibitively expensive.
Economic Considerations
In addition to the infrastructure financial requirements, communities must consider the annual operations and maintenance costs of the additional treatment processes, distribution system, administration and other infrastructure. Non-potable reuse water rates should be structured so that they effectively support the capital investment in infrastructure as well as encourage conservation.
Environmental Considerations
As irrigation water is not immediately returned to surface waters for use by the downstream contemporary user, the practice of non-potable reuse for irrigation must align with any established consumptive use targets. Non-potable water reuse must consider the need for instream flows during drought to protect instream habitat.
Regulatory Considerations
Georgia EPD has established guidelines for non-potable reuse in the document: Water Reclamation and Urban Water Reuse, published in 2002. In addition to establishing water quality standards, requirements are placed on the reliability and redundancy for the reuse water treatment processes.
A summary of a few selected existing water reuse applications in the Metro Water District are presented below:
The Cherokee Rose Creek Water Pollution Control Plant (WPCP), owned by the Cherokee County Water and Sewerage Authority (CCWSA), is permitted to discharge 2.5 MGD to either the Towne Lake Golf Course or Allatoona Lake.
The Cauley Creek Water Reclamation Facility (WRF), located in North Fulton County, is privately owned by Cauley Creek Water Reclamation, LLC in a trust indenture relationship with
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Section 7: REUSE
Fulton County. The current capacity of the WRF is 5 MGD. The water is distributed under pressure via two separate transmission pipelines that serve the Shakerag area of North Fulton County. The primary pipeline serves the 18-hole St. Ives and the 36-hole Atlanta Athletic Club golf courses. It could also be used to serve the Quail Hollow, Montclair, and St. Ives communities, due to the proximity of the pipeline to these developments. The pipeline is also serving the 18-hole Country Club of the South golf course, the 27-hole River Pines golf course, as well as the Standard Club. The second transmission pipeline, which is under construction, will extend northward along Bell Road and will provide reclaimed water to the Homestead and Shakerag communities as well as Technology Park, for landscape irrigation.
The Johns Creek Environmental Campus, owned by Fulton County Department of Public Works is situated on 43 acres off Holcomb Bridge Road in the City of Roswell adjacent to the Chattahoochee River. Construction began in late 2006 and is anticipated to last approximately 40 months. The facility will replace the existing Johns Creek WRF and will have a total capacity of 15 MGD with an outfall to the adjacent Chattahoochee River as well as the capability to provide adjacent areas with non-potable reuse water.
The Fowler WRF was commissioned as a design-build-operate facility by The Forsyth County Water and Sewer Department. Its current capacity is 2.5 MGD, with expansion capability to 7.5 MGD. It serves new communities in the Big Creek area north of Atlanta Road in Cumming. It will eventually receive flow from areas of South Forsyth County between Shiloh Road and McGinnis Ferry Road which is currently being treated by Fulton County. The treatment plant provides full urban water reuse quality water for irrigation, and has a 180-acre drip irrigation system at McGinnis Ferry Road for disposal of excess water. Through a 12-mile reuse pipeline (20-inch diameter), the WRF currently provides reuse water to a high school on Majors Road, Sharon Springs Park and St. Marlo's Country Club.
INDIRECT POTABLE REUSE
For indirect potable reuse, discharge of reclaimed water to a lake or reservoir may be preferable to the discharge of water to a river or stream. Lake Lanier and Allatoona Lake are two likely choices for indirect potable reuse; Lake Lanier currently receives reclaimed water from several sources, including the City of Gainesville and Flowery Branch. Gwinnett County is also permitted to discharge to Lake Lanier but has not begun to return water to the Lake under this permit. Cobb and Cherokee Counties return reclaimed water to Allatoona Lake. Returning reclaimed water to these sources is an important means of sustaining water supplies for the Metro Water District and is an essential strategy for meeting water supply needs within the Metro Water District.
Planned indirect potable reuse to local supply sources within a community is encouraged throughout the Metro Water District as a means of sustaining water supplies. Returning reclaimed water to a local source can be more economical. Indirect potable reuse within a community provides necessary oversight of local water and wastewater treatment systems to assure high water quality. The Clayton County Water Authority is an example of a planned indirect potable reuse system that augments local water supplies. In cases where the return is made to one of the federal reservoirs, questions have arisen regarding how return flows should be credited. Georgia EPD has a number of permit requests in progress form Metro Water District water providers to institute planned indirect potable reuse. It is the position of the Metro Water District that such return flow should be fully credited to the entities making the returns.
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Section 7: REUSE
Water Quality Considerations
The viability of planned indirect potable reuse depends in part on the quality of the wastewater to be treated. Chemical and microbiological constituents that may be present in industrial wastewater may present challenges or adversely affect treatment processes. While industrial wastewater in the Metro Water District is not expected to limit indirect potable reuse, each community should analyze the potential impact.
Regulatory Considerations
Georgia EPD is developing guidelines for planned indirect potable reuse that will address technology, and regulatory requirements that will have to be met in order for a community to develop a planned indirect potable reuse system.
Public Acceptance Considerations
Educating the public on the benefits of indirect potable reuse and the multiple barrier approaches used to protect public health is an important regional challenge. The educational messages related to indirect potable reuse are a recommended element of the regional education and public awareness program, outlined in Section 12. The planned indirect potable reuse guidelines that Georgia EPD is developing will include public participation requirements.
Indirect potable reuse is already practiced in the Metro Water District, both in planned and incidental forms. Several major water supply intakes on the Chattahoochee River are currently located downstream of discharges from treatment facilities in Fulton and Gwinnett Counties. Examples of planned indirect potable reuse are found in Gwinnett, Cobb and Clayton Counties.
Gwinnett County has constructed the 60-MGD Gwinnett F. Wayne Hill Water Resources Center, an indirect potable reuse facility. The facility treats wastewater to extremely stringent levels and returns it to the Chattahoochee River (20-MGD), where many downstream drinking water intakes exist. The treated effluent is transported 20 miles south, to a common outfall at the existing discharge location of the Gwinnett Crooked Creek WRF. This pipeline provides an opportunity for major water users (such as the Mall of Georgia) along the pipeline route to use the highly treated effluent for irrigation. Ultimately, Gwinnett will also return water to Lake Lanier (40-MGD), a primary source of drinking water for the Metro Water District.
The Cobb Northwest Cobb WRF near Kennesaw is permitted to discharge 8 MGD to Allatoona Lake and 2 MGD to Cobblestone Golf Course for irrigation purposes. The treatment plant provides advanced nitrogen and phosphorus removal, filtration and ultraviolet disinfection ahead of its discharge to Allatoona Lake, the major water supply for West Cobb, Bartow, Paulding and Cherokee Counties.
Noonday Creek WRF, also in northwest Cobb County, has a capacity of 12 MGD and has biological phosphorus removal, filtration and ultraviolet disinfection. The plant discharges to Noonday Creek, which is a tributary of Allatoona Lake.
Clayton County Water Authority (CCWA) currently practices indirect potable reuse at two water reclamation facilities, W.B. Casey and Shoal Creek, which discharge high quality effluent into constructed treatment wetlands for natural treatment prior to discharge into CCWA drinking water supply watersheds. The CCWA indirect potable reuse system utilizes the multiple barrier approach seen in most other systems, but also provides two extra barriers through the
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Section 7: REUSE
constructed treatment wetlands and UV disinfection of potable water. During the 2007 drought, these two systems contributed to CCWA water reserves, which where maintained at or above 77% of full capacity. The W.B. Casey WRF facility provides advanced secondary level treatment for 24 MGD, of which 9.3 MGD of this treated effluent is currently pumped to the E.L. Huie Jr. constructed treatment wetlands. The Huie wetland discharges to the Pates Creek watershed containing both the Shamrock and the Blalock reservoirs. Construction of an additional 8.2 MGD of wetland cells will bring the total treatment capacity to 17.5 MGD in 2009. The Shoal Creek WRF provides advanced secondary treatment with UV disinfection to 4.4 MGD with an average of 1.4 MGD of treated effluent being pumped to the Panhandle constructed treatment wetlands. The Panhandle wetland discharges to the Shoal Creek watershed containing both the Shoal Creek and the J.W. Smith reservoirs.
The City of Gainesville supplies drinking water to the City and Hall County with water withdrawn from Lake Lanier and treated at the City's Lakeside and Riverside Water Treatment Plants. Wastewater is treated to advanced levels and discharged back to Lake Lanier, in support of regional and state objectives for water reclamation and reuse. Two Water Reclamation Facilities, Flat Creek WRF and Linwood WRF, perform advanced treatment and disinfection using ultraviolet radiation to protect Lake Lanier water quality. The newly rebuilt Linwood WRF was dedicated in 2008, and uses membrane technology to enhance nutrient removal and indirect potable reuse of the reclaimed water.
REUSE DEMAND ESTIMATES
The Metro Water District reuse demands were estimated using the Least Cost Planning Decision Support System (DSS) Model and methodologies discussed in Sections 3 and 4 of this report. These planning level estimates provide an estimate of the possibilities for reuse in the Metro Water District. The Wastewater Plan shows in Section 2 that 16% of the wastewater treated in the Metro Water District is reuse water, either non-potable or planned or incidental indirect potable reuse. Within the planning horizon, that percentage is expected to increase to 26% of wastewater treated in the Metro Water District. This Section includes an estimate based on the DSS model of potential for reuse but is not intended to guarantee that level of reuse. Based on the planning considerations, local water and wastewater providers should analyze the potential based on local master plans for implementing reuse.
NON-POTABLE REUSE DEMAND ESTIMATES
Urban irrigation demand, also known as non-residential irrigation demand, was estimated for the Metro Water District. Not all of the urban irrigation demand can be met through non-potable reuse due to a number of factors, including proximity to a reuse corridor, the use of private irrigation facilities (such as small lakes or groundwater wells), or the small size of some parks or open spaces that can make the cost of infrastructure prohibitive. The 2035 urban irrigation demand that could potentially be supplied by non-potable reuse was estimated to be 50 AADMGD.
Most parks and golf courses are only irrigated in the spring and summer months, as the irrigation demand is usually very low during winter months. Replacing potable water with reclaimed water for urban irrigation would have a small, but positive impact on demand reduction, especially during peak demand months. Because of the generally abundant rainfall in the region, demand reduction through urban irrigation is best treated as a way to lower potable water use during peak
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M AY 2 0 0 9 7-6
Section 7: REUSE
demand months, thereby conserving potable water for other types of consumption. In some instances, surface water discharge permits during off peak months may be combined with reuse where sufficient storage is not viable during times when reuse water demand is low.
For non-potable reuse to be beneficial it needs to replace (i.e., conserve) potable water use and work within the framework of local consumptive use targets. If additional irrigation water demand is created by the presence of an inexpensive non-potable reuse water supply, then not all reuse water will be replacing potable water demand. It should also be noted that during drought periods, irrigation bans are the first water conservation measure to be undertaken by many Metro Water District municipalities. This means that reuse for irrigation in such a period would not be replacing potable water use.
Industrial demand for reclaimed water was also estimated. Industrial demands include potable water use, as well as process water use at industrial customer locations. In order to estimate the portion of the total industrial water demand that could be met through reclaimed water, data from the 2003 Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan was used. The industries assessed represented a wide variety of process types. Based on this information, the 2035 industrial potential for reclaimed water was estimated to be 10 AAD-MGD. This reuse potential may not be achieved due to siting and water quality constraints at many industrial facilities.
INDIRECT POTABLE REUSE ESTIMATES
Potential indirect potable reuse quantities were estimated by considering the amount of wastewater discharged, required minimum instream flow requirements, and downstream water withdrawals. Based on preliminary calculations, the amount of reclaimed water available for planned indirect potable reuse could range from 40 AAD-MGD to 125 AAD-MGD, or 4 to 12 percent of the projected 2035 demand for the Metro Water District. The Georgia EPD has imposed limits on the amount of indirect potable reuse that Lake Lanier can accept. The current limit is 92 MGD on a maximum monthly basis, with a phosphorus level of 0.13 milligrams per liter (mg/L). If the quantity of indirect potable reuse to Lake Lanier exceeds 120 MGD, the cost of treating to the necessary nutrient limit may become prohibitively expensive.
Returning reclaimed water to local water supply sources was estimated for 2035 based on information from local water providers. The potential exists for up to 100 AAD-MGD of planned indirect potable reuse to occur at local water supply sources. The feasibility and cost of implementing indirect potable reuse will be dependent on phosphorus and regulatory limits as well as raw water quality in the reservoirs or receiving streams.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M AY 2 0 0 9 7-7
Section 7: REUSE
ACTION ITEM 7.1 RETURN RECLAIMED WATER TO LAKE LANIER AND ALLATOONA LAKE FOR FUTURE INDIRECT POTABLE REUSE
ACTION ITEM
Return reclaimed water to Lake Lanier and Allatoona Lake for future indirect potable reuse.
Responsible Party
; Local Water Provider Other: _________________
OBJECTIVE
In Coordination With
The objective of this measure is to sustain water supplies in Lake Lanier and Allatoona Lake through the implementation of indirect potable reuse.
Site Plan Review Staff ; Community Development/ Zoning ; Neighboring Local Water Providers
(where appropriate)
DESCRIPTION OF MEASURE
Georgia EPD
Long-term sustainability of the resource can be achieved ; Other: Metro Water District, USACE
through returning reclaimed water to Lakes Lanier and
Allatoona. The Metro Water District should negotiate with the Corps to provide a storage credit
to permitted withdrawers for returning the reclaimed indirect potable reuse water to the Lakes.
The cities and counties that withdraw water from Lake Lanier for drinking water supply should maximize the return of reclaimed water to the Lake. Gwinnett and Hall Counties have the treatment infrastructure in place to return highly treated wastewater to Lake Lanier. Gwinnett County has a discharge permit to Lake Lanier and estimates returning reclaimed water to Lake Lanier by the end of 2009. At this time, Gainesville and Flowery Branch are currently returning reclaimed water to the Lake via discharges to tributaries. Forsyth County and the City of Cumming have plans to build water reclamation facilities to return flow to Lake Lanier by 2015.
The cities and counties that withdraw water from Allatoona Lake for drinking water supply should maximize the return of reclaimed water to the Lake. Cherokee and Cobb Counties return reclaimed water to Allatoona Lake directly and via tributary streams of the Lake. Cartersville in Bartow County also returns reclaimed water to Allatoona Lake via tributary streams.
Summing both planned and incidental indirect potable reuse, communities currently plan to return over 100 AAD-MGD to Lake Lanier and approximately 36 AAD-MGD to Allatoona Lake as outlined in the Wastewater Management Plan within the 2035 planning horizon.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M AY 2 0 0 9 7-8
Section 7: REUSE
CONCLUSIONS
Water reuse is an important component of the overall water supply strategy to sustain water resources. Non-potable reuse is acceptable depending on local consumptive use challenges when it offsets existing potable demands. Reuse potential in the Metro Water District has the potential to play a significant role within the 2035 planning horizon, with estimates of providing 8 to 20% of the total water supply. Beyond the 2035 planning horizon, it is anticipated that to sustain water supplies within the Metro Water District, reuse and more specifically indirect potable reuse in conjunction with the aggressive water conservation program will be needed to meet water demands.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M AY 2 0 0 9 7-9
Section 7: REUSE
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WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M A Y 2 0 0 9 7-10
In order to maintain reliable water supply within the Metro Water District, the following action items are needed to further maximize existing sources, secure additional water supply sources and build additional treatment capacity. The facilities included in this Section were selected to utilize the sources identified in Section 6, which are based on the water supply evaluation criteria outlined on pages 6-2 and 6-3.
Construct three water supply reservoirs that are in the planning stages plus continue to investigate three additional water supply reservoirs needed within the planning horizon.
Support permitting and construction of local water supply reservoirs to supplement major water supply sources.
Expand treatment capacity based on the phased approach provided in Appendix B.
Appendix B: County Level Summaries, presents a more detailed phasing plan for water supply and treatment capital improvement projects, many of which are associated with action items in this Section. It is important to note that treatment capacity may not be expanded without the issuance of a new or amended water withdrawal permit from Georgia EPD if the proposed expansion will expand the treatment capacity beyond the currently permitted water withdrawal limits.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M AY 2 0 0 9 8-1
Section 8: PLANNED WATER FACILITIES
ACTION ITEM 8.1 SUPPORT CONSTRUCTION OF 6 PLANNED WATER SUPPLY RESERVOIRS
The Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan includes three new water supply reservoirs that are planned and in various stages of the permitting process, presented in Table 8-1. Three additional reservoirs included in Table 8-1 have not initiated the permitting process, but are needed within the planning horizon. Since reservoir planning, permitting and development can take 5 years or more, initial planning for the three reservoirs that are not in the permitting process should begin soon. The Metro Water District supports the permitting and timely construction of these projects, as these reservoirs are of critical importance to the jurisdictions that will benefit directly from these new sources.
Other new reservoirs, if proven locally feasible, will be supported if they are consistent with the Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan. Potential reservoir projects, beyond the six included, may be investigated, and if possible constructed.
TABLE 8-1 Planned Water Supply Reservoirs in the Metro Water District
Reservoir Glades Reservoir
Owner/Operator Utilizing Resource Hall County
Basin
Estimated Size and Yield
Chattahoochee
The 733-acre reservoir with an estimated yield of 6.4 MGD will release water to Lake Lanier. Currently in the permitting process.
Bear Creek Reservoir
Proposed South
Chattahoochee Impoundment on Bear Creek, a
Fulton Water Authority
tributary of the Chattahoochee
River. Estimated yield is 15 MGD.
Richland Creek Reservoir
Paulding County
Coosa
A 305-acre reservoir with an estimated yield of 35 MGD is in the permitting process on Richland Creek.
Etowah Reservoir
Fulton County
Coosa
A reservoir is being considered by Fulton County with a proposed 30 MGD yield.
Ocmulgee Reservoir
Henry County Water Ocmulgee and Sewer Authority
A new reservoir is being considered in the Ocmulgee basin with a proposed 13 MGD yield.
Cedar Creek Reservoir Gainesville-Hall County
Oconee
The Cedar Creek reservoir is expected to have a yield of 9 MGD and be supplemented with water from the North Oconee River.
Note: Reservoirs that do not require 404 permits, off-line reservoirs, and reservoirs whose primary purpose is to facilitate water treatment plant operations are not included herein.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M AY 2 0 0 9 8-2
Section 8: PLANNED WATER FACILITIES
ACTION ITEM 8.2 CONSTRUCT 6 NEW WATER TREATMENT PLANTS
Six new water treatment plants are proposed to treat water from planned and existing reservoirs; Table 8-2 provides a summary of the proposed facilities. The capital improvements phasing plan associated with this action is presented in Appendix B, County Level Summaries.
TABLE 8-2 Planned New Water Treatment Plants in the Metro Water District
Planned Water Treatment Plants Bartow North End WTP (Note 1)
Source Allatoona Lake
Bartow South End WTP (Note 1)
Allatoona Lake
Fulton County Etowah WTP
Reservoir on Etowah River
Bear Creek WTP (in South Fulton)
Bear Creek Reservoir
Gainesville-Hall County Cedar Creek WTP
Cedar Creek Reservoir
Paulding County WTP
Richland Creek Reservoir
Notes: 1. Represents Option 2 of Bartow County's Phasing Plan, described in Appendix B of this Plan. If these plants are not built, the County
will continue to meet water needs exclusively through Adairsville and Cartersville WTPs.
ACTION ITEM 8.3 EXPAND 28 EXISTING WATER TREATMENT PLANTS
Many existing water treatment facilities will require capacity expansions and upgrades before 2035; the capital improvements phasing plan for expansions are presented in Appendix B. The 28 water treatment plants identified for expansion are listed in Table 8-3. Because treatment process upgrades may be triggered by future regulatory requirements, the date and scope of process upgrades are not provided in Appendix B. The non-capital tasks associated with water treatment plant expansions include financing, inter-jurisdictional agreements and State permitting.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M AY 2 0 0 9 8-3
Section 8: PLANNED WATER FACILITIES
TABLE 8-3 Water Treatment Plants Planned to be Expanded before 2035
Location by County
Water Treatment Plant
Bartow
Adairsville WTP
Cartersville WTP
Cherokee
Canton WTP
Cherokee Etowah River WTP
Clayton (Note 1)
Clayton Hicks WTP
Clayton Hooper WTP
Clayton Smith WTP
Cobb
CCMWA Quarles WTP
CCMWA Wyckoff WTP
Coweta
Coweta BT Brown WTP
Newnan Hershall Norred WTP
Senoia WTP
DeKalb
DeKalb Scott Candler WTP
Douglas
DDCWSA Bear Creek WTP
Villa Rica Franklin Smith WTP (Note 2)
Fayette
Fayette Crosstown WTP
South Fayette WTP
Fayetteville WTP
Forsyth
Cumming WTP
Forsyth WTP
Fulton
Atlanta-Fulton County WTP
Roswell WTP
Gwinnett
Buford WTP
Hall
Gainesville Lakeside WTP
Henry
Henry Towaliga River WTP
Henry Tussahaw WTP
McDonough WTP
Rockdale
Rockdale Big Haynes Creek WTP
Notes: 1. One or more of Clayton County Water Authority's WTPs to be expanded. 2. Located in Carroll County
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M AY 2 0 0 9 8-4
Section 8: PLANNED WATER FACILITIES
2035 PROPOSED METRO WATER DISTRICT TREATMENT FACILITIES AND CAPACITIES
Table 8-4 summarizes the proposed surface water treatment plants in the Metro Water District, including capacities based upon the County Level Summaries in Appendix B. Treatment facilities are permitted based on a peak day basis (PD-MGD).
TABLE 8-4 Proposed Surface Water Treatment Plants
County WTP
Entity
Source Stream / Reservoir
Lewis Spring WTP
City of Adairsville
Lewis Spring (Note 3)
Clarence B. Walker WTP City of Cartersville
Allatoona Lake
Bartow (Note 2)
Bartow North End (Note 1) Bartow County Bartow South End (Note 1) Bartow County
Etowah River Etowah River
Emerson WTP
Bartow County
Moss Springs
Bartow County WTP
Bartow County
Bolivar Springs
Canton WTP Cherokee
Etowah River WTP
Clayton
Terry R. Hicks WTP W.J. Hooper WTP J.W. Smith WTP
City of Canton
Etowah River
Cherokee County Water Yellow Creek Reservoir and Etowah and Sewerage Authority River
Clayton County Water Authority
Blalock Reservoir (Note 3) W.J. Hooper Reservoir (Note 3) J.W. Smith Reservoir (Note 3)
2035 WTP Planned Capacity (PD-MGD)
6 40
30
0.5 0.8 18 53
79
Cobb
James E. Quarles WTP
Cobb County-Marietta Chattahoochee River Water Authority
106
Hugh A. Wyckoff WTP
Allatoona Lake
142
Coweta (Note 4)
B.T. Brown WTP Hershall Norred WTP
Coweta County City of Newnan
Cedar Creek (B.T. Brown) Reservoir
10
J.T. Haynes Reservoir
21
Senoia WTP
City of Senoia
Hutchins' Lake
0.6
DeKalb Scott Candler WTP
DeKalb County
Chattahoochee River
175
Douglasville-Douglas Bear Creek Reservoir
Bear Creek WTP
County Water and
23
Douglas
Sewer Authority
Dog River Reservoirs
Franklin Smith WTP
City of Villa Rica
Lake Fashion, Cowan Lake
3
Fayette
Crosstown WTP South Fayette WTP
Fayette County (Note 3)
Lake Horton, Lake Kedron, Lake Peachtree, groundwater
35
Fayetteville WTP
City of Fayetteville
Whitewater Creek
4
Cumming WTP
City of Cumming
Lake Lanier
36
Forsyth
Forsyth County WTP
Forsyth County
Lake Lanier
68
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M AY 2 0 0 9 8-5
Section 8: PLANNED WATER FACILITIES
County WTP
Entity
Source Stream / Reservoir
Fulton
Atlanta-Fulton County Atlanta-Fulton County WTP Water Resources
Commission
Fulton Etowah WTP (Note 1)
Fulton County
Hemphill WTP Chattahoochee WTP
City of Atlanta
Roswell Cecil Wood WTP City of Roswell
Chattahoochee River Etowah River Chattahoochee River Big Creek
2035 WTP Planned Capacity (PD-MGD)
155
20 136.5 64.9
5
East Point WTP
City of East Point
Sweetwater Creek
13.9
Bear Creek WTP (Note 1) (Note 5)
Bear Creek Reservoir
15
Palmetto WTP
City of Palmetto
Cedar Creek
Lake Lanier WTP Gwinnett Shoal Creek WTP
Gwinnett County Public Utilities
Lake Lanier
Buford WTP
City of Buford
Lake Lanier
Lakeside WTP
Hall
Riverside WTP
City of Gainesville City of Gainesville
Lake Lanier
Cedar Creek WTP (Note 1) Gainesville-Hall County
Cedar Creek Reservoir / North Oconee River
Towaliga River WTP
Henry
Tussahaw WTP
S. Howell Gardner (Indian Creek)
and Rowland Reservoirs (Long
Henry County Water and Branch), Strickland and Cole
Sewerage Authority
Reservoirs
Tussahaw Creek Reservoir
McDonough WTP Locust Grove WTP
City of McDonough City of Locust Grove
John Fargason (Walnut Creek) Reservoir
Brown Branch
Paulding
Paulding County WTP (Note 1)
Paulding County
Etowah River / Richland Creek Reservoir
Rockdale Big Haynes Creek WTP Rockdale County
Big Haynes Creek (Randy Poynter Lake)
Metro Water District Total (PD-MGD)
Metro Water District Total (AAD-MGD) (Note 6)
Notes: 1. New facility to be built by 2035. 2. Facilities reflect Option 2 for Bartow County. 3. Local water provider should expand its WTPs according to a local plan. 4. This represents Option 1 for Coweta County. 5. The service provider for Bear Creek WTP will be determined through the Fulton County HB489 renegotiation process. 6. Annual average day equals peak day divided by 1.6.
0.6 150 75 4.83 46 25 12
29
52 3.1 0.45 40
27.1 1,726 1,079
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M AY 2 0 0 9 8-6
This Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan is regional in breadth, looking holistically at regional issues. The action items in this Section are intended to be refined at the local level by the affected local water providers through local water master plans. A local water master plan typically evaluates local system current and future demands, as well as resources and facilities. They also typically recommend solutions to address the development of sources and the design, construction, and financing of facilities in order to meet anticipated regulatory requirements, residential and commercial growth and system reliability needs. Local water master plans are important for providing a dependable water service to existing and future customers.
Local water master plans, at a minimum, must conform to the goals of the Metro Water District's Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan to ensure that customer service goals are cost effectively met with a long-term regional perspective. The following Section discusses the actions required that are associated with local water master plans.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M AY 2 0 0 9 9-1
Section 9: LOCAL WATER PLANNING
ACTION ITEM 9.1 DEVELOP LOCAL WATER MASTER PLANS
ACTION ITEM
Develop a local water master plan that reflects available water sources, water source development, water treatment facility and/or water distribution system improvement needs based on future water demands.
Responsible Party ; Local Water Provider Other: _________________
In Coordination With
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this measure is plan for future water supply, treatment and distribution needs in a manner consistent with this regional Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan.
DESCRIPTION OF MEASURE
; Neighboring water providers (where appropriate)
; Local Wastewater Providers ; Local Stormwater Program Georgia EPD ; Community Development/ Zoning Other: _________________
The local water master plan (also called water management plan) will identify future demands, supply sources, water service areas, treatment facility needs and distribution system extensions and expansions to support proposed infrastructure improvements to the local water system. As part of the next regularly scheduled local plan update to existing water master plans, in some cases, revisions may be necessary to be consistent with Metro Water District Plans.
The master plans should have a minimum planning horizon of 30 years. To remain current and relevant, water master plans should be updated every 5 years, at a minimum. Recognizing that water master plans are "living documents," local water providers should consult master plans when making critical infrastructure decisions and update these plans as necessary to address changing local conditions.
At times, water master plans will need to be amended to address proposed inter-jurisdictional projects. These master plan amendments should be developed in cooperation with all affected jurisdictions. These jurisdictions include the county, cities within the county, neighboring counties and local water providers. All inter-jurisdictional projects should be in compliance with O.C.G.A 36-70-20, the Service Delivery Act.
Local water providers have flexibility in the development of their local water master plan, as a large system will likely have a more detailed master plan than a smaller system. Typically, water master plans include the following elements:
Introduction describes the planning period, program objectives, regulatory framework and key stakeholders involved in the planning process.
City/County Characteristics & Demographics describes the population, land use, physical and biological characteristics of the area including water quality, topography, wetlands, water resources and protected species.
Inventory & Evaluation of Existing Water System identifies the existing water sources and service areas and analyzes the local water distribution system, including hydraulic capacity, as well as water treatment capabilities, including optional analyses of water treatment processes and the identification of problems with treatment processes.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M AY 2 0 0 9 9-2
Section 9: LOCAL WATER PLANNING
Future Water Demand Projections projects future water demands based on demographic projections, conservation, anticipated reuse, future land use, and the projected water service area boundary. Future demands should consider emergency supply needs and any additional interconnections with other local water providers.
Future Water Source, Distribution & Treatment Alternatives create water system alternatives for future extensions and demands with a recommended solution for new or expanded supply sources, treatment alternatives, system interconnections, and distribution system maintenance or capital needs.
Implementation of Recommended Alternative describes the recommended alternative, including a high level overview of the potential environmental impacts, required permits, institutional impacts, estimated costs and a capital improvements phasing plan associated with the recommended alternative.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Additional elements that must be considered during the development of local water master plans include:
Source water supply watershed or wellhead protection areas Water reuse management Consumptive use targets Interbasin transfers Interconnections facilities Cross-connection program Drought and emergency plans
The local master plans will refine the water treatment plant expansion details outlined in Section 8 and Appendix B of this Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan. Local water providers will develop water treatment expansion master plans that define the number, location, and capacities of water treatment facilities, and their implementation schedule. A life cycle cost analysis can be used to compare different expansion scenarios. Water treatment technologies, residuals handling, and management issues also will be included as part of this master planning.
Local water master plans must also be consistent with the Comprehensive State-wide Water Management Plan, which encourages integrated and sustainable water resources management. Local water master plans may be coordinated with local wastewater master plans and the Metro Water District's Wastewater Management Plan, as well as local watershed studies and plans, such as watershed assessments, watershed protection plans and the Metro Water District's Watershed Management Plan. Coordination on source water protection issues is required in the Metro Water District's Watershed Management Plan. Additionally, water master plans may coordinate ongoing monitoring requirements with the requirements of other local plans to maximize the benefit for the local investment.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M AY 2 0 0 9 9-3
Section 9: LOCAL WATER PLANNING
SPECIFIC SUB-TASKS
Sub-Task Create and utilize a local water master plan with a 30 year planning horizon
Update local water master plan
Description
Create and consult local water master plan when making critical infrastructure decisions. The master plan should outline future system expansions and capital projects.
Update local water master plans every five years, remaining consistent with regional and state requirements. The water master plan should include additional implementation details beyond the breadth included in this Plan.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M AY 2 0 0 9 9-4
Section 9: LOCAL WATER PLANNING
ACTION ITEM 9.2 DEVELOP OR UPDATE LOCAL EMERGENCY WATER PLANS
ACTION ITEM
Each water system must develop or update their written emergency water supply plan to include sufficient emergency water supply sources and detailed steps required to modify system operations in order to accept or share water with adjacent water providers.
Review interconnection reliability targets to estimate minimum water supplies for reliability, efficiency and emergencies.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this measure is to ensure all local water providers in the Metro Water District are prepared for potential water emergencies by having an up-to-date emergency water supply plan.
Responsible Party ; Local Water Provider Other: _______________
In Coordination With ; Neighboring water providers
(where appropriate) Local Wastewater Providers Local Stormwater Program ; Georgia EPD Community Development/ Zoning Other: _______________
DESCRIPTION OF MEASURE
Having a detailed emergency water supply plan in place is an essential component of compliance with the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002. Having an emergency plan in place is also crucial during droughts when systems may be forced to rely on neighboring local water providers for additional water supply.
When sufficient storage is not available for purposes of reliability, the local water provider should establish interconnections with neighboring communities. A District-wide Interconnection Reliability Target (IRT) is a goal for emergency needs. Depending on the water supply source, the IRT for each water system should be defined as in Table 9-1. Approximately 35 percent of the annual average daily demand (AAD) is estimated for meeting "emergency water needs", including eating, drinking, toilet flushing, fire fighting and hospital use. Communities served by smaller water sources must identify connections to achieve either 35 percent of AAD demand in interconnections or another local target as appropriate for the system. Communities served by major water supply sources (Lake Lanier, Allatoona Lake, Chattahoochee River, and Etowah River), typically have more than one treatment facility and therefore do not need to provide connections for 35 percent of the total AAD demand, as shown in Table 9-1.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M AY 2 0 0 9 9-5
Section 9: LOCAL WATER PLANNING
TABLE 9-1 Recommended Formula for Calculating Water System Interconnection Reliability Target (IRT)
Water Supply Source Lake Lanier Allatoona Lake Chattahoochee River Etowah River
Other smaller water supply sources
AAD = Average Annual Day
Interconnection Reliability Target Formula (35% x AAD) (Total WTP capacity Largest WTP capacity)
35% x [AAD]
Each water system will need to define its own IRT and evaluate other factors affecting water system reliability, including raw and finished water storage, infrastructure conditions, equipment redundancy, and existing interconnection capability. Detailed hydraulic studies should be conducted for each county and each water system to determine the overall distribution system improvements that are required to meet projected 2035 demands. The pipe sizes, approximate locations and lengths for potential interconnections should be refined by the hydraulic evaluations. The actual location, pipe size, length and alignment of the future interconnections, pumping or pressure reducing arrangements at the desired location should be determined as part of detailed design. Each water system should evaluate the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of providing multi-directional flows at existing and future interconnections with a pipe diameter greater than or equal to 12 inches. Each water system should improve and continuously update its inventory of distribution system components, including location and size of pipes, valves, and storage facilities. An updated inventory, including good system maps, will be beneficial in locating future interconnection locations and addressing other system maintenance problems such as pipe breaks and leaks. The distribution system maps can be incorporated into a Geographical Information System format currently used by many water systems in the Metro Water District.
Local Considerations
The local emergency water plan should include what steps must be taken to receive water from an adjacent utility or to provide water to another utility. Existing drought contingency plans should be revised to coordinate water conservation measures with emergency water plans.
For the receiving local water provider, these steps may include defining: 1) sub-areas within water systems that can be served by other utilities; 2) valving, piping, and pumping changes for flow reversal in the sub-area during the water sharing period; and 3) public notice/media announcement requirements for additional water conservation and potential water quality changes.
For the supplying local water provider, these steps may include: 1) pumping and piping changes to supply the local water provider in need; and 2) public notice/media announcement requirements for additional water conservation.
Additional factors to take into consideration when establishing new interconnections between water systems or increasing flows through existing connections include the following:
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M AY 2 0 0 9 9-6
Section 9: LOCAL WATER PLANNING
Chemical Compatibility: In general, the critical chemical properties for the 38 publicly-owned WTPs in the Metro Water District are compatible with two exceptions. Both the DeKalb County Water System and the Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority maintain their finished water pH above 8.0 for corrosion control purposes. Systems connecting to either the DeKalb or Cobb systems for routine water sales will need to make significant adjustments to their treatment or operational practices as well as anticipate and have mitigation plans in place for exceeding the lead standard for drinking water. For emergency situations, these water quality differences are insignificant.
Treatment Requirements: A few water systems have large industrial water customers that require the hardness, iron, and manganese levels in treated water be below typical levels. These water systems may find it more cost-effective to invest in equipment redundancy and finished water storage facilities for day-to-day operational flexibility and reliability. Assuming industrial operations are halted during extreme emergencies, interconnections with utilities providing different finished water quality can still be used to meet the emergency needs.
Water Quality: Transferring water between local water providers will cause reversal of flow in some areas. These areas will likely experience short-term changes in the aesthetic qualities of the water caused by disturbance of sediment in the distribution pipes. This problem is primarily a nuisance; no health concerns are anticipated as long as the required disinfectant residual in the distribution system is maintained. A systematic flushing program can alleviate these short-term changes in water quality.
Operating Pressure: Systems with different operating pressures are not readily able to transfer water without modifications. For many of the existing interconnections, pumping stations or pressure reducing valves are required to adjust the pressure at the connection point. Water systems will need to evaluate the available water pressure at any potential connection point, to determine the specific requirements for transferring water from one system to another.
Impact on Water Withdrawal Permits: When a municipal water system applies for a water withdrawal permit from the Georgia EPD, the amount of water permitted is based on water supply needs and projected population growth for the water system's service area. If one system is providing water to another system on a routine basis, the Georgia EPD often includes Special Conditions to the permit, which may include the following:
A certain agreed-upon amount of water between the two systems to be reserved as pass-through water from the supplying system to the receiving system is specified.
Water withdrawal permit for the water provider acknowledges that it includes the receiving system's water supply allocation.
Indication of whether or not this is a temporary transfer of the water supply allocation and the length of the agreement between the two systems is stated.
If both water systems have existing water withdrawal permits, then modification of the permits for both systems is necessary to reflect an additional amount to the supplying system, assuming it has adequate treatment capacity. The receiving system's permit is reduced by the amount that is obtained from the supplying system.
During emergency situations, Georgia EPD may allow permits to be amended to accommodate special needs.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M AY 2 0 0 9 9-7
Section 9: LOCAL WATER PLANNING
SPECIFIC SUB-TASKS
Sub-Task Adopt a written emergency water supply plan
Assess the need for establishment and maintenance of service connections
If interconnections are needed, meet interconnection reliability targets
Update the emergency water supply plan
Description Develop, adopt and use a written plan that defines specific steps required to accept or share water in an emergency. Share existing regional water supplies where practicable.
Ensure interconnections provided needed reliability, efficiency and emergency water supplies. Update the plan as needed to remain viable during an emergency and remain consistent with this Plan.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M AY 2 0 0 9 9-8
Section 9: LOCAL WATER PLANNING
ACTION ITEM 9.3 SOURCE WATER SUPPLY WATERSHED PROTECTION
ACTION ITEM
Coordination between local governments and water providers on issues related to source water supply protection.
Responsible Party
; Local Water Provider Other: _______________
Adopt drinking water supply watershed buffers as required by Part V Environmental Planning Criteria.
Develop and implement inter-jurisdictional agreements as necessary.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this measure is to protect the water quality and viability of drinking water supplies from nonpoint source pollution and spills of hazardous materials that could compromise drinking water quality.
In Coordination With
Neighboring water providers (where appropriate)
Local Wastewater Providers ; Local Stormwater Program Georgia EPD ; Community Development/ Zoning Other: _______________
DESCRIPTION OF MEASURE
Water supply watershed protection programs serve to protect water resources from contaminants, thereby effectively preserving the amount of water supply available. By limiting the amount of pollution that enters the water supply, local water providers can reduce the costs of treatment and help guarantee public health. The Metro Water District's Watershed Management Plan outlines requirements for the protection of source water supply watersheds and establishes a coordination element between local water providers on water quality challenges in drinking water supply watersheds. Local water providers and local governments with source water supply watersheds within their jurisdictions are required to undertake these action items in order to protect these source water supplies.
SPECIFIC SUB-TASKS
Sub-Task Identify water supply watersheds Adopt Environmental Planning Criteria
Coordination on watershed protection
Description
Identify water supply watersheds within the jurisdiction as well as priority issues and areas for watershed protection actions.
Local governments must adopt the Environmental Planning Criteria including adoption of drinking water supply watershed buffers in local ordinances.
Water supply providers must coordinate at least annually with local governments to discuss local issues and priorities for water supply watershed protection as well as other challenges.
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Section 9: LOCAL WATER PLANNING
Part V Environmental Planning Criteria were developed by Georgia DNR and are enforced by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (Georgia DCA) through the review of Comprehensive Land Use Plans. Related to drinking water protection, local governments are required to protect water supply watersheds and groundwater recharge areas within their jurisdictions. The planning criteria include buffer and lake management requirements intended to protect drinking water supplies. Local governments must adopt the stream buffers and other measures in compliance with the environmental planning criteria. The rules for source water supply watershed protection have recently changed, providing additional flexibility in the buffer requirements for small drinking water supply watersheds when communities adopt other measures to protect drinking water supplies.
Communities which are in compliance with the Georgia DCA's environmental planning criteria are in compliance with this requirement. New water supply sources planned or recommended in the Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan must be protected as they are formalized.
Source Water Assessment Plans (SWAPs): SWAPs were completed for public water systems as required by the Safe Drinking Water Act. The SWAPs include an assessment of the susceptibility of each drinking water supply watershed to sources of potential contamination and provide each supply watershed with a risk-based score. The SWAP plans may be a starting point for identification of potential parameters of concern.
Emergency Response Maps: Communities with source water supply watersheds and major transportation corridors may choose to provide emergency response personnel with maps outlining the source water supply watersheds. First responders to accidents, especially those with spills of hazardous materials, would be able to alert the appropriate water plant(s) of spills that the intake(s) can be shut down until the threat of pollution had passed. This measure should be coordinated with the Watershed Management Plan and the local water providers. It is recommended that maps show the emergency contact information for the water plant(s) associated with each source water supply watershed and that maps be laminated for field use by emergency responders.
Wellhead protection requirements are required under the SDWA based on 1986 amendments. Georgia EPD has established protection areas around drinking water supply wells that vary based on the local geology, well depth, and pumping rate. These wellhead protection areas are intended to help protect wells and springs used as sources of water supply for community public water systems from nearby pollution sources.
Coordination: Water suppliers must coordinate annually with all local governments with jurisdiction in the source water supply watershed to discuss any challenges or opportunities related to source water supply protection. Source water supply watershed challenges vary throughout the Metro Water District, therefore a one size-fits all solution is not advisable. Annual coordination meetings may include discussion of possible local actions based on the challenges and parameters of concern for the community.
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Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
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Section 9: LOCAL WATER PLANNING
ACTION ITEM 9.4 WATER SYSTEM ASSET MANAGEMENT
ACTION ITEM
Develop an asset management program that ensures proper management of the water system.
Responsible Party
; Local Water Provider Other: _______________
OBJECTIVE
In Coordination With
The objective of establishing a water system management program is to facilitate effective operation and maintenance of the system to ensure its proper functioning and to minimize the occurrence of water system leakage.
Neighboring water providers (where appropriate)
Local Wastewater Providers Local Stormwater Program
DESCRIPTION OF MEASURE
Georgia EPD ; Community Development/ Zoning
The condition of water infrastructure within the Metro Water District varies greatly from new systems in
Other: _______________
outlying counties to facilities over 100 years old in some of the most populous cities and counties.
Aging water system infrastructure affects the safety, efficiency and reliability of the water system.
Aging infrastructure can also cause financial challenges as operational funds are at risk, being
diverted to cover emergency repair costs.
Asset management approaches to the maintenance of water infrastructure include managing and maintaining the system in a way that minimizes the lifecycle costs. Asset management for local water providers includes the regular inspections and maintenance from the source to the treatment facility through the distribution system up to the customer meters. Regular maintenance can extend the lifespan of the water system assets as well as prevent customer service interruptions.
SPECIFIC SUB-TASKS
Sub-Task Map water system assets
Develop a water system asset management program Coordinate asset management and leak detection programs
Description Develop a map of the distribution system and assets, either on paper or in a Geographic Information System (GIS) platform.
Develop a written asset management program to inspect, maintain, and rehabilitate the local water system.
Coordinate the asset management program with the leak detection program discussed in Action Item 5.6.
Local water providers with smaller service areas may elect to compile asset information in paper maps. Most local water providers however will create a map of the system assets using GIS. The maps must at minimum include the location of water tanks, main distribution lines, water treatment facilities and fire hydrants. More detailed maps may include assets such as all water lines, meters, and valves. Regular maintenance of water system assets is recommended. Common elements of a water distribution system asset management program are outlined below.
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Section 9: LOCAL WATER PLANNING
Cross connection control and backflow prevention Backflow prevention devices are required to prevent water from a home or business from entering the public water supply through a reverse in flow caused by a pressure drop in the distribution system. Pressure drops that cause backflows could include water main breaks or fire fighting activities. Routine inspection of backflow devices, especially those that could lead to a cross-connection or hazardous materials entering the public water supply are common elements of an asset management program.
Water main and line repair/replacement Waterlines have a finite lifespan therefore most asset management programs include a replacement schedule for pipelines based on age, material type, maintenance history, and criticality.
Storage tank maintenance Most water tanks are made of steel and must be periodically painted to prevent corrosion. Other maintenance activities for water tanks may include replacing screens over vents and other points of access to insects, birds and rodents. Cell towers are often colocated with elevated water tanks and any structure adjacent to or attached to water tanks should be regularly inspected.
Pump maintenance Maintenance of booster and other system pumps involves checking the pumps regularly for excessive vibration or noise, providing grease and lubrication regularly and checking the pumps bearings and packing glands.
Hydrant flushing Water line flushing is performed to remove any accumulated sediments or other impurities which have been deposited in the pipe and improve the flow of water through the distribution system. Flushing is performed in conjunction with fire hydrant testing to reduce water wasting. Water mains may also be mechanically cleaned through the use of swabs or "pigs" which are devices that are pulled through a section of line that scrape the accumulated debris off the inside of the pipe. Dead end pipelines and those with low water pressure may need to be flushed more frequently for water quality purposes.
Valve maintenance Water distribution system valves allow for the isolation of portions of the distribution system. Valves are critical if a water main breaks, as it allows the isolation of the break during the repair. Exercising the valves in the water distribution system can ensure their smooth operation if system isolation is needed for emergency purposes.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
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As water systems in the Metro Water District continue to collaborate on regional water resources planning, water resources issues are identified. This Section outlines the regional water resource issues in the Metro Water District. Issues are identified and described within the subdivisions of federal operation of Lake Lanier and Allatoona Lake, water quantity and water quality issues.
FEDERAL OPERATION OF LAKE LANIER AND ALLATOONA LAKE
Lake Lanier and Allatoona Lake have played a key role in assuring an adequate water supply for the Metro Water District since their construction by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) in the 1950s. These federal reservoirs are multi-purpose projects that store water for multiple purposes: hydropower production, flood control, navigation, water supply, water quality, recreation, and navigation. Although, the Corps controls the storage in these reservoirs, the water in the State of Georgia is allocated and managed among users by the State of Georgia.
This Plan assumes that the federal reservoirs will continue to operate to meet water supply needs within the Metro Water District consistent with the guidance about future yield expectations provided by Georgia Environmental Protection Division (Georgia EPD). These assumptions are reasonable because Georgia EPD is the entity responsible for managing and permitting water withdrawals within the State. Furthermore, the Metro Water District believes that water use within the Metro Water District is reasonable, constituting only 1 to 2% of the total volume of water passing from Georgia to Florida in the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) basin, and a similar fraction in the Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa (ACT) basin. In addition, after reviewing alternatives to the use of the federal reservoirs, the Metro Water District has concluded that there are no alternatives to the Chattahoochee River and the Etowah River as major water supply sources for north Georgia.
Finally, it should be noted that expectations regarding water supply available from the operation of Lake Lanier and Allatoona Lake assume operation of these Corps reservoirs based on a balanced operation of the projects for all purposes. Recent changes in Corps operations of these Lakes beginning in 2006 represent a dramatic change and are of concern. In addition, the operation of the federal reservoirs is the subject of litigation of which the outcome is uncertain. Nonetheless, the Metro Water District trusts that Corps will eventually develop Water Control Plans for the ACF and the ACT that provide a balanced approach for all the users of each system.
WATER QUANTITY ISSUES
Water resources issues provide a contextual framework for the limitations on water quantities available for use within the Metro Water District. Multiple uses for water supply must be considered and balanced with the needs of instream and downstream users. The issues presented below include consumptive use, regulation of small water withdrawals, instream flow protection
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Section 10: WATER RESOURCES ISSUES
policy, and downstream use concerns. Elements of these issues overlap with some of the concerns noted in the discussion of water supply.
CONSUMPTIVE USE
An important consideration for the Metro Water District is the effect of consumptive use. Consumptive use, as defined in the Georgia Comprehensive State-wide Water Management Plan, is the difference between the total amount of water withdrawn from a defined hydrologic system of surface water or groundwater and the total amount of the withdrawn water that is returned to that same hydrologic system over a specified period of time. Water use is consumptive when water is removed from a specified hydrologic system of surface water or groundwater and is not returned to that same system within a time frame that allows contemporary users and uses to avail themselves of the benefits of that quantity of water. The Georgia Comprehensive State-wide Water Management Plan specifically identifies the following as water uses that contribute to consumptive use:
Water Reuse: is the use of reclaimed water as a substitute for another generally higher quality water source. Reclaimed water can be reused for the beneficial irrigation of areas that may be accessible to the public (such as golf courses, residential and commercial landscaping, parks, athletic fields, roadway medians, and landscapes) and for other beneficial uses such as human uses, cooling towers, concrete mixing, and car washes.
On-Site Sewage Management Systems: is a sewage management system other than a public or community sewage treatment system that serves one or more buildings, mobile homes, recreational vehicles, residences, or other facilities designed or used for human occupancy or congregation, and which is permitted by a local county board of health under rules promulgated by the Department of Human Resources. Such term shall include, without limitation, conventional and chamber systems, privies, and experimental and alternative on-site sewage management systems that are designed to be physically incapable of a surface discharge of effluent that may be approved by the Department of Human Resources.
Land Application Systems: Any method of disposing of pollutants in which the pollutants are applied to the surface or beneath the surface of a parcel of land and which results in the pollutants percolating, infiltrating, or being absorbed into the soil and then into the waters of the state. (Note: source for this definition is the Georgia Department of Natural Resources General Land Application System Permit for Large Communities)
Interbasin Transfers: is a withdrawal or diversion of water from one river basin, followed by use and/or return of some or all of that water to a second river basin. The river basin from which the withdrawal or diversion occurs is termed the `donor' basin, and the river basin to which all or a portion of the water is diverted and returned is termed the `receiving' basin.
The Georgia Comprehensive State-wide Water Management Plan recognizes that each of the above water management practices can be appropriate, viable measures; however, managing the consumptive uses of water is necessary to meet water demands in a sustainable manner. This Plan states that managing consumptive use of a water source involves the integrated management of
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Section 10: WATER RESOURCES ISSUES
demands from that source, returns to that source, and actions taken to supplement the supply that source provides.
Consumptive use is an important consideration for the Metro Water District for maintaining local stream flows and water supplies. A goal of the Metro Water District's plans is to minimize consumptive uses to the extent possible, while also balancing other goals and considerations. In terms of this Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan, consumptive use is a demand management strategy. The Wastewater Management Plan focuses on the consumptive losses from onsite-sewage management systems and land application systems with a long-term goal of returning water so that it is available for instream and offstream uses and users.
The Metro Water District was provided planning guidance by Georgia EPD to return 58% (annual average) of the water withdrawn from the Chattahoochee River basin. Figure 10-1 shows that the Metro Water District will meet the return target for the Chattahoochee basin in 2035. In the future Georgia EPD may modify the existing planning guidance for the Chattahoochee basin and/or identify return targets for others basins through the Comprehensive State-wide Water Management Plan. In order to manage consumptive use, local governments should consider the implications of local land use planning, specifically the role of septic systems in future growth. If a local government chooses to develop on septic systems they might have to consider other ways to reduce water demands and consumptive uses such as more intensive water supply system leak detection, low flow plumbing retrofit programs or banning outdoor irrigation.
FIGURE 10-1 Chattahoochee Basin Withdrawals and Discharges for 2035
Discharge/Withdrawals (AAD-MGD) Discharges to Withdrawal Ratio
800
100%
700
90%
80% 600
70%
500
60%
400
50%
300
40%
30% 200
20%
100
10%
0
0%
Withdrawals
1Returns
Ratio
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M A Y 2 0 0 9 10-3
Section 10: WATER RESOURCES ISSUES
RESERVOIR STORAGE RELIABILITY
During the current drought, several communities have suffered from dangerously low reservoir levels. Weather conditions over the past few years present the possibility for a new drought of record. These more extreme conditions will require more conservative sizing of reservoirs in the future. Communities with offstream supplies or small drinking water supply watersheds face the largest challenges during drought conditions. Reliability of existing and future reservoirs is a long-term challenge for the Metro Water District. Reservoir sizing should account for future demands, drought conditions, the impact of global climate change, loss of storage volume over time due to sedimentation, impacts of urbanization on base stream flows, and consideration of additional storage contingency.
REGULATION OF SMALL WATER WITHDRAWALS
Under current Georgia EPD guidelines, a private entity can withdraw from a groundwater or surface water source up to 100,000 gpd without a withdrawal permit. During the recent drought conditions, small surface water withdrawals and wells have become more common to provide irrigation water to avoid drought irrigation restrictions. Individuals have been able to withdraw water for irrigation purposes when downstream users were lacking abundant water supply. Since the quantity of water withdrawn under 100,000 gpd is not required to be reported, it is difficult to quantify the impact on instream and downstream water users. This issue is discussed further in Section 11.
INSTREAM FLOW PROTECTION POLICY
Water withdrawals affect downstream flows. Without limitations on withdrawal quantities, detrimental impacts to natural habitats and downstream users can occur. Georgia protects its water systems by mandating a minimum instream flow. Georgia's minimum instream flow policy historically was based on the 7Q10, which is the statistical figure that reflects the lowest 7-day running average of a stream's flow with a recurrence frequency of once in ten years. In order to better protect the health of aquatic ecosystems and to protect downstream users, Georgia EPD established a new minimum instream flow policy, effective April 1, 2001. All new applications for new or expanded surface water withdrawals are required to meet the 2001 minimum flow protection requirements. Applicants are required to select from one of the following three options for the 2001 minimum instream flow requirements:
Option 1 Monthly 7Q10 Minimum Flow
Option 2 Site-Specific Flow Study from which seasonal instream flows would be derived
Option 3 Mean Annual Flow: specific percentages of mean annual flow for regulated and unregulated streams, with seasonal adjustments
This policy is not applicable to those streams whose flows are determined by the operation of a Federal reservoir, such as the Chattahoochee River below Buford Dam and the Etowah River below Allatoona Lake.
Existing withdrawal permits will be revised to take into account the 2001 minimum instream flow requirements when permit holders request additional withdrawals from the source. The 2001 minimum instream flow policy is identified in the Georgia Comprehensive State-wide Water
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Section 10: WATER RESOURCES ISSUES
Management Plan as being consistent with protection of natural systems and biological integrity of the water resources to which the permits apply.
EMERGENCY AND DROUGHT PLANNING ISSUES
Sound planning can reduce the vulnerability of local water systems to unplanned events. Emergency response plans that provide an action plan should unforeseen incidences occur can reduce critical reaction time. Drought management planning at the State and local level ensures contingency plans are in place to meet critical water needs.
Vulnerability assessments are required under the EPA's Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002. Community water systems (CWS) that serve more than 3,300 persons were required to complete a vulnerability assessment on all components of the system (wellhead or surface water intake treatment plant, storage tank(s), pumps, distribution system and other important components of the system). Based on the vulnerability assessment, local water providers were required to complete or update an emergency response plan (ERP) that outlined response measures in the case of an incident. Several communities in the Metro Water District are implementing policies and procedures to increase water system security.
This Metro Water District plan calls for long term water efficiency which lowers water use over time while not negatively impacting the citizen's quality of life. Drought planning differs significantly from long term efficiency planning due to the necessity for implementation of emergency measures that can have significant economic and quality of life impacts on the citizens. This Plan calls for year-round water conservation practices, even during non-drought periods and established triggers to determine the severity or level of necessary drought restrictions required during drought conditions. The drought level increases with the severity of the drought as do the water use restrictions.
One of the permanent, non-drought water conservation practices is an outdoor watering schedule. This schedule is based on an odd-even outdoor water use schedule, in which odd numbered addresses may water on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, and even numbered addresses may water on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. Exceptions and specific schedules for commercial and other non-residential water uses are specifically stated in the Georgia Drought Management Plan.
Georgia EPD may request or order permit holders of both water treatment plants and water withdrawals to restrict water usage when the Director of Georgia EPD determines that such measures are necessary to protect and preserve public health and welfare, and/or aquatic communities. For example, if a water distribution system's pressure drops below 20 pounds per square inch, the Director may determine that public health is at risk, and may require water use restrictions. Georgia EPD may also restrict businesses that use large volumes of water, such as car wash facilities and garden centers, during drought periods. These measures are short-term to mitigate water shortages and prioritize water usage.
CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS
The recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fourth Assessment Report: Climate Change 2007 determined more conclusively than ever before that global climate is warming at an accelerated rate and is likely due to man-made greenhouse gases. General changes
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Section 10: WATER RESOURCES ISSUES
in weather that are predicted to accompany this warming in the southeast are that dry and wet weather events will become more intense than in recent decades. Although more study is needed to determine precisely how climate will change in the Metro Water District area, the following general impacts are likely:
More frequent heat waves
Increases in evaporation
A decrease in annual precipitation
Increased variability of precipitation including:
o More severe and extended drought
o Increased frequency and intensity of rain events
Climate change introduces an additional element of uncertainty for managing water resources. The probable impacts on water supplies that should be considered are increased water use due to increased temperatures and reduced reservoir yields due to evaporation and extended drought. The potential impacts on water quality that may accompany climate change include more erosion and turbidity due to more frequent and intense rain events. Warmer water may also impact the water quality of supplies. Increased flooding may also damage public water supply facilities that are located in or near flood prone areas.
If climate change increases water demand by 10% this would increase the average annual demand in the Metro Water District to 1,112 AAD-MGD in the year 2035. The Metro Water District should monitor information regarding climate change and as more specific data is available for the region take this into account in future plan updates.
There are actions that are already part of the water supply planning process that will help to mitigate the impacts of global warming in the Metro Water District. The water conservation program in this plan will reduce water use and use the limited water supply more efficiently. Returning reclaimed wastewater to reservoirs such as Lanier and Allatoona will also serve to make water supplies more reliable in extended drought.
Additional measures that should also be considered in future planning include:
Review yield of existing reservoir storage in light of changing conditions;
Increase off-stream storage to mitigate impacts of reduced yield; and
Develop multiple and diversified sources, where possible, to increase reliability.
WATER QUALITY ISSUES
Water quality is where the linkage amongst the three Metro Water District plans is the clearest; protecting water quality is one of the primary objectives of the planning efforts. Water quality is not only important to ecological habitats but also to sustain water supplies for potable uses. Issues related to water supply and quality include water treatment requirements, EPA Groundwater Rule, chemicals of concern and sedimentation of stream and river intakes.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M A Y 2 0 0 9 10-6
Section 10: WATER RESOURCES ISSUES
WATER TREATMENT STANDARDS
Water treatment standards are expected to become more stringent over the next 30 years as the expectations for higher quality drinking water continue coupled with more reliance on reclaimed water to augment water supply sources. To date, EPA has developed the majority of the regulations that were required to be promulgated by the 1996 Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments. Two key rules have taken effect since the 2003 Water Supply and Water Conservation Plan: The Long-Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule (LT2ESWTR), which focuses on treatment and control of the microorganism Cryptosporidium; and the Stage 2 Disinfectants/Disinfection Byproducts Rule (D/DBPR), which focuses on the long-term health effects of exposure to compounds produced by chlorine disinfection practices, used by most local water providers within the Metro Water District.
For LT2ESWTR, monitoring starting dates are staggered by system size. The largest systems (serving at least 100,000 people) began monitoring in October 2006 and the smallest systems (serving fewer than 10,000 people) began monitoring in October 2008. After completing monitoring and determining their treatment needs, systems will generally have three years to comply with any additional treatment requirements. Systems must conduct a second round of monitoring six years after completing the initial round to determine if source water conditions have changed significantly.
The Stage 2 D/DBPR rule builds incrementally on existing D/DBPR rules. The first step is a multi-year process to determine the areas of the distribution system with the highest risk. If disinfectant or disinfection byproduct levels are too high, local water providers will have to implement operational or treatment changes. The time to complete system modifications will depend on the system size. Most water systems in the Metro Water District initiated monitoring in Fall 2007 under the Stage 1 D/DBPR rule. By April 1, 2012, most local water providers in the Metro Water District must submit a monitoring plan and begin compliance with Stage 2 D/DBPR. All local water providers should be in compliance with Stage 2 by 2016.
These two rules may require changes in the treatment practices of many water utilities during the next 30 years. Some of the technologies that may be required for compliance with these new rules include optimization of existing chlorination practices; use of alternative oxidants and disinfectants (such as ozonation and ultraviolet (UV) disinfection); optimization of coagulation, and/or higher levels of organic precursor removals, including membranes, advanced oxidation processes or granular activated carbon (GAC) treatment.
EPA is continually evaluating potentially harmful compounds in drinking water that may be regulated in the future. Based on past experience, the time it takes for a contaminant to go from being listed on the Contaminant Candidate List (CCL) to being regulated is 10 to 20 years. Because of this continually-updated process, additional drinking water contaminants will be regulated during the 30-year study period. It is difficult to predict the specific compounds to be regulated and the treatment technologies that may be needed to treat them. However, it is likely that water treatment plants will be required to continually evaluate their performance and optimize existing treatment or add new technologies. These changes in treatment standards will need to be addressed in future updates to the Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan.
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Section 10: WATER RESOURCES ISSUES
GROUNDWATER TREATMENT RULE
EPA published the Groundwater Rule (GWR) in the Federal Register on November 8, 2006 in response to requirements in the 1996 Amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act. The purpose of the rule is to provide for increased protection against microbial pathogens in public water systems that use groundwater sources. The GWR applies to public water systems that rely on groundwater or to any system that mixes surface and groundwater if the groundwater is added directly to the distribution system and provided to consumers without treatment. Currently, less than one percent of the Metro Water District's water supply is obtained from groundwater sources. However, the increase in operating costs, due to additional monitoring and disinfection requirements may make some of the existing and future groundwater sources less viable, further increasing the Metro Water District's reliance on surface water.
CHEMICALS OF CONCERN
Chemicals of concern is a term used to describe a wide array of chemicals and microorganisms that are suspected of posing a risk to public health through drinking water, that include pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCP's) and endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs). Chemicals of concern are not presently regulated, partly because of difficulty with analytical techniques, detection limits levels and lack of baseline information on ambient concentrations. The EPA tracks chemicals of concern through the CCL.
In the future, if removal of these chemicals of concern becomes regulated, advanced treatment techniques, such as UV disinfection, nanofiltration (NF) or reverse osmosis (RO) membranes will become common in the Metro Water District. Treatment for chemicals of concern is also covered in the Wastewater Management Plan. Educating the public on proper disposal of pharmaceuticals and household chemicals will help reduce the contribution to the sanitary sewer waste stream and ultimately in source water supplies.
SEDIMENTATION OF STREAM AND RIVER INTAKES
Excessive sedimentation at water intakes can cause interruption in water supply and serious abrasion of pumps with consequent higher operating costs. Sediment entrainment at pump intakes is causes by erosion and high sediment loads within the contributing watershed. Smaller intakes on smaller streams and rivers are more prone to sedimentation. In addition, high turbidity increases treatment costs and issues for local water providers. Communities in the Metro Water District will need to enforce existing erosion and sedimentation control regulations, as discussed in the Watershed Management Plan, to help prevent sediment from reaching receiving waters.
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M A Y 2 0 0 9 10-8
This Section focuses on State and regional policy recommendations to further implementation of water supply development and water conservation practices in the Metro Water District. These recommendations are intended for State agencies, and require no action on the part of local governments or local water providers. Implementation of these policy recommendations is intended to advance the progress towards addressing integrated water resources protection within the Metro Water District. The recommendations identify actions to be taken, the agency to lead the action, and the year for the action to begin is shown in parentheses.
POST-2035 WATER SUPPLY SOURCE PLANNING
Although this Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan provides for supply sources and facilities to meet the 2035 forecasted demands, planning for supply sources beyond 2035 will need to continue within the planning horizon. The Metro Water District should continue to facilitate regional water supply source planning through the existing Technical Coordinating Committee or through a sub-committee of that group. The TCC or sub-committee will be charged with identifying and advocating future water supply sources in the Metro Water District.
Metro Water District staff should facilitate ongoing discussions on post-2035 water supply planning. (ongoing)
FACILITATE NEW WATER SUPPLY SOURCES
This Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan outlines several planned and potential water supply sources critical to meeting future water demands and providing needed water supply reliability within the Metro Water District. The State has recently recognized the importance of reservoir and water supply projects with the Water Conservation and Drought Relief Act, signed into law in May 2008. The law facilitates new water supplies by bringing State agencies together and providing State funding assistance for projects. The law tasks Georgia EPD with expediting permitting related to new reservoir applications and tasks the Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority (GEFA) with providing financial assistance for reservoir and water supply projects. The following recommendations should be considered by GEFA and Georgia EPD related to facilitating new water supply sources for the Metro Water District:
Continue to financially support the construction of needed water supply sources through GEFA and other Federal and State funding sources. (ongoing)
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
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M A Y 2 0 0 9 11-1
Section 11: STATE AND REGIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS
FACILITATE WATER PERMITTING
The law creating the Metro Water District (O.C.G.A. 12-5-571) grants the Georgia EPD broad powers for issuing water withdrawal permits to water providers in the Metro Water District in accordance with the Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan. Regulatory permitting of water withdrawals as well as water treatment facility expansion is crucial to the implementation of the Plan.
Currently, water withdrawal permits are handled by the Water Withdrawal Permitting Program of the Georgia EPD's Watershed Protection Branch. The Drinking Water Permitting and Engineering Program is under the same branch and issues permits for public water systems, including permits for the expansion or modification of existing public water treatment plants. In addition, several programs within the Watershed Protection Branch regulate wastewater systems. While consolidation of these permits may not be practical, Georgia EPD should continue its current efforts to improve coordination and communication among the groups handling the permits in order to expedite projects included in the Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan. In accordance with HB342, a multi-agency Water Supply Technical Assistance Program has been established to assist communities in developing water supply projects. Recommendations for coordination and communication include the following:
Consolidate permit cycle. The water withdrawal permit is typically issued for a ten-year period; the permit to operate treatment facilities is also typically issued for a ten-year period. It is recommended that the permit cycles for both withdrawal and treatment/operation/plant expansion be consolidated into the same cycle on the basis of river basin (same as the wastewater permits), in order to revise and refine these permits based on the updated needs in the particular basin. (2009 2011)
Consolidate and standardize reporting. Reporting is required for several regulatory programs, such as the water conservation progress report. These reports can be simplified to meet multiple requirements. Revisions to permit reporting could include web-based reporting or other recommendations resulting from the Georgia Association of Water Professionals (GAWP) Watershed Streamlining Task Force. (2009 2010)
ENCOURAGE CONSERVATION THROUGH STATE LEGISLATION
The following State legislation should be considered to support local water conservation programs:
Adjust the State plumbing code to reflect market maturity for higher efficiency fixtures, such as 1.28 gallon per flush HET toilets and 0.5 gallon per flush high-efficiency urinals for all new development and redevelopment projects. (2015 2035)
Return local home rule to local water providers for establishing drought restrictions based on their local conditions and understanding of their water systems.
Offer state tax credits for commercial and industrial retrofit of toilets and urinals, coin operated washers, front loading washing machines, water efficient dishwashers, instant hot water heaters, drip irrigation and advanced irrigation controllers.
Prohibit homeowners associations (HOAs) from requiring water intensive landscaping or irrigation.
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Section 11: STATE AND REGIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS
SMALL WATER WITHDRAWALS
During the recent drought conditions, small surface water withdrawals and wells have become more common to provide irrigation water to avoid drought irrigation restrictions. The cumulative impact of small surface water withdrawals and groundwater withdrawals has the potential to deplete municipal water resources. In the Metro Water District, there is a strong correlation between groundwater and surface water flows, therefore groundwater use depletes base flows in streams. Since the quantity of water withdrawn under 100,000 gpd is not required to be reported, it is difficult to quantify the impact on instream and downstream water users. The Georgia EPD should study the following policy changes and make the appropriate recommendations to the Georgia General Assembly:
Require all withdrawals in the Metro Water District to adhere to the same drought restrictions as those on public water supplies.
Consider requiring permits for withdrawals less than 100,000 gpd within the Metro Water District.
COMPREHENSIVE LAND USE PLAN COORDINATION
Georgia Department of Community Affairs (Georgia DCA) is responsible for overseeing required Comprehensive Land Use Plans and implementation of Part V Environmental Planning Criteria under the Georgia Planning Act.
Georgia DCA currently reviews Comprehensive Land Use Plans (CLUPs) for compliance with the Metro Water District Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan. The local CLUPs direct where growth will occur locally and should be coordinated with local water providers. Additionally, Georgia DCA through the CLUP review process should support protection of source water supply watersheds.
The Part V Environmental Planning Criteria include important protections for source water supply watersheds. These criteria were recently updated by Georgia DCA and Georgia EPD. Reviews of the Part V Environmental Planning Criteria will need to be more thorough as local governments have several options available for compliance with the updated criteria.
The following recommendations should be considered by Georgia DCA related to required Comprehensive Land Use Plan reviews:
The new Comprehensive Land Use Plan review audit checklist should be updated as needed to encourage coordination between land use planning and water supply planning in accordance with this Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan. (2009 - 2010)
Review and support source water supply watershed protection as outlined in Part V Environmental Planning Criteria. (2009 and ongoing)
WATER CONSERVATION PROGRAM EVALUATION
The water conservation program is a critical element of this regional Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan. Future water supplies and treatment capacities contained within this Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan are based on attaining the
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Section 11: STATE AND REGIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS
forecasted benefits of this conservation program on a regional scale. Currently there are several practical limitations to measuring progress such as inconsistent terminology, lack of available data and the need to identify practical ways of collecting data. Periodically, it will be important to assess the progress and benefit of the water conservation program. Recommendations throughout this Plan are intended to address the existing limitations to the degree practicable to develop a sound method of measuring regional progress. Examples include the use of the IWA/AWWA software in Action Item 5.6 to assess water loss following a standardized methodology.
The Metro Water District should work through the Technical Coordinating Committee and, if necessary, a sub-committee of the TCC to discuss options for collecting data and measuring progress. The Metro Water District should consider the following:
Metro Water District staff should facilitate discussions to establish terminology and methodology for measuring progress of the water conservation program. (2009 - 2011)
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INTRODUCTION
Education and public awareness is essential to effective water resources management. The 2003 Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan developed an education and public awareness program that has made significant progress in reaching the Metro Water District population with its messages on water supply and water conservation over the last five years.
The Metro Water District education and awareness program is specifically designed to:
Raise public awareness of water issues and needs to foster support for solutions;
Educate the public and other identified target groups in order to increase awareness and encourage behavioral changes; and
Coordinate with other public as well as private entities to maximize the visibility of the Metro Water District and its messages.
The Metro Water District education and public awareness program is comprised of two elements: a regional program managed by the Metro Water District staff; and education activities undertaken by local governments. The Metro Water District provides a regional education and public awareness program that works through the Water Supply and Water Conservation Technical Coordinating Committee (TCC) to expand upon the key water supply and conservation themes identified in this plan and develop mass media content and educational tools, including a comprehensive website, brochures and presentation materials. The local governments' role in education and public awareness is to reach out to specific groups in their community, provide educational materials and share knowledge of subject matters with the public by undertaking specific education and outreach activities. Without local implementation of the education program the full potential of this plan cannot be realized.
The following pages outline the key messages, the identified targeted audiences and various delivery techniques. This is followed by an overview of the Metro Water District's regional education and public awareness program and activities. The final part of this section includes the local education and public awareness requirements.
EDUCATION AND PUBLIC AWARENESS APPROACH
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MESSAGES
The Metro Water District along with the Water Supply and Water Conservation TCC has created central messages, identified below, for both the regional and local water supply and water conservation education and public awareness program.
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Section 12: EDUCATION AND PUBLIC AWARENESS
With limited water supplies in the Metro Water District, outdoor water use is considered consumptive and should be minimized. Tools and techniques such as native, drought tolerant landscaping, better irrigation controls, use of recycled water for car washing and other outdoor water use education will help minimize these consumptive uses.
Water is a precious resource and "water wasting" should be avoided. Water wasting includes activities such as runoff from over-watering landscaping, irrigation during rainfall events, not repairing leaks, and other wasteful activities.
As the Atlanta region develops, water efficient new homes and green buildings should be promoted. There is a great deal of interest from the public as well as builders on creating more water efficient new homes and buildings.
Increased understanding of "typical" usage and a customer's own historical usage will provide water users with basic information they need to reduce water demands.
Indirect potable reuse, which consists of returning highly treated reclaimed water to the natural environment (reservoir, storage reservoir, or stream) where it mixes with receiving waters and is eventually reused, and is a valuable means of sustaining the Metro Water District's water supply.
TARGET AUDIENCES
Identifying stakeholders helps in tailoring messages and education materials. While regional water conservation messages will be consistent, specific information may be more applicable to certain audiences. The Metro Water District has identified the appropriate target audiences for the Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan in Table 12-1.
TABLE 12-1 Education Focus for Target Audiences
Target Audience
Education Focus
General Public Residents
Students / Schools Home Gardeners
Basic concepts of water efficiency and conservation including how individual actions can make an impact.
Residents must be educated about how to conserve water at home and understand water conservation pricing structures for water supply. Understanding their water use and the importance of not wasting water is key information for residents to start making small behavioral changes that will conserve water.
Instilling water conservation messaging in students is important to developing conservation-minded habits and behaviors at a young age. The education and support of the teachers and schools is vital to getting the messages to students.
Proper knowledge on water-wise landscaping, irrigation system operation and maintenance and appropriate levels of outdoor watering is important for this audience.
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Section 12: EDUCATION AND PUBLIC AWARENESS
Target Audience
Education Focus
Urban Agriculture (landscapers, irrigators etc.)
This audience should to be educated on the need to incorporate water conservation measures into the daily lives of their customers.
Golf Courses
Golf course owners and staff should be educated on implementing water conservation and water reuse best management practices.
Plumbers
This audience should to be educated on the need to incorporate water conservation measures into the daily lives of their customers.
Builders/ Developers/ Designer Professionals
This audience should be educated on the importance of installing water efficient appliances and fixtures in new homes and buildings.
Real Estate Professionals
Real estate professionals should have a general understanding of the limited water resources in the region and the importance of installing water efficient fixtures and appliances in both new and older homes.
Offices/ Retail
This audience needs to be educated on how to save water in an office environment, this includes making sure the building, business operations, cooling towers and employees are all water efficient.
Restaurant / Food Service
Restaurant owners and manager should be educated on water conserving commercial kitchen appliances and fixtures and on ways to conserve water in restrooms. Staff should understand how to appropriately use appliances and fixtures and be knowledgeable about other ways to conserve water in their day to day activities in the kitchen.
Laundry Facilities and This audience should be educated on water efficient processes, commercial
Linen Suppliers
appliances and fixtures that can be used to improve their water efficiency
while continuing to abide by all applicable health regulations.
Hotels
Hotels have more plumbing and water using fixtures than most standard commercial operations. Hotels should understand the importance of finding and fixing leaks, the water savings that can be generated by installing water efficient fixtures as well as the understand the messaging for restaurants and laundry facilities.
Health Care Facilities
Health care facilities may operate equipment such as x-ray machines, sanitizers and sterilizers that use water and should be encouraged to use them in a manner that conserves water while continuing to abide by all applicable health and safety standards. These facilities typically have many bathrooms and sinks and water efficiency should be promoted in these areas.
Heavy / Light Industrial
Industries should understand their water use, conserve water at their facilities and educate employees on how to conserve water.
Car Washes
Car washes should be encouraged to conserve water by retrofitting existing facilities and/or maintaining water recycling systems.
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Section 12: EDUCATION AND PUBLIC AWARENESS
Target Audience
Education Focus
Water Systems
Local Elected Officials / Governing Boards
Water professionals need to be informed on the process and solutions within the Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan for their understanding, and to ensure that there is a coordinated approach that supports the goals of the Metro Water District. Utility employees need to be educated on water conservation methods to be able to inform their customers on how to save water.
Importance of promoting and sufficiently funding the implementation of the Metro Water District's conservation measures.
DELIVERY TECHNIQUES
There are a number of ways to reach target audiences in a public education effort both at a local and regional level. Some examples of these delivery methods are outlined below.
Internet
Website An internet site or page can provide an inexpensive way to foster awareness and education of water supply and water conservation issues at the community or regional level. A website can also serve as an information clearinghouse for other educational materials, and provide resources and additional links for target groups such as the general public, the development communities, and various industries.
Email Email newsletters can provide information of upcoming outreach events as well as tips on water supply management and conservation for targeted audiences and the general public. Email is often the least expensive way to reach a larger number of individuals and entities.
Streaming media Tools such as streaming audio and video, webcasts, online training workshops, and other interactive electronic media tools provide additional opportunities for reaching target audiences.
Printed Materials
Brochures & Fact Sheets Brochures, fact sheets and other literature can be for general information or provide messages and tips specific to a particular topic or target group. Printed materials often complement other education and public awareness activities such as public outreach events, workshops, and on-site inspections of businesses.
Bill Inserts Printed materials can be designed to accompany utility bills or other correspondence to local citizens and businesses. Inserts can include brochures, newsletters tips on best management practices and events notices. Bill inserts are an excellent way to distribute educational materials without additional postage expenses.
CD / DVDs and DVD-ROMs are mediums for providing interactive educational material and are especially well-suited for youth and classroom education. In addition, video DVDs can be used to distribute content such as public service announcements (PSAs), video programs, and instructional/training videos.
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Section 12: EDUCATION AND PUBLIC AWARENESS
Posters Wall posters provide a great deal of information quickly to the target audience at a stationary location and can be displayed at locations such as libraries, schools, and other public locations.
Mass Media
Press Relations Both local communities and the Metro Water District can work with the media to ensure coverage of water supply and water conservation issues and activities. This can include both articles and events listings in general circulation newspapers, specialty papers, and regional magazines; radio and television interviews; features on radio and television news and public affairs programming; and coverage of events such as water conservation fairs and community events.
Television Public Service Announcements Television advertising using PSAs provide an immediate impact with a visual message. Broadcast channels reach a wide audience but are high-priced. Cable television offers local communities the ability to target their citizens and even tailor advertising to specific channels and audiences.
Radio Public Service Announcements Radio PSAs are an alternative to television and provide a less expensive way to reach a large number of individuals with water conservation messages and tips.
Outdoor Advertising Billboards and other outdoor advertising such as bus shelter ads can be a way to reach audiences through a different medium. These outdoors ads are well suited to short theme messages and specific tips on water conservation.
Other Advertising Other advertising methods that may be considered include movie theater PSAs, paid ads in newspapers and print magazines, and sponsorship of traffic and/or weather spots on radio.
Outreach and Involvement
Workshops Workshops and seminars opportunities to provide more detailed information and training to citizens, businesses and industry groups.
Speakers Bureau A speaker's bureau provides an opportunity for government staff and other professionals to address community organizations, business groups, homeowners' associations, church groups and educational institutions on issues related to water supply and water conservation management.
Events Hosting or participation in community events provides an opportunity for the distribution of information and resources directly to target communities. In addition, topicspecific events such as water conservation fairs, Earth Day events, school fairs, etc. are an important way to involve citizens directly in water supply and water conservation management efforts.
Kiosks / Exhibits A kiosk or exhibit provides a way to present information and educational messages at workshops and other events. Exhibits may be permanent or portable and can have static displays, videos, or interactive features. Portable display boards are often effective for use at events or workshops.
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Section 12: EDUCATION AND PUBLIC AWARENESS
Promotional Items Promotional giveaways such as magnets, pencils and bumper stickers, can be imprinted with water conservation messages and tips and distributed at community events, schools and workshops.
REGIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAM
Over the years, the Metro Water District has developed a comprehensive education and public awareness program that includes all the elements outlined in this section. A regional education and public awareness plan has many benefits including reducing duplication of efforts, improving cost effectiveness among groups by sharing costs, and expanding the size and scale of education efforts to include mass media such as television and radio advertising.
The Metro Water District developed a regional water conservation education and public awareness program to help local governments educate their communities about the importance of conserving water. The regional water conservation campaign includes brochures, videos, how-to-manual and promotional items. The Metro Water District adopted Water Use It Wisely, a nationally known water conservation public education campaign recognized for their indoor and outdoor water conservation tips.
Shortly after adopting Water Use It Wisely, the Metro Water District began its water conservation media campaign. The media campaign included television, radio, outdoor and movie theatre advertising. Water Use It Wisely messages were placed on local television and radio stations, billboard, bus stations and in movie theatres throughout the Metro Water District. The Metro Water District has partnered with local television stations to air Water Use It Wisely and partnering station public service announcements (PSAs). The radio water conservation PSAs were aired on radio stations across the region during peak times such as morning and evening rush hours.
As part of the regional education campaign, the Metro Water District provides an essay contest for middle school students throughout the Metro Water District. The essay contest encourages middle school students within the district, to write essays on water quality and water conservation. The Metro Water District recognizes one winner from each county and one overall winner. This regional essay contest helps local governments reach out to students and teachers who would normally not be able to because of budget and staff constraints.
Moving forward to the next five years, the Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan will continue to promote water conservation messages. New messages have been identified that the Metro Water District can promote including helping the community understand typical water use, outdoor water use is consumptive and should be minimized, "water wasting" should be avoided and new homes and green buildings should be water efficient. In support of these messages and to enhance current efforts, the Metro Water District should consider the following:
Research Homeowner Association watering and irrigation requirements and, if feasible, develop a strategy to address required irrigation system and watering.
Develop a model "water waste" ordinance.
Promote water efficiency aspects of green building.
Assist with development of a new home efficiency award program.
Sponsor an annual awards program for water saving businesses.
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Section 12: EDUCATION AND PUBLIC AWARENESS
Offer cooling tower education and training.
Add additional emphasis to outdoor watering education including developing educational materials on rainwater harvesting and efficient water use for pools, spas, pressure washing and non-commercial car washing.
Provide education on energy and water savings possible through implementing water conservation practices.
The Metro Water District provides a number of educational resources for local governments to use in order to facilitate and manage their local education campaign. Table 12-2 is a list of educational resources provided by the Metro Water District. Each item gives a brief description on how local governments can use these tools to meet education requirements.
TABLE 12-2 Educational Materials Available to Local Governments by the Metro Water District
Educational Tools Brochures
CD/DVD Presentations Metro Water District Website Exhibits
Press Materials
Description
The Metro Water District provides camera ready brochures for local governments to personalize with their own logo and contact information. A list of the available brochures and educational items can be found in the appendix of this plan.
The Metro Water District provides a number of educational materials such as PowerPoint presentations, videos and public service announcements.
The Metro Water District provides pre-packaged presentations with speaker's notes on a variety of topics such as household water audits, checking for leaks and building rain gardens.
The Metro Water District website provides downloadable resources such as brochures, how-to-booklets, news articles and water conservation related reports and documents.
The Metro Water District has a mobile exhibit board and "water drop" costume available to loan to local governments for community events. The mobile exhibit board has facts and tips on water pollution prevention. Local governments can also customize the exhibit board with local information.
The Metro Water District provides templates for press releases, news articles, flyers and newsletter inserts to distribute to local and regional media outlets.
All components of the education and public awareness program are important for an effective education and public awareness program. The Metro Water District will continue to provide support to local government through its regional education and public awareness program.
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Section 12: EDUCATION AND PUBLIC AWARENESS
LOCAL EDUCATION PROGRAM
The goal of local education programs is to achieve awareness of water supply and conservation issues with the goal of building public support for local actions and activities as well as changing behaviors that leads to the long-term protection of our water resources. Involving the public in local water supply and water conservation efforts is crucial because it promotes broader public support, helps create an ethic of stewardship and community service, and enables the public to make informed choices about water resources management. Changes in basic behavior and practices are necessary to achieve maximum, long-term improvements in water efficiency.
On a local level, Metro Water District communities are responsible for developing their own local education and public awareness programs that help both individual citizens as well as business and organizations to become aware of their role in water efficiency. This includes general information on water supply and water conservation management and issues.
LOCAL EDUCATION PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
When developing a local education and public awareness program, communities are required to include both public education and outreach, as well as public involvement and participation activities:
Education and outreach program activities are designed to distribute education materials and messages, and perform outreach to inform citizens and target audiences.
Public participation and involvement activities provide opportunities for citizens to participate in programs and active implementation of water supply and water conservation programs, such as water festivals and community workshops.
Water providers in the Metro Water District are required to annually implement a minimum number of education and outreach, and public participation and involvement activities annually as part of their local education program as shown in Table 12-3. Table 12-4 provides some examples of activities that could be considered as public education and outreach versus public participation and involvement. These minimum education and outreach programs may be in coordination with other Metro Water District communities, local water/wastewater providers, or other public or private entities such as Keep Georgia Beautiful affiliates.
TABLE 12-3 Minimum Local Education and Public Awareness Program Annual Requirements
Population Served
<50,000 >50,000
Education and Outreach Activities
2
3
Public Participation and Involvement Activities
2
3
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Section 12: EDUCATION AND PUBLIC AWARENESS
TABLE 12-4 Example Water Supply and Water Conservation Education / Outreach and Public Participation / Involvement Activities
Education and Outreach Activities
Bill stuffers or newsletters Brochures at municipal facilities Website with water conservation information Local Cable or Government TV station programming Speakers bureau presentations
Press releases Provide historical water use on water bills Adopt a water waste ordinance and enforcement
Xeriscape demonstration garden Promote toilet rebate program
Other innovative education and outreach activities
Public Participation and Involvement Activities
Water treatment facility tours Citizen advisory group Water festivals
School classroom education Technical training to target audiences
Retrofit kit distribution Essay contests
Coloring book contest Community workshops Interactive kiosks / exhibits Other innovative public participation and involvement
activities
EXAMPLE DESCRIPTIONS OF ACTIVITIES
Example Education and Outreach Activities:
Provide historical water use on water bills. Historical use on water bills provides a great opportunity to educate all water system customers. A water system could provide detailed information on customer's historical water use, including typical usage and trends.
Water waste ordinance. An ordinance would provide a general policy statement for a local government that would prohibit water waste while also educating all water users on water wasting. Water wasting includes runoff from over-watering landscaping, irrigation during rainfall events, not repairing leaks, and other wasteful activities.
Xeriscape demonstration gardens. A water system may donate or acquire a portion of public or private land to create a demonstration garden displaying living examples of low water-using gardens and landscaping. The water system would provide signs and brochures to educate those people visiting the garden.
Example Public Participation and Involvement Activities:
Facility tours at treatment plant. Some local water service providers have tours available at their facilities. Tours can be arranged for school trips or other audiences. Informational materials such as brochures and fact sheets can be available for distribution at participating facilities.
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Section 12: EDUCATION AND PUBLIC AWARENESS
School education. School education can be an opportunity to educate students, teachers and/ or parents on water efficiency and may include a wide variety of outreach activities. The water system could sponsor school conservation by providing presentations, opportunities for field trips, and/or coloring books, etc. to teach students the importance of conserving water.
Community workshops. Local water systems can offer training classes to homeowners on a variety of water efficiency topics. For instance, a water system may coordinate with the Cooperative Extension Service to conduct a landscape water efficiency training program for homeowners in the spring of each year. Topics for water efficiency workshops may include how to be a water wise household, finding and fixing leaks, making a rain barrel, Xeriscaping and proper irrigation watering and maintenance. Workshops may be held for interested existing groups and organizations during their regularly scheduled meetings.
TABLE 12-5 Water Supply and Water Conservation Education and Public Awareness Resources
Program
Regional Outreach Tools Conservation Support Water Use it Wisely
Conserve Water Georgia Georgia Project Wet Adopt-a-Stream River of Words Rivers Alive
EPA Water Sense Georgia DCA
Public Outreach Toolbox
Program Description/Resource Location
Metro Water District Programs Various water conservation resources for outreach and events. http://www.northgeorgiawater.com
Various websites to assist with water conservation program. http://www.northgeorgiawater.com
Various resources for outreach. http://www.wateruseitwisely.com
Georgia EPD Programs Water Conservation and Watering Restrictions http://www.conservewatergeorgia.net Water Education Resources for Teachers http://gaprojectwet.org Volunteer Water Sampling and Monitoring Program http://www.georgiaadoptastream.org Poetry, Writing and Art program for K-12 http://gaprojectwet.org/
Annual Volunteer Waterway Cleanup http://www.riversalive.com/
Other Public Education Resources Various resources for outreach. http://www.epa.gov/watersense
"Winning Water" Water Festival http://www.winningwater.org
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INTRODUCTION
The implementation actions for the Water Supply and Conservation Management Plan are a blueprint for State, regional and local water providers in the 15-county Metro Water District to follow. Performing these actions will lead towards achieving the goals established for the Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan.
ROLES
The Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan involves participation by citizens and many levels of government for implementation. The broad roles for these are summarized below:
Local Jurisdictions
Own and operate local water systems that manage water supply, treatment, distribution and water conservation programs;
Plan and construct water supply infrastructure for water supply (Note: projects required pursuant to a federal or State court order will take precedence over the recommendations contained in this plan);
Participate in the Metro Water District including coordination with the Wastewater Management Plan and Watershed Management Plan;
Implement programs to improve water system interconnections; and
Participate in regional efforts for water resources management related to implementation of this Plan.
Metro Water District
Promote inter-jurisdictional collaboration for water resources management;
Serve as a forum and clearinghouse for regional issues, such as water conservation;
Present a regional voice for water resources management;
Provide local jurisdictions with support and guidance for implementing this Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan; and
Monitor development of the Comprehensive Statewide Water Management Plan and its impact on the Metro Water District members.
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Section 13: IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
Georgia Environmental Protection Division
Issue water withdrawal permits in accordance with this Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan;
Continue regulatory functions over water supply; and
Support regional planning.
Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority
Support the Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan through increased funding participation.
IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULES
Three separate implementation schedules are included in this Section, one for local water providers, one for the Metro Water District, and one for State agencies. It should be noted that local water providers are only responsible for implementing management measures identified on the local implementation schedule and are not responsible for Metro Water District or State-level tasks. Local water providers should use this implementation schedule in combination with Appendix B, County-Level Summaries, which provides greater detail on new water supply development and new facility construction or expansion projects. The implementation schedules in this Section outline the programmatic requirements of this Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan.
The reference page numbers provide the location of the full description of each measure in the Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan where additional implementation guidance may be found. New program implementation or creation of a program is indicated differently than ongoing implementation in the implementation schedule. The distinction provides a quick snapshot for the level of intensity of implementation on an annual basis.
Tasks in the implementation schedule are outlined individually for the first few years of the Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan, considered the short-term. The action items for implementation in the calendar years 2012 to 2015 are considered medium-term and the action items for the 2015 to 2035 time-frame are considered long-term recommendations. The schedule for mediumterm and long-term tasks may be adjusted during updates every 5 years, following an adaptive management approach.
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TABLE 13-1 Local Water Provider Implementation Schedule
Section 13: IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
Category
#
Implementation Action Item
2009
2010
2011
2012 - 2015 2015 - 2035 Ref. Pages
Water Conservation Program
Reuse Planned Water Supply
Facilities
5.1
Conservation pricing (Irrigation meter pricing established by 2010)
5.2 Replace older, inefficient plumbing fixtures
5.3 Pre-rinse spray valve retrofit education program
5.4 Rain sensor shut-off switches on irrigation systems
5.5 Require sub-unit meters in new multi-family buildings
5.6 Assess and reduce water system leakage
5.7 Conduct residential water audits
5.8 Distribute low-flow retrofit kits to residential users
5.9 Conduct commercial water audits
5.10
Implement education and public awareness plan (component of action item 12.1)
5.11
Install HETs and high efficiency urinals in government buildings
5.12 Require car washes to recycle water
7.1
Return reclaimed water to Lakes Lanier and Allatoona for future indirect potable reuse
8.1 Construction of 6 new water supply reservoirs
8.2 Construct 6 new water treatment plants
8.3 Expand 28 existing water treatment plants
Local Planning Recommendations
Education and Public Awareness
9.1 Develop local water master plans, update every 5 years
9.2 Develop or update local emergency water plans 9.3 Source water supply watershed protection 9.4 Water system asset management
Develop and implement a local education and public 12.1 awareness program (action item 5.10 is a component of
this action item)
Active Implementation
Ongoing Implementation/ Program Maintenance
Note: Additional implementation items related to each county are included in Appendix B, County Level Summaries.
5-2 to 5-4
5-5 to 5-6 5-7 to 5-8
5-9 5-10 5-11 to 5-13 5-14 5-15 to 5-16 5-17 to 5-18
5-19 to 5-20
5-21
5-22
7-8
8-2 8-3 8-3 to 8-4
9-2 to 9-4
9-5 to 9-8 9-9 to 9-10 9-11 to 9-12
12-8 to 12-10
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TABLE 13-2 Regional Agency Implementation Schedule
Section 13: IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
Category
Implementation Action Item
2009 2010 2011 2012 - 2015 2015 - 2035 Ref. Pages
Post-2035 Water Supply Planning Water Conservation Program Evaluation
Facilitate post-2035 water supply planning with the TCC
Continue discussions on evaluating a method for evaluating the water conservation program
Program Assistance
Assist with program design, coordinate implementation as needed, monitor and report compliance and revise program as needed.
Continue to support education efforts with regional education
Education and Public programs
Awareness
Investigate enhancing existing water conservation messages with
new recommended topics
Active Implementation
11-1 11-4
12-6 to 12-8 12-6 to 12-7 Ongoing Implementation/ Program Maintenance
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Section 13: IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
TABLE 13-3 State Agency Implementation Schedule
Category
Implementation Action Item
2009
2010
2011
State of Georgia
Facilitate New Water Financially support the construction of needed water supplies Supply Sources through GEFA and other State and Federal funding sources
Encourage Conservation
Adjust the State plumbing code to reflect market maturity for higher efficiency fixtures, such as 1.28 gallon per flush HET toilets and 0.5 gallon per flush high-efficiency urinals for all new development and redevelopment projects Return local home rule for drought water restrictions stricter than State drought response
Offer state tax credits for commercial and industrial retrofit with water-efficient fixtures
Prohibit HOAs from requiring water intensive landscaping or irrigation
Georgia Environmental Protection Division (Georgia EPD)
Facilitate Water Permitting
Small Water Withdrawals
Consolidate permit cycles Consolidate and standardize reporting Require all withdrawals in the Metro Water District to adhere to the same drought restrictions as those on public water supplies
Georgia Department of Community Affairs (Georgia DCA)
Comprehensive Land Use Coordination
Update the Comprehensive Land Use Plan audit checklist to be consistent with this plan Review and support source water supply protection as outlined in the Part V Environmental Planning Criteria
2012 2015
2015 2035
Ref. Pages
11-1
11-2
11-2 11-2 11-2
11-2 11-2 11-3
11-3 11-3
Active Implementation
Ongoing Implementation/ Program Maintenance
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Section 13: IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
IMPLEMENTATION COSTS
Cost estimates for the Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan are subdivided into three distinct categories: the water conservation measures, infrastructure costs, and programmatic expenses. These cost estimates are shown in Table 13-5.
The water conservation implementation costs are an output of the DSS model used to forecast the water savings, and subsequent monetary savings, of the selected water conservation program. These costs reflect the cost to the local water provider in establishing and managing these water conservation programs as well as the cost to the water customer of upgrading or installing technologies. As with estimated water savings, the conservation measure implementation costs will vary based on the specific conditions within each county.
Water infrastructure costs include water supply reservoirs, new water treatment plants and expansion of existing water treatment facilities.
The cost of reservoir storage is variable and site-specific, making it difficult to provide typical costs for reservoir projects. The costs can vary significantly depending on location, land and relocation costs, siting and permitting, engineering requirements, environmental impacts and mitigation, difficulty of construction, and the type of reservoir constructed (on-stream vs. pumped storage).
A recent report by GEFA "Georgia Inventory and Survey of Feasible Sites for Water Supply Reservoirs" dated October 31, 2008 estimated reservoir cost indicated costs ranging approximately 4 to 10 million dollars per MGD. Using this range, an estimated cost of the proposed reservoirs would be $824 million. A telephone survey in March 2009 by Metro Water District staff to local water systems to obtain costs for recently constructed reservoirs and proposed reservoirs in or near the Metro Water District showed a range from a low of 0.64 million dollars per MGD to a high of 7.5 million dollars per MGD, with an average cost per MGD of 2.42 million dollars. Using the actual estimates available from this survey and a unit cost of 4 million dollars per MGD where project estimates were not available, the total cost estimate of the proposed reservoirs would be $389 million dollars. This range is included in the Table 13-4 with the higher of the range included in the total.
National information was used for estimating the costs of treatment plant facilities, both for new construction and expansions of existing plants, which reflects the actual costs for dozens of facilities constructed throughout the U.S. Different unit costs were used for plants categorized as small or large. The basis for water treatment infrastructure costs is provided in Table 13-4.
TABLE 13-4 Unit Cost Estimates for Water Supply Treatment Facilities
Type of Project New Construction Expansions
Large Small Large Small
Cost per MGD of Capacity (in Million $) $4 $8 $4 $6
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Infrastructure costs were calculated by multiplying the unit costs and the county-level facility plans outlined in Appendix B of the Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan.
Programmatic expenses such as local planning, state and regional policy, and educational program costs were developed based on cost data provided by communities within the Metro Water District and the Metro Water District. The programmatic costs also vary based on population, level of service, local challenges, and other parameters. As these costs are more region specific, local costs were used, as opposed to national costs.
TABLE 13-5
Estimated Annual Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan Implementation Cost
by Program Category
Action
Estimated Costs
Number
Description
(Note 1)
5.0 Water Conservation Program (Note 2)
Cost in million dollars
5.1 Conservation pricing
$48.6
5.2 Replace older, inefficient plumbing fixtures 5.3 Pre-rinse spray valve education program
$131.6 $9.6
5.4 Rain sensor shut-off switches on new irrigation systems
$21.7
5.5 Require sub-meters in new multi-family buildings
$102.5
5.6 Assess and reduce water system leakage
$161.8
5.7 Conduct residential water audits 5.8 Distribute low-flow retrofit kits to residential users
$4.2 $19.5
5.9 Conduct commercial water audits
$39.6
5.10 Implement education and public awareness plan
$36.2
5.11 Install high efficiency toilets and urinals in government buildings
$16.6
5.12 Require car washes to recycle water
SUB-TOTAL
$3.3 $595.3
8.0 Planned Water Supply Facilities (Note 3)
Cost in million dollars
8.1 Construct six new water supply reservoirs
$389 - $824
8.2 Construct six new water treatment plants
$308
8.3 Upgrade 28 existing water treatment plants
SUB-TOTAL
$2,272 $3,403
9.0 Local Water Planning (Note 3)
Cost in million dollars
9.1 Develop local master plans
$2.25
9.2 Develop local emergency plans
$1.58
9.3 Source water supply watershed protection
$1.35
9.4 Water system asset management
SUB-TOTAL
$1,490 $1,495
11.0 State and Regional Policy Recommendations (Note 3)
Cost in million dollars
11 State and Regional Policy
$0.20
12.0 Education and Public Awareness (Note 3)
Cost in million dollars
12.1 Local education program
$2.3
12.1 Regional education program
$1.2
SUB-TOTAL
$3.5
Totals
Local water providers and governments
$4,672
Metro Water District
$1.3
Georgia EPD
$0.1
TOTAL
$4,673.8
Notes:
1. Costs for planning period based on local and regional project cost data.
2. Water conservation costs based on the DSS model and includes both utility and community cost, presented in year 2008 dollars.
3. Based on year 2008 dollars.
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Section 13: IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
IMPLEMENTATION FUNDING
Successful implementation of the Metro Water District Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan hinges on each local water provider's ability to fund the implementation actions. All local governments should develop a stable funding mechanism that will provide for complete implementation of the Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan. The funding methods outlined in this Section are divided into primary and secondary funding methods. The only primary funding method appropriate for funding implementation of the required action items is water rates. There are a number of secondary funding methods, however, that may help augment primary funding methods for specific projects or programs. A blend of funding methods is recommended to support implementation of the Metro Water District Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan.
WATER RATES
Like other public utilities, local water providers charge customers for services associated with water capacity, production, and distribution. Water rates provide a stable and dedicated revenue source for implementation of the Action Items in this Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan. Water rates should be based on a local rate study and designed to provide a sufficient revenue stream to support program costs and facility maintenance.
GENERAL APPROPRIATIONS (GENERAL FUND)
Revenues from local taxes typically comprise the "General Fund" which funds most activities performed by local governments. Annually, the local government divides the general fund based on local priorities into budgets for police, fire, transportation and other activities. The General Fund is an existing funding source that may be used to augment local water rates for special projects, such as development of a new water supply or construction of a treatment facility. The General Fund is not commonly used to fund water supply and water conservation programs in the Metro Water District.
LOANS/BONDS
Loans and bonds allow immediate expenditures on water supply and treatment projects beyond readily available local funds. Bonds are not a revenue source, but rather are a means of borrowing money for a specific purpose. Funds are typically paid over a 15-year to 20-year period with interest charges, similar to a home mortgage. Despite interest charges, loans and bonds are often a financially sound method for funding capital improvement projects. For some capital improvement projects, such as water treatment plant upgrades and water line rehabilitation, the upfront expenditure may be less than the long-term expense of damage or the cost of water loss due to procrastination.
Typically loans and bonds are used for capital improvement projects that cannot wait until local funds are available; loans and bonds are not recommended for routine operations. Repayment schedules for loans and bonds can be developed to smooth out peaks and valleys in revenue requirements and thus reduce the need for sporadic large rate increases.
General Obligation and Revenue Bonds Debt financing of capital projects can be accomplished by issuing general obligation bonds, revenue bonds, or a combination of the two. General obligation bonds are issued based on the "taxing powers" of the local government therefore no assets are required as collateral. Revenue bonds are issued based on revenues generated by a specific revenue-generating entity such as special service fees, special assessments, or water rates. Because revenue bonds typically exclude property tax revenues, the interest rate on revenue bonds is typically higher.
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Bonds require voter approval in a referendum and are subject to local administrative policy regarding debt ceilings. Most bonds are financed over a 15-year period with interest payments based on the community's bond rating.
Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority Loans The Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority (GEFA) provides low-interest state loans to assist local governments across the state with a number of environmental-related efforts. Loan programs administered by GEFA cover water, wastewater, solid waste, and land conservation projects. Low interest loans are available for a maximum timeframe of 20 years with population-based limits on loan amounts. GEFA loans require that a community has a good payment history for previous GEFA loans, the project has identified and secured 100% of the total project funds, and the minimum debt service coverage is 105%. There are two GEFA loans capable of supporting implementation of this Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan; the Georgia Fund and the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund.
The Georgia Fund is a state loan program administered through GEFA for water, wastewater and solid waste infrastructure projects. The Georgia Fund provides loans to local governments for projects such as water treatment plants, water and sewer lines, pumping stations, wells, water storage tanks and water meters.
The Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) is a federal loan program administered by GEFA for drinking water infrastructure projects such as, the implementation of security measures, enhanced filtration/disinfection treatment, complying with standards and regulations, rehabilitating aging infrastructure and developing water supply sources.
Communities in the Metro Water District that apply for a GEFA loan must demonstrate through a Georgia EPD audit that they are in compliance with this Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan, as well as the Wastewater Management Plan and the Watershed Management Plan.
WaterFirst Although typically considered a voluntary recognition program, communities designated by the Georgia DCA as "WaterFirst" communities receive discounts on GEFA loan interest rates. The WaterFirst Community Program is a voluntary partnership sponsored by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (Georgia DCA) to increase the quality of life in communities through the wise management and protection of water resources. The award program recognizes local governments that make the connection between land use and water quality, and requires thinking beyond political boundaries to recognize the inextricable links created by shared water resources. Becoming a WaterFirst community demonstrates the desire to be responsible stewards of water resources for both environmental and economic benefits today and in the future.
SERVICE FEES
Local governments have the authority to establish special taxes or service fees to address specific local challenges. Service fees include SPLOST funds, impact fees, special assessments/tax districts, in-lieu of construction fees, and mitigation banks as outlined below.
SPLOST Funds A Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) can be voted on and approved by communities for the purpose of funding the building and maintenance of public facilities. Cities and counties are allowed to add up to a 1% sales tax levied against the sale of goods and services with a SPLOST. A SPLOST is recommended by an elected body and voted upon by residents generally during a scheduled election. A SPLOST expires at the end of six years. If additional funds are still needed, they must be voted upon and approved again by the citizens of the community. Counties and school
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systems are required to provide an independent accountants' report, examining the way the funds were allocated and verify that the system receiving the funds managed those funds appropriately. SPLOST revenues are generated from sales tax versus property tax, therefore are attractive in communities with significant commercial centers or high tourism rates. SPLOST funds are often helpful for large, community-supported capital projects such as the construction of a new drinking water supply reservoir and/or water treatment plant.
Development Impact Fees Local governments may legally assess new development projects an impact fee within a proposed local water supply service area. The impact fee is calculated based on expenses incurred to provide the additional public capacity needed to serve the new growth and development and not based on the benefits received. Development impact fees to pay for water supply projects are not common in Georgia, because the burden of proof is on the local government to accurately demonstrate the cost of the impact.
Development impact fees related to local services, including tap fees and/or plan review fees, are common in the Metro Water District. These are generally one-time fees with revenues used specifically to fund salaries for personnel needed to perform the reviews and inspections required for the new development projects. These fees may be paid directly to the local water provider or to the local government depending on the plan review process for each community.
Community Improvement Districts (CIDs) A unit of government with the power to provide governmental services and facilities. CIDs are similar to authorities that are often created by special tax districts. The benefit of the CID is that they may issue tax-exempt special assessment bonds to finance facilities that provide essential governmental functions, such as water supply- and water conservationrelated projects. The debt is supported by the assessment power of the CID and not by the local government. CIDs are often used to support economic development activities.
In-Lieu Construction Fees Local governments may elect to construct larger regional drinking water treatment facilities that provide benefit to new development areas as well as existing areas through a local Capital Improvement Plan. If regional drinking water treatment facilities are designed to handle supplies to new developments, local governments may charge developers an in-lieu fee for their portion of the drinking water treatment capacity. Alternatively, developers may pay a connection fee to cover the cost of extending drinking water supply infrastructure to the development. This strategy may support economic development, especially in redevelopment and infill development areas where drinking water supply requirements are hard to address on an individual lot basis.
GRANTS
A grant is a form of federal or state financial aid that does not need to be repaid and is typically based on demonstrated need. Grants typically require a local match but are a good way to leverage existing funds. While grants are helpful to extend locally-available funds, they typically are awarded on a competitive basis and involve a long lead time to secure funds. Most grants will not fund completed projects.
Georgia Water Supply Competitive Grant Program GEFA will distribute $40 million in the State of Georgia as grant funds to support water supply and reservoir projects to make supplies more resistant to periods of drought. These funds are intended to augment the GEFA loan programs. Communities must be a "Qualified Local Government" with Georgia DCA, have a DCA-certified Service Delivery
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Strategy, and within the Metro Water District demonstrate compliance with the Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan, Wastewater Management Plan, and Watershed Management Plan.
Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) The CDBG grant program provides funding for projects that substantially benefit low and moderate income persons. Eligible water-related projects could include waterline replacement, additional water tank storage, water meter calibration and replacement, water conservation retrofit assistance, and other projects with a distinct benefit to low and moderate income persons. CDBG funds are distributed within the Metro Water District in two different manners depending on the county.
CDBG Entitlement Communities receive their funds directly from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Jurisdictions in the Metro Water District that are currently entitlement communities include; Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton, and Gwinnett Counties and the cities of Atlanta, Gainesville, Marietta, and Roswell. Entitlement communities develop their own programs and funding priorities. HUD determines the amount of each entitlement grant by a statutory dual formula which uses several objective measures of community needs, including the extent of poverty, population, housing overcrowding, age of housing and population growth lag in relationship to other metropolitan areas. There are a number of local requirements for communities to receive their annual funding allocations.
CDBG Non-Entitlement Communities receive funds on a competitive grant basis from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (Georgia DCA) with approximately $36 million available for the annual competition. Counties that participate in the state-wide competitive grant process in the Metro Water District include Bartow, Cherokee, Coweta, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Hall, Henry, Paulding and Rockdale.
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INTRODUCTION
The Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan was updated in compliance with the minimum planning elements identified in O.C.G.A. 12-5-584. The legislation identifies the need to periodically assess regional progress towards implementation of the specific actions identified in the Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan and towards meeting the long-term goal of comprehensive water resources management.
The O.C.G.A. specifically states the following Plan requirements:
"[E]stablishment of short-term and long-term goals to be accomplished by the plan and measures for the assessment of progress in accomplishing such goals and plan."
"The District shall review ...management plan(s) and (their) implementation annually to determine whether there is a need to update such plan(s) and shall report to the director the progress of implementation of its goals..."
"...the District shall prepare updated ...management plan(s) no less frequently than every five years..."
The short and long-term water supply and water conservation management goals are summarized in Section 13 in the implementation schedule and the county level summaries in Appendix B. The water conservation measures provide the framework for evaluating implementation of this Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan. This section provides an overview of the required plan reviews and plan updates as well as provides a summary of regional progress to date.
PLAN REVIEWS AND UPDATES
There are two types of plan reviews and updates: annual reviews and plan updates that occur every five years. The reviews and updates are an important component of the adaptive management approach for all three of the Metro Water District's long-term management Plans (water supply and conservation, wastewater, and watershed).
Adaptive management is a type of natural resource management in which decisions are made as part of an ongoing science-based process. Adaptive management involves testing, monitoring, and evaluating applied strategies, and incorporating new knowledge into management approaches that are based on scientific findings and the needs of society. Results are used to modify management policy, strategies, and practices. (USGS)
This adaptive management approach recognizes the limitations of current knowledge regarding future situations, and the inevitability of change. These Plans provide a big-picture context for specific actions
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Section 14: FUTURE PLAN EVALUATION
based on best available data, and will need to be adjusted as better information or new conditions arise. By design, the short-term management measures are outlined in greater detail than the long-term management measures. Recommendations for the first 5 years are reasonably firm, whereas those beyond 20 years are expected to be refined several times before they are implemented.
ANNUAL REVIEWS
The purpose of the annual plan review is to identify and discuss implementation challenges to determine if there is a need for plan amendments. The evaluation process provides stakeholders an opportunity to discuss concerns about a particular element of the Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan. The annual reviews are a reminder that the Plans are adaptable, dynamic, and flexible.
The Metro Water District annual surveys are one component of the annual review. The survey results are compiled into an annual activities and progress report by Metro Water District staff and are available on the Metro Water District website.
As the water conservation component of this Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan is critical to meeting future water demands, there is a need to track regional progress in more detail in the future. The Metro Water District will work with the TCC to establish additional methods to track water conservation progress in a consistent manner across the region, as recommended in Section 11.
PLAN UPDATES
Plan updates occur at least every 5 years and take a more holistic look at changed conditions and implementation actions since the last Plan Update. Evaluations of changed conditions for Plan Updates may include:
Population forecasts and trends Water conservation program enhancements Identify additional supply sources needed to address demands County level summaries located in Appendix B
Undoubtedly, other issues will emerge that merit in-depth consideration in the future. As with existing efforts, future planning work should be open and inclusive, involving all Metro Water District members and stakeholders.
RECOMMENDED ANNUAL REVIEWS AND UPDATES
Table 14-1 displays key items for the Metro Water District to consider in its annual reviews and 5-year updates. It is essential that an updated Plan be prepared no less frequently than every 5 years in order to allow for appropriate adjustments.
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TABLE 14-1 Summary of Plan Elements to Be Reviewed and Updated Regularly by the Metro Water District
Key to Actions: z = Required ~ = Recommended | = Desirable = Automatic Plan Review Trigger
Plan Elements
Annual Reviews
Review
Update
Five-Year Update
Review
Update
Metro Water District Plan recommendations
z
|
z
~
Education & Public Awareness Programs
z
~
z
~
Watershed mandatory local management measures
z
~
z
~
Local conservation pricing
z
z
Local water conservation programs
z
~
z
~
Recommended Metro Water District actions
z
~
z
~
Recommended actions for state agencies
|
z
Related Metro Water District and State Plans
(Water Supply/ Long-term Wastewater/
|
Watershed, etc)
Local septic system programs
|
z
~
z
z
Local sewer system operation and maintenance programs
|
z
New population and demand forecasts
z
z
Funding trends
z
z
Special Triggers for Plan Reviews
Note: Any of these actions should trigger an automatic review of their implications for Metro Water
District Plans, and needed Plan modifications. Additionally, the status of any of these pending
actions should be monitored routinely.
State-wide Comprehensive Water Management Plan resource assessments or guidance
|
z
z
Georgia EPD policy or permit requirement changes
|
z
z
Georgia EPD guidance on ACF and ACT basins modified
|
z
z
Georgia EPD permit action on water withdrawal, reservoir or discharge (issued/denied/modified)
|
z
z
Court rulings on general standards or districtspecific cases (e.g. discharges to Lake Lanier)
|
z
z
Legislative action relevant to Plans
~
z
z
Major policy action by Metro Water District Board
|
z
z
New reservoir permit actions
|
z
z
Major change in Georgia DHR regulations on septic systems
~
z
z
Major change in Georgia EPD policies or regulations
~
z
z
Major change in GEFA or federal funding levels or policies
|
z
z
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Section 14: FUTURE PLAN EVALUATION
PLAN ACCOUNTABILITY
Municipalities have a high level of accountability for implementing the Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan's mandatory management measures through the Georgia EPD audit process. Georgia EPD auditors conduct a thorough review of the local programs and procedures to determine consistency with the Metro Water District Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan. Communities must substantially comply with the Metro Water District plan provisions in order to modify or obtain new water withdrawal permits, wasteload allocations, GEFA loan funding, or the renewal of MS4 stormwater permits. Overall, this system has worked well to ensure implementation of the provisions of all three Metro Water District plans.
MEASURING PROGRESS
Over the past five years, the Metro Water District has tracked progress through surveys completed by local water providers summarized in the Annual Activities and Progress Report.
The Metro Water District Board indicated a need to establish and collect more detailed data on water use and conservation metrics to gage progress. The Chairman established a Board working group to initiate discussions on metrics and benchmarking for the water conservation program. The Board working group and the TCC developed metrics and benchmarks that water providers need to report annually to the Metro Water District. Metro Water District staff will develop a survey form for this purpose and collect overall water use metrics to report annually.
OVERALL WATER USE METRICS
Overall water use metrics to be tracked: Overall system water use for the Metro Water District overall and for each system. o Need a 10 year period and need to factor in weather o Withdrawals and returns o Water withdrawn/produced o Peaking factor and summer average and winter average Overall per capita use Single Family Overall Indoor Per-Account Use (winter average and total) Multi-Family Overall Indoor Per-Account Use, if possible
Overall water use and per capita use can be derived from water withdrawal and production data that Georgia EPD collects. The per account single-family and multi-family usage would depend on billing data available for systems. Multi-family accounts may not be available and special study would be required to determine multi-family per account estimate. Billing data would have to be collected, estimates of winter usage would have to be made and estimates would have to be determined. The methodology for collecting this information needs additional research.
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MEASURING THE WATER CONSERVATION PROGRAM
All water conservation program measures are currently required unless provided for otherwise.
5.1 - Conservation Pricing:
Report/Measure: Collect data to determine how closely rate structures for each water system relate to recommended rate structure in the Metro Water District Plan. Data needed includes each water system's rate structure, residential winter average use and number of customers billed in each tier. Data may need to be collected bi-annually in concert with the rate survey. Coordinate with GEFA Rates Survey and based on GEFA's methodology report water systems that have an "effective" conservation pricing structure. Collect data on whether historical use information is reported on bills.
Benchmark: Minimally implement Metro Water District's recommended residential rate structure 100% of residents billed by conservation pricing rate structure 100% of residents with irrigation meters billed at 200% of the first tier rate or higher by 2010 Minimally implement uniform rates for commercial Water providers should categorize customers by class including single-family residential, multifamily residential, commercial, industrial and institutional. If billing systems are not capable of this, water providers should make sure the next upgrade of their billing system is capable. Water providers should provide information on historical use on bills. If billing systems are not capable of this, water providers should make sure the next upgrade of their billing system is capable.
5.2 - Replace Older Inefficient Plumbing Fixtures:
Report/Measure: Report estimated number of homes with inefficient toilets, number of rebates/replacements per year, cost of rebated/replaced toilets to the water system and customers and Metro Water District staff will estimate water saved.
Benchmark: 100% of rebates/replacements are 1.28 gallons per flush toilets by 2014
5.3 - Pre-Rinse Spray Valve Education:
Report/Measure:
Report on number of food service accounts. Document contact with each restaurant/food service provider and number of brochures distributed. Each water system should report number of food service accounts that have low flow 1.6 gpm pre-rinse spray valves. Develop methodology and Metro Water District could potentially estimate water savings.
Benchmark: Outreach to 100% of restaurants/food service providers
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5.4 - Rain Sensor Shut-off Switches: Report/Measure:
Report on status of policy/checklist and number of new irrigation systems each year Benchmark:
Requirement in building code
5.5 - Sub-meters in New Multi-Family Buildings: Report/Measure:
Report on number of new multi-family buildings built and whether sub-meters were installed. Benchmark:
100% of new multi-family buildings have sub-metering
5.6 - Assess and Reduce Water System Leakage: Report/Measure:
Fill out and turn in AWWA Water Audit Software every year and report ILI index, real losses, apparent losses, and authorized unbilled water use.
Report goal and steps taken to reduce water loss and results such as number of leaks detected and repairs and water saved as a result.
Benchmark: Water providers are required to adopt the IWA water audit method and conduct the audit annually. Water providers are required to implement practices to reduce water loss. Water providers should set their own reduction targets and specifically identify how they will meet those targets.
5.7 - Conduct Residential Water Audits: Report/Measure:
Report number of residents that received audit and number of self-audit forms provided Benchmark:
Target 25% of highest water using residential accounts and target pre-1993 homes
5.8 - Distribute Low-Flow Retrofit Kits: Report/Measure:
Report number of kits distributed and contents of kits Benchmark:
Target highest water using residents and pre-1993 homes
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5.9 - Conduct Commercial Water Audits:
Report/Measure: Report number of commercial water users, how many targeted, number of audits (including those performed by P2AD) and, where available, savings achieved from specific audits.
Benchmark: Target 25% of highest water using commercial accounts
5.10 - Implement Education and Public Awareness Plan:
Report/Measure: Report education/outreach and public participation/involvement activities
Benchmark: Water providers should have a water conservation education and outreach program. Water systems with population under 50,000 are required to implement 2 education/outreach activities and 2 public participation/involvement activities. Water systems with population over 50,000 are required to implement 3 education/outreach activities and 3 public participation/involvement activities. By 2015 and every five years thereafter, water providers and local government should assess and adjust their program(s) as needed. By 2010, the Metro Water District in coordination with the appropriate technical coordinating committees should develop and distribute educational materials related to efficient water use for pools, spas, pressure washing and non-commercial car washing.
5.11 - Install High Efficiency Toilets and Urinals in Government Buildings:
Report/Measure: Report how many government buildings, fixtures that have been retrofitted and resulting water saved.
Benchmark: 100% of local government buildings by 2020
5.12 Require New Car Washes to Recycle:
Report/Measure: Report on new car washes and recycling systems
Benchmark: 100% of in-bay and conveyor car washes built in or after 2010 will recycle water
Other possible topics for water systems to report on include: Describe reuse projects Describe unique things they did that year regarding water conservation Data on school water use by school system and private schools. The data could be broken down by elementary, middle and high schools in each school system and the data collected could include number of students, number of faculty and staff, total water use per school system, percapita student water use.
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CONCLUSIONS
While the performance will be reported annually by the responsible entities, the final measure of implementation success will be the longer term, demonstrable trends of:
Development of local water supply plans that are consistent with this Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan;
Reallocation of Lake Lanier and Allatoona Lake, and permitting of new reservoirs currently in the permitting process;
Implementation of the water conservation program; Planned indirect potable reuse of reclaimed water; Heightened public awareness and community support through an effective public education and
awareness program; Availability of adequate funding of infrastructure intended to meet the growth needs of the
Metro Water District; and Progress on improving surface water quality.
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Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M A Y 2 0 0 9 14-8
The table below provides an index to the Sections that address the requirements for the Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan.
Requirement for Water Supply and Conservation Management Plan
Location in Report
Requirements in Senate Bill 130
12-5-584 (a) (1) Description of current water supply resources within the District and potential limitations on such resources
Section 2 Existing Water Supply and Treatment Conditions
Section 6 Water Supply Sources
12-5-584 (a) (2) Projected water supply requirements for the District
Section 3 Water Demand Forecasts
Section 4 Water Conservation Analysis
12-5-584 (a) (3) Identification of opportunities to expand water resources within the District
Section 6 Water Supply Sources
12-5-584 (a) (4) An accounting of existing interbasin transfers within the District
Section 2 Existing Water Supply and Treatment Conditions
12-5-584 (a) (5) A water conservation program including voluntary measures, best management practices, and measures enforceable through local ordinances
Section 5 Water Conservation Program
12-5-584 (a) (6) Education and public awareness measures regarding water conservation
Section 12 Education and Public Awareness
12-5-584 (a) (7) Establishment of short-term and long-term goals to be accomplished by the plan and measures for the assessment of progress in accomplishing such goals and plan
Sections 13 Implementation Plan
Section 14 Future Plan Evaluation
Requirements in EPD's Water Planning Standards for Water Supply and Conservation
Plan
1. The plan shall include items 1-7 in OCGA 12-5-584.
See above
2. The plan shall, at a minimum, be consistent with all applicable federal and state laws and rules.
Section 10 Water Resources Issues
3. The plan shall be consistent with agreements in the ACF/ACT compacts.
Section 6 Water Supply Sources
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M A Y 2 0 0 9 A-1
Appendix A: PLAN ACCOUNTABILITY INDEX
Requirement for Water Supply and Conservation Management Plan
4. The plan shall propose allocations of the waters of the Chattahoochee River, Lake Lanier, Allatoona (and other lakes if appropriate) to water systems consistent with guidance to be provided by EPD.
5. The plan shall not prevent the appropriate and reasonable downstream water needs from being met, even during droughts. These needs include instream flow protection and water withdrawals both inside and downstream from the District.
6. The plan shall optimize inter-jurisdictional water connections for efficiency and reliability.
7. The plan shall include a stakeholder process to (1) identify effective water conservation measures including water conservation pricing and low-flow toilet retrofit programs; (2) develop reasonable schedules for the implementation of each measure; (3) define a mechanism for determining resultant reductions in water use. All of these steps shall be included in the water conservation plan. The initiative formalized in the Memorandum of Understanding that created the California Urban Water Conservation Council is a good example of a stakeholder process.
8. The plan shall provide that all local governments have water conservation pricing by January 1, 2004. The plan shall identify the details and extent of such pricing.
9. The plan shall be consistent with the wastewater management plan and the watershed management plan.
10. The plan shall identify various water supply alternatives. The plan shall determine the cost for the entire District of each alternative and the environmental/water supply benefits/amounts of each alternative.
11. The plan shall develop options to minimize future interbasin transfers.
12. The plan shall identify the projected water consumption from each basin and analyze the impacts of this consumption.
Location in Report
Section 6 Water Supply Sources Section 8 Planned Water Supply Facilities Appendix B County Level Summaries
Section 6 Water Supply Sources
Section 9 Local Water Planning
Section 4 Water Conservation Analysis Section 5 Water Conservation Program
Section 5 Water Conservation Program
Section 1 Introduction
Section 6 Water Supply Sources Section 13 Implementation Plan Section 6 Water Supply Sources Section 3 Water Demand Forecasts Section 4 Water Conservation Analysis
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M A Y 2 0 0 9 A-2
COUNTY-BY-COUNTY WATER FACILITY CAPACITY AND EXPANSION SCHEDULE
This Appendix outlines the schedule for expanding water facility treatment capacities in the Metro Water District. Appendix B details the capital projects and non-capital programs specific to each county in the Metro Water District. Capital projects include new water treatment facilities, as well as facility expansions. Non-capital programs include planning, intergovernmental agreements and other studies necessary to protect water resources and facilitate planned expansions.
The schedule shown is intended to be a general guideline to identify water supply and treatment needs through the planning horizon of 2035. In Appendix B, the expansion capacities are intended to be in operation before the end of the period shown, however planning, design and construction of expansions or new supplies may begin in the previous period. Actual timing of new or expanded facilities or supplies will occur when local growth and planning indicates the need for additional capacity.
Appendix B focuses on facility capacity and does not reflect upgrades to the level of treatment at existing water facilities. Facility capacities listed in Appendix B of the Water Supply and Water Conservation and Wastewater Management Plans for each planning period are considered as maximums and that local jurisdictions may plan within and up to that capacity. All new facilities and facility expansions identified in Appendix B are subject to permitting by Georgia EPD and must meet all state standards associated with the necessary permits. Inclusion within this plan does not guarantee a permit, however facilities must be reflected within Appendix B to initiate permitting discussions with Georgia EPD.
PLANT CAPACITIES
Plant capacities, listed in Appendix B, were determined to meet or exceed the projected 2035 peak day water demand. It is recognized that plant capacity is added in convenient increments and not to match a specific projected flow. At times, it may be desirable to construct somewhat more capacity than is shown in Appendix B to add a convenient increment of capacity. For example, if a WTP with 5 MGD capacity needs to handle a projected demand of 8 MGD, the most cost efficient plan may be to double the current capacity to 10 MGD. The convenient increments of plant capacity for expansion projects should be determined through local water master plans tailored both to the facility and the community.
The projections of plant capacity in Appendix B were based on a District-wide average peaking factor of 1.6 (peak day/average annual day). This peaking factor was calculated for the 2003 Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan and is considered appropriate for the 2008 Plan. In reality, due to variations in system storage and unaccounted-for-water, the peaking factors will vary for each local water provider. Each local water provider must determine an appropriate peaking value and the impacts of water conservation measures on future flows in the local water master plans.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M A Y 2 0 0 9 B-1
Appendix B: COUNTY LEVEL SUMMARIES
Significant proposed changes in plant capacity will be evaluated against the essential elements of the Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan through the Plan Amendment process, outlined in Section 14. Minor changes in phasing of capacity are considered consistent with this Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan and do not require an amendment.
PHASING
The capital improvement project phasing shown in Appendix B was developed to provide adequate treatment capacity for the projected water demands in that phase, and to make steady progress toward implementing the essential elements of the Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan. Within this context, the timeframe for capital improvements in Appendix B is flexible. For example, delaying the date that a plant is decommissioned is generally acceptable. Expanding a plant in more or fewer projects is also generally acceptable. The local water master plans are expected to delve into the timeframes for capital improvements in greater detail than this regional Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan.
PERMITTING
In several instances, planning for future water supplies and shared water supply allocations are recommended for local water providers within the same county. Resolution of disputes between member jurisdictions over county-level water allocations contained in this Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan shall be made by the jurisdictions and local water providers prior to application for any permits by Georgia EPD. Treatment capacity may not be expanded without the issuance of a new or amended water withdrawal permit if the proposed expansion will expand the treatment capacity beyond the currently permitted water withdrawal limits.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M A Y 2 0 0 9 B-2
Appendix B: COUNTY LEVEL SUMMARIES
Bartow County
Summary of Needs
Summary of Planned Sources
2035 Annual 2035 Peak
Local Water
Current Permitted Withdrawal Planned 2035 Withdrawal
Water Demands &
Average Day
Day
Provider
(MGD)
(MGD)
Treatment Capacities
(AAD-MGD)
(PD-MGD)
Source
Monthly
Monthly
Peak Day
Bartow County
46
74
Lewis Spring Adairsville
4.1
4.5
6.0
Total Projected Demand
46
74
Moss Springs Emerson
0.5
0.5
0.5
2006 Treatment Capacity
20
32
Bolivar Springs Bartow Co.
0.8
0.8
0.8
Additional Capacity Needed by 2035
26
42
Allatoona Lake Cartersville/ Etowah River Bartow County*
23
52.5
70.0
Sum
28.4
58.3
77.3
* The current intake is only permitted to Cartersville. Future intakes on the Etowah may be a joint permit
Capital Projects
between Cartersville and Bartow County.
The Adairsville WTP is retained and expanded as necessary to serve its current service area.
A local plan should be developed jointly by Bartow County and the City of Cartersville to decide between Option 1 and Option 2 before applying for permits from Georgia EPD.
Option 1 - Expand Cartersville WTP from 27 mgd to 70 PD-MGD to meet growth in demand, with the exception of of Adairsville.
Option 2 - Build two new WTPs to withdraw from either Lake Allatoona or the Etowah River, to be expanded together with the Cartersville WTP to meet the growth in demand, with the exception of Adairsville.
Option 1 Phasing Plan
Facilities (Note 1) Adairsville WTP Cartersville WTP Emerson WTP Bartow County WTP
Sources Lewis Spring Lake Allatoona Moss Springs Bolivar Springs
By 2010
Proposed Projects
Project
Project
Capacity
Type
(PD-MGD)
No expansions
No expansions
No expansions
No expansions
Plant Capacity at
End of Period (PD-MGD)
4.0
27.0
0.5
0.8
2011 to 2015
Plant
Proposed Projects
Capacity at
Project
End of
Project
Capacity
Period
Type
(PD-MGD)
(PD-MGD)
Expand
2.0
6.0
Expand
23.0
50.0
No expansions
0.5
No expansions
0.8
2016 to 2025
Proposed Projects
Project
Project
Capacity
Type
(PD-MGD)
No expansions
Expand
10.0
No expansions
No expansions
Plant Capacity at
End of Period (PD-MGD)
6.0
60.0
0.5
0.8
2026 to 2035
Proposed Projects
Project
Project
Capacity
Type
(PD-MGD)
Plant Capacity at
End of Period (PD-MGD)
No expansions
6.0
Expand
10.0
70.0
No expansions
0.5
No expansions
0.8
Demand Projections & Total Capacity (PD-MGD)
32.3
45 in Bartow
57.3
58 in Bartow
67.3
74 in Bartow
77.3
Option 2 Phasing Plan Facilities (Note 1)
Sources
By 2010 Proposed Projects
Project Type
Project Capacity (PD-MGD)
Plant Capacity at
End of Period (PD-MGD)
2011 to 2015
Proposed Projects
Project Type
Project Capacity (PD-MGD)
Plant Capacity at
End of Period (PD-MGD)
2016 to 2025 Proposed Projects
Project Type
Project Capacity (PD-MGD)
Plant Capacity at
End of Period (PD-MGD)
2026 to 2035 Proposed Projects
Project Type
Project Capacity (PD-MGD)
Plant Capacity at
End of Period (PD-MGD)
Adairsville WTP
Lewis Spring
No expansions
4.0
Expand
2.0
6.0
No expansions
6.0
No expansions
6.0
Cartersville WTP
Lake Allatoona
No expansions
27.0
Expand
5.0
32.0
Expand
4.0
36.0
Expand
4.0
40.0
Bartow North End WTP (Note 2) Bartow South End WTP (Note 2)
Etowah River Etowah River
New Construction
10.0
Expand
5.0
25.0
Expand
5.0
30.0
New Construction
10.0
Expand
Expand
Emerson WTP
Moss Springs
No expansions
0.5
No expansions
0.5
No expansions
0.5
No expansions
0.5
Bartow County WTP
Bolivar Springs
No expansions
0.8
No expansions
0.8
No expansions
0.8
No expansions
0.8
Demand Projections & Total Capacity (PD-MGD) Notes:
32.3
45 in Bartow
59.3
58 in Bartow
68.3
74 in Bartow
77.3
1) Plan schedule shown above is intended to be a general guideline to identify treatment capacity needs. Expansion capacities should be in operation before the end of the periods shown above, while planning, design and expansions may begin in the previous period. Exact timing of expansions is to be determined by local water master planning. Specific conditions for withdrawal/operating permits will be determined by Georgia EPD. 2) The planned facility expansion will happen at one of these facilities based on local growth patterns and local master plans.
Non-Capital Programs The following non-capital programs are specific to Bartow County. These programs are in addition to those that apply to all counties within the Metro Water District.
Maintain existing interconnections and water supply agreements with Cherokee and Polk Counties. Carry out joint planning studies between Bartow County and the City of Cartersville.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
MAY 2009
B-3
Appendix B: COUNTY LEVEL SUMMARIES
Cherokee County
Summary of Needs
Water Demands & Treatment Capacities Cherokee County From CCMWA
Total Projected Demand 2006 Treatment Capacity Additional Capacity Needed by 2035
2035 Annual Average Day (AAD-MGD)
45 1
44 27 17
2035 Peak Day (PD-MGD) 72 2
70 43.45
27
Summary of Planned Sources
Source Lathem (Yellow Creek) Reservoir Etowah River Hickory Log Reservoir (filled by Etowah River) Sum
Local Water Provider
CCWSA Canton
Current Permitted Withdrawal (MGD) Monthly 36 5.45
Planned 2035 Withdrawal
(MGD)
Monthly Peak Day
39.8
53.0
Canton/CCMWA
0 41.45
13.5
18.0
53.3
71.0
Capital Projects
CCWSA should expand its Etowah River WTP from 38 to 53 PD-MGD. CCWSA has plans to sell water to utilities outside of the Metro Water District. These plans are not precluded by the Metro Water District Plan, but expansion will need to be permitted by Georgia EPD. Counties outside the Metro Water District have 20 MGD reserved from the ACT basin independent of supplies for the Metro Water District. Therefore, if these counties are served by Cherokee, it does not reduce water supplies from the Etowah subbasin available to the Metro Water District.
Phasing Plan
By 2010
2011 to 2015
2016 to 2025
2026 to 2035
Proposed Projects Project
Plant Capacity at
End of
Proposed Projects Project
Plant Capacity at
End of
Proposed Projects Project
Plant Capacity at
End of
Proposed Projects Project
Plant Capacity at
End of
Project
Capacity
Period
Project
Capacity
Period
Project
Capacity
Period
Project
Capacity
Period
Facilities (Note 1) Canton WTP CCWSA Etowah River WTP
Sources Hickory Log Reservoir (filled by Etowah River) Lathem (Yellow Creek) Reservoir
Type
(PD-MGD)
No expansions
No expansions 39 in Cherokee
(PD-MGD) 5.45 38.0
Type
(PD-MGD)
Expand
12.55
No expansions 43 in Cherokee
(PD-MGD) 18.0 38.0
Type
(PD-MGD)
No expansions
Expand
10.0
54 in Cherokee
(PD-MGD) 18.0 48.0
Type
(PD-MGD)
No expansions
Expand
5.0
72 in Cherokee
(PD-MGD) 18.0 53.0
Demand Projections &
-2 from CCMWA
-2 from CCMWA
-2 from CCMWA
-2 from CCMWA
Total Capacity (PD-MGD)
37 Total
43.45
41 Total
56.0
52 Total
66.0
70 Total
71.0
Notes:
1) Plan schedule shown above is intended to be a general guideline to identify treatment capacity needs. Expansion capacities should be in operation before the end of the periods shown above, while planning, design and expansions may begin in the previous period. Exact timing of expansions is to be determined by local water master planning. Specific conditions for withdrawal/operating permits will be determined by Georgia EPD.
Non-Capital Programs The following non-capital programs are specific to Cherokee County. These programs are in addition to those that apply to all counties within the Metro Water District.
Maintain existing interconnections and water supply agreements with Pickens, Forsyth, Cobb and Bartow Counties.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
MAY 2009
B-4
Appendix B: COUNTY LEVEL SUMMARIES
Clayton County
Summary of Needs
Water Demands & Treatment Capacities Clayton County Total Projected Demand
2006 Treatment Capacity
2035 Annual Average Day (AAD-MGD)
40 40
26
2035 Peak Day (PD-MGD) 64 64
42
Summary of Planned Sources
Local Water
Source
Provider
Flint River
Clayton
Smith/Shoal Creek Reservoir Clayton
Hooper Res. (Little Cotton Indian
Creek)
Clayton
Current Permitted Withdrawal (MGD)
Monthly fills Smith & Shoal Cr. Res.
17
20
Planned 2035 Withdrawal (MGD)
Monthly
Peak Day
59.3
79.0
Additional Capacity Needed by 2035
14
22
Blalock (Pates Creek) Reservoir Clayton Sum
10
47
59.3
79.0
Capital Projects Projections indicate that water sources should be adequate through 2035. Clayton County should expand its three WTPs according to a local plan. Infrastructure should be kept in place to allow transfers from the City of Atlanta to fill peak demands on an
emergency basis.
Phasing Plan
Facilities (Note 1) Clayton Hicks WTP Clayton Hooper WTP Clayton Smith WTP
Sources
Blalock (Pates Creek) Reservoir Hooper Reservoir (Little Cotton Indian Creek) Smith/Shoal Creek Reservoir (fed by Flint River)
By 2010 Proposed Projects
Project Type
Project Capacity (PD-MGD)
No expansions
No expansions No expansions
Plant Capacity at
End of Period (PD-MGD)
10.0
2011 to 2015
Proposed Projects
Plant
Capacity at
Project
End of
Project
Capacity
Period
Type
(PD-MGD)
(PD-MGD)
20.0
Expansion
of one
12.0
facility
23.0
65.0
2016 to 2025
Proposed Projects
Plant
Capacity at
Project
End of
Project Capacity
Period
Type
(PD-MGD) (PD-MGD)
2026 to 2035 Proposed Projects
Project Type
Project Capacity (PD-MGD)
Plant Capacity at
End of Period (PD-MGD)
Expansion
Expansion
of one
of one
facility
8.0
73.0
facility
6.0
79.0
Demand Projections & Total Capacity (PD-MGD) Notes:
42
54 in Clayton
65
57 in Clayton
73
64 in Clayton
79
1) Plan schedule shown above is intended to be a general guideline to identify treatment capacity needs. Expansion capacities should be in operation before the end of the periods shown above, while planning, design and expansions may begin in the previous period. Exact timing of expansions is to be determined by local water master planning. Specific conditions for withdrawal/operating permits will be determined by Georgia EPD.
Non-Capital Programs The following non-capital programs are specific to Clayton County. These programs are in addition to those that apply to all counties within the Metro Water District.
Maintain existing interconnections and water supply agreements with Fayette, Henry and DeKalb Counties and the City of Atlanta.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
MAY 2009
B-5
Appendix B: COUNTY LEVEL SUMMARIES
Cobb County
Summary of Needs
Water Demands & Treatment Capacities Cobb County
To Paulding County To Douglas County To Cherokee County Total Projected Demand 2006 Treatment Capacity Additional Capacity Needed by 2035
Capital Projects
2035 Annual Average Day (AAD-MGD)
109
23 10 1 143 99 44
2035 Peak Day (PD-MGD) 174
36 16 2 228 158 70
Summary of Planned Sources
Source Allatoona Lake Hickory Log Creek Reservoir (filled by Etowah River) Chattahoochee River Sum
Local Water Provider
CCMWA
Canton/CCMWA CCMWA
Current Permitted Withdrawal Planned 2035 Withdrawal
(MGD)
(MGD)
Monthly
Monthly Peak Day
78
0
106.5
142
87
87
106
165
193.5
248
Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority (CCMWA), in conjunction with the City of Canton, have constructed the Hickory Log Creek Reservoir. The Wyckoff WTP may now expand to treat more water. It is recommended that the CCMWA Wyckoff WTP be expanded significantly over the next thirty years. It is also recommended that CCMWA continue to sell wholesale water to Paulding and DDCWSA in the future per intergovernmental agreements
Phasing Plan
Facilities (Note 1) CCMWA Quarles WTP CCMWA Wyckoff WTP
Demand Projections & Total Capacity (PD-MGD) Notes:
By 2010 Proposed Projects
Sources
Project Type
Project Capacity (PD-MGD)
Chattahoochee River
No expansions
Lake Allatoona Hickory Log Reservoir (filled by Etowah River)
No expansions
New reservoir 133 in Cobb 26 to Paulding 1 to DDCWSA 2 to Cherokee
162 Total
Plant Capacity at
End of Period (PD-MGD)
86.0 72.0
158
2011 to 2015
Proposed Projects
Project Type
Project Capacity (PD-MGD)
Plant Capacity at
End of Period (PD-MGD)
No expansions
86.0
Expand
36.0
108.0
150 in Cobb
36 to Paulding
4 to DDCWSA
2 to Cherokee
192 Total
194
2016 to 2025 Proposed Projects
Project Type
Project Capacity (PD-MGD)
No expansions
Expand
12.0
Plant Capacity at
End of Period (PD-MGD)
86.0
120.0
2026 to 2035
Proposed Projects
Project Type
Project Capacity (PD-MGD)
Plant Capacity at
End of Period (PD-MGD)
Expand
20.0
106.0
Expand
22.0
142.0
157 in Cobb 36 to Paulding 11 to DDCWSA 2 to Cherokee
206 Total
174 in Cobb
36 to Paulding
16 to DDCWSA
2 to Cherokee
206
228 Total
248
1) Plan schedule shown above is intended to be a general guideline to identify treatment capacity needs. Expansion capacities should be in operation before the end of the periods shown above, while planning, design and expansions may begin in the previous period. Exact timing of expansions is to be determined by local water master planning. Specific conditions for withdrawal/operating permits will be determined by Georgia EPD.
Non-Capital Programs The following non-capital programs are specific to Cobb County. These programs are in addition to those that apply to all counties within the Metro Water District.
Maintain interconnections and water supply agreements with Cherokee, DDCWSA and Paulding Counties. Evaluate the required improvements to accommodate peak sale of 16 PD-MGD to DDCWSA and 36 PD-MGD to Paulding County.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
MAY 2009
B-6
Appendix B: COUNTY LEVEL SUMMARIES
Coweta County
Summary of Needs
Summary of Planned Sources
2035 Annual
Current Permitted
Planned 2035 Withdrawal
Water Demands &
Average Day
2035 Peak Day
Local Water
Withdrawal (MGD)
(MGD)
Treatment Capacities
(AAD-MGD)
(PD-MGD)
Source
Provider
Monthly
Monthly Peak Day
Coweta County
29
46
Still Branch Crk Res. (purchased) Coweta
1.68
7.5
7.5
From City of Atlanta
-6
-10
Cedar Creek (B.T. Brown Res.) Coweta
6.7
7.5
10
From Still Branch Reservoir/Griffin
-5
-7.5
J.T. Haynes Reservoir
Newnan
14
Projected Demand Needs
18
29
Sandy Brown Creek
Newnan
2006 Treatment Capacity
14
22.15
White Oak Creek
Newnan
Fills JT Haynes Reservoir
Additional Capacity Needed by 2035
4
7
Line Creek
Newnan
15.8
21
Hutchins' Lake (Keg Creek)
Senoia
0.3
0.45
0.6
Chattahoochee Options
Coweta
N/A
8
10
Sum
22.68
39.25
49.1
Capital Projects
The BT Brown WTP should be expanded to 10 PD-MGD to fully utilize the yield of the Cedar Creek Reservoir. The Newnan WTP should be expanded to 21 PD-MGD. This capacity will fully utilize the current WTP site and approaches the yield of the existing
water sources for the WTP. To meet water demands, a local plan should be developed by Coweta County to decide among:
Option 1: Transfers (wholesale purchases) from the City of Atlanta (Recommended transfers outlined are presented in the phasing plan below).
Option 2 (to be used alone or in combination with Option 1): Build a new WTP to withdraw from the Chattahoochee River with advanced treatment technologies. Project would be based on a joint plan develop by Coweta County and City of Atlanta.
Option 1 Phasing Plan
Facilities (Notes 1,2,3) Coweta - B.T. Brown WTP Newnan - Hershall Norred WTP Senoia WTP
By 2010 Proposed Projects
Sources
Cedar Creek (BT Brown) Reservoir JT Haynes Reservoir (filled by Sandy Brown Creek, White Oak Creek and Line Creek)
Hutchins' Lake (Keg Creek)
Project Type
Project Capacity (PD-MGD)
No expansions
No expansions No expansions
Plant Capacity at
End of Period (PD-MGD)
7.7
14.0 0.45
2011 to 2015 Proposed Projects
Project Type
Project Capacity (PD-MGD)
Plant Capacity at
End of Period (PD-MGD)
Expand
0.7
8.4
Expand
2.0
16.0
Expand
0.15
0.6
2016 to 2025 Proposed Projects
Project Type
Expand
Project Capacity (PD-MGD)
1.6
Plant Capacity at
End of Period (PD-MGD)
10.0
2026 to 2035 Proposed Projects
Project Type
Project Capacity (PD-MGD)
Plant Capacity at
End of Period (PD-MGD)
No expansions
10.0
Expand
1.0
17.0
Expand
4.0
21.0
No expansions
0.6
No expansions
0.6
Distribution System Connection with City of Atlanta
Demand Projections & Total Capacity (PD-MGD)
Initial Construction
--
No expansions
--
20.6 in Coweta
23.2 in Coweta
31.2 in Coweta
47 in Coweta
-2.4 from Griffin
-4.2 from Griffin
-7.5 from Griffin
-7.5 from Griffin
-4 from Atlanta
-5 from Atlanta
-5 from Atlanta
- 10 from Atlanta
14.2 Total
22.15
14 Total
25.0
18.7 Total
27.6
29.5 Total
31.6
Option 2 Phasing Plan
Facilities (Notes 1,2,3) Coweta - B.T. Brown WTP
Newnan - Hershall Norred WTP Senoia WTP New Chattahoochee WTP Demand Projections &
Sources Cedar Creek (BT Brown) Reservoir JT Haynes Reservoir (filled by Sandy Brown Creek, White Oak Creek and Line Creek) Hutchins' Lake (Keg Creek)
By 2010
Proposed Projects
Project
Project
Capacity
Type
(PD-MGD)
No expansions
No expansions No expansions
Chattahoochee River
20.6 in Coweta
Plant Capacity at
End of Period
7.7
14.0 0.45
22.15
2011 to 2015
Proposed Projects
Project
Project
Capacity
Type
(PD-MGD)
Expand
0.7
Plant Capacity at
End of Period
8.4
2016 to 2025
Proposed Projects
Project
Project
Capacity
Type
(PD-MGD)
Expand
1.6
Plant Capacity at
End of Period
10.0
Expand
2.0
Expand
0.15
23.2 in Coweta
16.0
Expand
1.0
17.0
0.6
No expansions
0.6
Initial
Construction
10.0
10.0
25.0
31.2 in Coweta
37.6
2026 to 2035
Proposed Projects
Project
Project
Capacity
Type
(PD-MGD)
No expansions
Plant Capacity at
End of Period
10.0
Expand
4.0
21.0
No expansions
0.6
No expansions
10.0
47 in Coweta
41.6
Notes:
1) Plan schedule shown above is intended to be a general guideline to identify treatment capacity needs. Expansion capacities should be in operation before the end of the periods shown above, while planning, design and expansions may begin in the previous period. Exact timing of expansions is to be determined by local water master planning. Specific conditions for withdrawal/operating permits will be determined by Georgia EPD. 2) Still Branch Creek reservoir is located outside of the District and is owned by the City of Griffin. Reservoir serves Pike and Spalding Counties as well as Coweta County. Coweta County has a purchase contract for 1.68 MGD of finished water (for 2008) from the City of Griffin which escalates at 0.36 MGD/year for an ultimate 7.5 MGD. 3) Coweta County should review development of smaller local resources within the County.
Non-Capital Programs The following non-capital programs are specific to Coweta County. These programs are in addition to those that apply to all counties within the Metro Water District.
Maintain interconnections and water supply agreements with the City of Atlanta and City of Griffin. Reassess the safe yield of the Cedar Creek Reservoir, Sandy Brown Creek, White Oak Creek and Line Creek reservoirs using procedures outlined in the forthcoming Statewide Water Plan.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
MAY 2009
B-7
Appendix B: COUNTY LEVEL SUMMARIES
DeKalb County
Summary of Needs
Water Demands & Treatment Capacities DeKalb County Total Projected Demand 2006 Treatment Capacity Additional Capacity Needed by 2035
2035 Annual Average Day (AAD-MGD)
106 106 80 26
2035 Peak Day (PD-MGD) 170 170 128 42
Summary of Planned Sources
Source Chattahoochee River Sum
Local Current Permitted Withdrawal Planned 2035 Withdrawal
Water
(MGD)
(MGD)
Provider
Monthly
Monthly Peak Day
DeKalb Co.
140
140
175
140
140
175
Capital Projects Expand Scott Candler WTP to meet future demands.
Phasing Plan
Facilities (Notes 1, 2)
Source
By 2010 Proposed Projects
Project Type
Project Capacity (PD-MGD)
Plant Capacity at
End of Period (PD-MGD)
2011 to 2015
Proposed Projects
Plant
Capacity at
Project
End of
Project Capacity
Period
Type
(PD-MGD) (PD-MGD)
2016 to 2025 Proposed Projects
Project Type
Project Capacity (PD-MGD)
Plant Capacity at
End of Period (PD-MGD)
2026 to 2035 Proposed Projects
Project Type
Project Capacity (PD-MGD)
Plant Capacity at
End of Period (PD-MGD)
DeKalb Scott Candler WTP
Chattahoochee River Expand
22.0
150.0
Expand
15.0
165.0
Expand
10.0
175.0
No expansions
175.0
Demand Projections & Total Capacity (PD-MGD) Notes:
150
153 in DeKalb
165
158 in DeKalb
175
170 in DeKalb
175
1) Plan schedule shown above is intended to be a general guideline to identify treatment capacity needs. Expansion capacities should be in operation before the end of the periods shown above, while planning, design and expansions may begin in the previous period. Exact timing of expansions is to be determined by local water master planning. Specific conditions for withdrawal/operating permits will be determined by Georgia EPD. 2) The City of Atlanta portion of DeKalb County is being served by Atlanta-Fulton County Water Resources Commission.
Non-Capital Programs The following non-capital programs are specific to DeKalb County. These programs are in addition to those that apply to all counties within the Metro Water District.
Maintain interconnections and water supply agreements with Gwinnett, Rockdale, Henry and Clayton Counties and the City of Atlanta.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
MAY 2009
B-8
Appendix B: COUNTY LEVEL SUMMARIES
Douglas County
Summary of Needs
Water Demands & Treatment Capacities
2035 Annual Average Day (AAD-MGD)
Douglas County
25
From CCMWA
-10
Projected Demand Needs
15
2006 Treatment Capacity
11
Additional Capacity Needed by 2035
3
CCMWA = Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority
2035 Peak Day (PD-MGD)
40
-16
24 17.9 6.5
Summary of Planned Sources
Local Current Permitted Withdrawal Planned 2035 Withdrawal
Water
(MGD)
(MGD)
Source
Provider
Monthly
Monthly Peak Day
Dog River
Reservoir
DDCWSA
23
Bear Creek
23
23
Reservoir
DDCWSA To maintain in-stream flows
Lake Fashion/
Cowan Lake
Villa Rica
1.5
2.25
3.0
Sum
24.5
25.25
26
Capital Projects
The DDCWSA should proceed with plans to raise the dam at its Dog River Reservoir to increase the yield of this source (the increased withdrawal has been permitted). Infrastructure from Cobb County should be updated to allow larger transfers from CCMWA.
The DDCWSA plans to design and construct a flow augmentation project to augment the 7Q10 release from the Dog River Reservoir.
Phasing Plan Facilities (Note 1)
Sources
By 2010 Proposed Projects
Project Type
Project Capacity (PD-MGD)
Plant Capacity at
End of Period (PD-MGD)
2011 to 2015
Proposed Projects
Project Type
Project Capacity (PD-MGD)
Plant Capacity at
End of Period (PD-MGD)
2016 to 2025
Proposed Projects
Project Type
Project Capacity (PD-MGD)
Plant Capacity at
End of Period (PD-MGD)
2026 to 2035
Proposed Projects
Project Type
Project Capacity (PD-MGD)
Plant Capacity at
End of Period (PD-MGD)
DDCWSA Bear Creek WTP
Dog River Reservoir
Expand
6.64
23.0
No expansions
23.0
No expansions
23.0
No expansions
23.0
Lake Fashion/ Cowan Villa Rica Franklin Smith WTP (Note 2) Lake
Demand Projections & Total Capacity (PD-MGD) Notes:
No expansions 23 in Douglas -1 from CCMWA 22 in Douglas
1.5
Expand
1.5
24 in Douglas
- 4 from CCMWA
24.5
20 in Douglas
3.0
No expansions
3.0
No expansions
3.0
30 in Douglas
40 in Douglas
- 11 from CCMWA
- 16 from CCMWA
26.0
19 in Douglas
26.0
24 in Douglas
26.0
1) Plan schedule shown above is intended to be a general guideline to identify treatment capacity needs. Expansion capacities should be in operation before the end of the periods shown above, while planning, design and expansions may begin in the previous period. Exact timing of expansions is to be determined by local water master planning. Specific conditions for withdrawal/operating permits will be determined by Georgia EPD. 2) The Villa Rica Franklin Smith WTP is located in Carroll County. This plant provides service to areas both inside and outside Douglas County. The full plant capacity is reflected in the table above.
Non-Capital Programs The following non-capital programs are specific to Douglas County. These programs are in addition to those that apply to all counties within the Metro Water District.
Maintain interconnections and water supply agreements with Cobb County. Determine required improvements to accommodate routine purchase of 16 PD-MGD from CCMWA.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
MAY 2009
B-9
Appendix B: COUNTY LEVEL SUMMARIES
Fayette County
Summary of Needs
Water Demands & Treatment Capacities Fayette County Total Projected Demand 2006 Treatment Capacity Additional Capacity Needed by 2035
Capital Projects
2035 Annual Average Day (AAD-MGD)
23 23 14 9
2035 Peak Day (PD-MGD) 37 37 22.7 14
Summary of Planned Sources
Source Flint River Whitewater Creek Flat Creek (Lake Kedron/Peachtree) Lake Horton (Horton Creek) Lake McIntosh (Line Creek) Whitewater Creek Sum
Local Current Permitted Withdrawal Planned 2035 Withdrawal
Water
(MGD)
(MGD)
Provider
Monthly
Monthly Peak Day
Fayette Co.
Fills Lake Horton
Fayette Co.
Fills Lake Horton
Fayette Co.
4.5
Fayette Co.
14
Fayette Co.
12.5
31
35
Fayetteville
3
3
4
34
34.0
39
The City of Fayetteville should build the new off-stream storage reservoir, Whitewater Creek, that is currently in early planning stages. This will give Fayetteville a reliable water source and allow their WTP to operate through droughts, which in past years would force a shut-down of the WTP. The Fayetteville WTP is currently rated to run at 4 PD-MGD, but is limited by the withdrawal permit of 3 PD-MGD.
Phasing Plan
Facilities (Note 1) Fayette Crosstown WTP South Fayette WTP Fayetteville WTP
Sources
Flat Creek (Lake Kedron/Peachtree), Line Creek (Lake McIntosh), Lake Horton (Horton Creek) (fed by Flint River and Whitewater Creek)
Whitewater Creek
By 2010 Proposed Projects
Project Type
Project Capacity (PD-MGD)
Plant Capacity at
End of Period (PD-MGD)
No expansions
13.5
2011 to 2015 Proposed Projects
Project Type
Project Capacity (PD-MGD)
Plant Capacity at
End of Period (PD-MGD)
No expansions
13.5
Expand
3.0
9.2
No expansions
9.2
New off-stream
No expansions
3.0
storage
1.0
4.0
2016 to 2025 Proposed Projects
Project Type
Project Capacity (PD-MGD)
Plant Capacity at
End of Period (PD-MGD)
2026 to 2035
Proposed Projects
Plant
Capacity at
Project
End of
Project Capacity
Period
Type
(PD-MGD) (PD-MGD)
Expand
6.0
19.5
Expansion
of one
No expansions
9.2
facility
6.3
35
No expansions
4.0
No expansions
4.0
Demand Projections & Total Capacity (PD-MGD) Notes:
25.7
22.8 in Fayette
26.7
28.9 in Fayette
32.7
37.0 in Fayette
39.0
1) Plan schedule shown above is intended to be a general guideline to identify treatment capacity needs. Expansion capacities should be in operation before the end of the periods shown above, while planning, design and expansions may begin in the previous period. Exact timing of expansions is to be determined by local water master planning. Specific conditions for withdrawal/operating permits will be determined by Georgia EPD.
Non-Capital Programs The following non-capital programs are specific to Fayette County. These programs are in addition to those that apply to all counties within the Metro Water District.
Maintain interconnections and water supply agreements with the City of Atlanta and Clayton County.
Reassess the safe yield for the Lake McIntosh Reservoir, Horton Creek Reservoir, and the Lake Peachtree/Lake Kedron Reservoirs using procedures outlined in the forthcoming Statewide Water Plan.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M A Y 2 0 0 9 B-10
Forsyth County
Summary of Needs
Appendix B: COUNTY LEVEL SUMMARIES
Summary of Planned Sources
Water Demands & Treatment Capacities Forsyth County Total Projected Demand 2006 Treatment Capacity Additional Capacity Needed by 2035
2035 Annual Average Day (AAD-MGD)
60 60 24 36
2035 Peak Day (PD-MGD) 96 96 38 56
Source Lake Lanier Etowah Source Bannister Creek Chattahoochee River Lake Lanier Sum
Local Current Permitted Withdrawal
Water
(MGD)
Provider
Monthly
14
0
Forsyth Co.
0
Planned 2035 Withdrawal
(MGD)
Monthly Peak Day
51
68
(Note 1)
0
Cumming
18
32
27
36
78
104
Capital Projects Lake Lanier may continue to be used as the water source for all of Forsyth County including the City of Cumming. Both the Cumming WTP and the Forsyth County WTP should be expanded. Apportionment of capacity between the Forsyth County and
City of Cumming should be based on the needs and growth of their respective service areas. The City of Cumming's intake and raw water infrastructure is sized to accomodate all of the County's needs from Lake Lanier. If water storage is not granted by the US Army Corps of Engineers, Forsyth County may:
Apply for a water withdrawal from the Chattahoochee River which, if issued, may necessitate construction of a new WTP near the intake location; the existing WTP may be required to be taken off-line Apply for a combination water withdrawal from the Chattahoochee River and Lake Lanier; a new WTP may be needed near the river intake location
Forsyth County may be partially served from Etowah sources. These sources are listed as Etowah off-stream reservoir and Bannister Creek in Section 6. Possible Etowah Basin contingency water supply options would be: The Cherokee County system could be extended to serve parts of western Forsyth County. To meet this new demand along with projected demands in Cherokee as well as possible future demands in Pickens and Dawson Counties, Cherokee may
need to identify an additional source to supplement its current source, the Yellow Creek Reservoir.
Cherokee, Forsyth, Dawson and Pickens Counties have considered constructing a new Upper Etowah Basin reservoir as a joint project (location to be determined). If this reservoir is constructed it could be an Etowah Basin source for Forsyth County.
Forsyth County on its own or in coordination with other Metro Water District Counties (such as Fulton and/or Cherokee Counties) could develop an Etowah basin source (either inside or outside Forsyth County) to supply a portion of its water needs.
Phasing Plan Facilities (Note 2)
Sources
By 2010 Proposed Projects
Project Type
Project Capacity (PD-MGD)
Plant Capacity at
End of Period (PD-MGD)
2011 to 2015
Proposed Projects
Plant
Capacity at
Project
End of
Project Capacity
Period
Type (PD-MGD)
(PD-MGD)
2016 to 2025 Proposed Projects
Project Type
Project Capacity (PD-MGD)
Plant Capacity at
End of Period (PD-MGD)
2026 to 2035 Proposed Projects
Project Type
Project Capacity (PD-MGD)
Plant Capacity at
End of Period (PD-MGD)
Cumming WTP
Lake Lanier
No expansions
24.0
No Expansions
24.0
Expansion
12.0
36.0
No Expansions
36.0
Lake Lanier with possible
Chattahoochee and/or Etowah
Forsyth WTP
Source
Expansion
16.83
30.73
Expansion 17.27
48.0
Expansion
12.0
60.0
Expansion
8.0
68.0
Demand Projections &
Total Capacity (PD-MGD)
54.73
63 in Forsyth
72
81 in Forsyth
96
96 in Forsyth
104
Notes:
1 ) Chattahoochee River and Etowah Basin Options are options being considered if Forsyth County and/or the City of Cumming are unable to secure additional permitted withdrawal from Lake Lanier.
2) Plan schedule shown above is intended to be a general guideline to identify treatment capacity needs. Expansion capacities should be in operation before the end of the periods shown above, while planning, design and expansions may begin in the
previous period. Exact timing of expansions is to be determined by local water master planning. Specific conditions for withdrawal/operating permits will be determined by Georgia EPD.
Non-Capital Programs The following non-capital programs are specific to Forsyth County. These programs are in addition to those that apply to all counties within the Metro Water District.
Maintain interconnections and water supply agreements with Cherokee, Fulton and Dawson Counties.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M A Y 2 0 0 9 B-11
Appendix B: COUNTY LEVEL SUMMARIES
Fulton County
Summary of Needs
Water Demands & Treatment Capacities Fulton County To Coweta County Total Projected Demand 2006 Treatment Capacity Additional Capacity Needed by 2035
Capital Projects
2035 Annual Average Day (AAD-MGD)
228 6
234 193 41
2035 Peak Day (PD-MGD) 365 10 375 308.9 66
Summary of Planned Sources
Source Chattahoochee River Chattahoochee River Etowah River Source Big Creek Sweetwater Creek Cedar Creek Reservoirs Bear Creek Reservoir Sum
Local Water Provider
Atlanta Atlanta/Fulton Co. Fulton County Roswell East Point Palmetto TBD
Current Permitted Withdrawal (MGD)
Monthly 180 90 0 1.2 11.5 0.45 0
283.15
Planned 2035 Withdrawal
(MGD)
Monthly
Peak Day
180
201.4
116
155
15
20
3.75
5
11.5
13.9
0.45
0.6
11
15
337.70
410.9
Future expansion should be concentrated at the Atlanta-Fulton County WTP. This WTP draws from an upstream location and has an off-stream reservoir that improves its source reliability. The City of Atlanta should develop the 2.5-BG Bellwood Quarry Reservoir for storage and source reliability. Initial construction is anticipated for the 2011 to 2015 timeframe. The City of Atlanta should provide 10 PD-MGD of water to Coweta County. The infrastructure to provide water to Fayette and Clayton Counties on a peak emergency basis should aso be maintained and expanded as necessary.
Fulton County should consider developing a new water source in the Etowah basin (location to be determined), with an accompanying WTP, either on its in own or in coordination with other Metro Water District Counties, such as Cherokee and/or Forsyth Counties. The Bear Creek Reservoir as currently planned and proposed has an estimated yield of 15 PD-MGD. A new WTP is proposed to be developed in conjunction with this reservoir.
Phasing Plan
Facilities (Note 1, Note 2) Atlanta-Fulton County WTP Fulton County Etowah WTP
Atlanta Hemphill WTP Atlanta Chattahoochee WTP Roswell WTP (Note 3) East Point WTP
Sources Chattahoochee River
By 2010 Proposed Projects
Project Type
Project Capacity (PD-MGD)
No expansions
Plant Capacity at
End of Period (PD-MGD)
90.0
2011 to 2015 Proposed Projects
Project Type
Project Capacity (PD-MGD)
Plant Capacity at
End of Period (PD-MGD)
Expand
45.0
135.0
Fulton County Etowah Reservoir
Chattahoochee River
No expansions
Chattahoochee River
No expansions
Big Creek
Expand
1.8
Sweetwater Creek
No expansions
136.5 64.9 3.0 13.9
No expansions
No expansions
Expand
2.0
No expansions
136.5 64.9 5.0 13.9
2016 to 2025 Proposed Projects
Project Type
Project Capacity (PD-MGD)
No expansions
Initial construction
Initial construction
No expansions
No expansions
No expansions
No expansions
Plant Capacity at
End of Period (PD-MGD) 135.0
10.0
136.5 64.9 5.0 13.9
2026 to 2035 Proposed Projects
Project Type
Project Capacity (PD-MGD)
Plant Capacity at
End of Period (PD-MGD)
Expand
20.0
155.0
Expand
10.0
20.0
No expansions No expansions No expansions No expansions
136.5 64.9 5.0 13.9
Bear Creek WTP
Initial Construction
5.0
Expand
5.0
10.0
Expand
5.0
15.0
Bear Creek Reservoir (Note 4)
New reservoir
Palmetto WTP
Cedar Creek Reservoirs
No expansions
0.6
No expansions
0.6
No expansions
0.6
No expansions
0.6
300 in Fulton
306 in Fulton
330 in Fulton
365 in Fulton
Demand Projections &
4 to Coweta
5 to Coweta
6 to Coweta
10 to Coweta
Total Capacity (PD-MGD)
304 Total
308.9
311 Total
360.9
336 Total
375.9
375 Total
410.9
Notes:
1) Plan schedule shown above is intended to be a general guideline to identify treatment capacity needs. Expansion capacities should be in operation before the end of the periods shown above, while planning, design and expansions may begin in the previous period. Exact timing
2) Demand and capacity are based upon the combined total demand and capacity of Fulton County as a whole. No attempt has been made to analyze demand by individual service providers within Fulton County, or to consider existing service areas and previous bonding
commitments associated with the development of existing infrastructure.
3) The City of Roswell plant expansions include additional yield from Big Creek, offline storage and augmenting supplies with well water.
4) The service provider for the Bear Creek Reservoir should be determined through the Fulton county HB 489 renegotation process.
Other Programs The following programs are specific to Fulton County. These programs are in addition to those that apply to all counties within the Metro Water District.
Maintain interconnections with Clayton, Fayette, Coweta, DeKalb, and Forsyth Counties. Evaluate required improvements to accommodate routine sale of 10 PD-MGD to Coweta County.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M A Y 2 0 0 9 B-12
Appendix B: COUNTY LEVEL SUMMARIES
Gwinnett County
Summary of Needs
Water Demands & Treatment Capacities Gwinnett County Total Projected Demand 2006 Treatment Capacity Additional Capacity Needed by 2035
2035 Annual Average Day (AAD-MGD)
140 140 142
0
2035 Peak Day (PD-MGD) 224 224 227 0
Summary of Planned Sources
Source Lake Lanier Lake Lanier Sum
Local Water Provider
Gwinnett Co. Buford
Current Permitted Withdrawal (MGD)
Monthly 150 2 152
Planned 2035 Withdrawal
(MGD)
Monthly
Peak Day
169
225
4
5
173
230
Capital Projects Buford WTP expansion.
Phasing Plan Facilities (Note 1)
Sources
By 2010 Proposed Projects
Project Type
Project Capacity (PD-MGD)
Plant Capacity at
End of Period (PD-MGD)
2011 to 2015 Proposed Projects
Project Type
Project Capacity (PD-MGD)
Plant Capacity at
End of Period (PD-MGD)
2016 to 2025 Proposed Projects
Project Type
Project Capacity (PD-MGD)
Plant Capacity at
End of Period (PD-MGD)
2026 to 2035
Proposed Projects
Plant
Capacity at
Project
End of
Project Capacity
Period
Type (PD-MGD) (PD-MGD)
Gwinnett Lanier WTP
Lake Lanier
No expansions
150.0
No expansions
150.0
No expansions
150.0
No expansions
150.0
Gwinnett Shoal Creek WTP
Lake Lanier
No expansions
75.0
No expansions
75.0
No expansions
75.0
No expansions
75.0
Buford WTP
Lake Lanier
Expand
2.83
4.83
No expansions
4.83
No expansions
4.83
No expansions
4.83
Demand Projections & Total Capacity (PD-MGD) Notes:
229.83
185 in Gwinnett
229.83
205 in Gwinnett
229.83
224 in Gwinnett
229.83
1) Plan schedule shown above is intended to be a general guideline to identify treatment capacity needs. Expansion capacities should be in operation before the end of the periods shown above, while planning, design and expansions may begin in the previous period. Exact timing of expansions is to be determined by local water master planning. Specific conditions for withdrawal/operating permits will be determined by Georgia EPD.
Non-Capital Programs
The following non-capital programs are specific to Gwinnett County. These programs are in addition to those that apply to all counties within the Metro Water District. Maintain interconnections with Hall, Fulton, DeKalb, Forsyth and Rockdale Counties.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M A Y 2 0 0 9 B-13
Appendix B: COUNTY LEVEL SUMMARIES
Hall County
Summary of Needs
Water Demands & Treatment Capacities Hall County
Total Projected Demand
2006 Treatment Capacity Additional Capacity Needed by 2035
2035 Annual Average Day (AAD-MGD)
52
52
22 30
2035 Peak Day (PD-MGD) 83
83
35 48
Summary of Planned Sources
Local Water
Source
Provider
Lake Lanier
Gainesville
N Oconee River/Cedar
Creek Reservoir
Gainesville
Glades Reservoir (Flat
Creek)
Hall Co.
Sum
Current Permitted Withdrawal (MGD)
Monthly 30
2
0 32
Planned 2035 Withdrawal
(MGD)
Monthly
Peak Day
53
71
9
12
TBD 62
TBD 83
Capital Projects The Cedar Creek WTP should be constructed to 12 PD-MGD to fully utilize the yield of the Cedar Creek impoundment. This expansion will enable Hall County to partially meet its demand within the Oconee basin from an Oconee basin source. To fill
the rest of the projected demand from Hall County, the City of Gainesville should construct one new WTP and expand one existing WTP.
Phasing Plan Facilities (Note 1)
Sources
By 2010 Proposed Projects
Project Type
Project Capacity (PD-MGD)
Plant Capacity at
End of Period (PD-MGD)
2011 to 2015 Proposed Projects
Project Type
Project Capacity (PD-MGD)
Plant Capacity at
End of Period (PD-MGD)
2016 to 2025 Proposed Projects
Project Type
Project Capacity (PD-MGD)
Plant Capacity at
End of Period (PD-MGD)
2026 to 2035
Proposed Projects
Plant
Capacity at
Project
End of
Project Capacity
Period
Type
(PD-MGD) (PD-MGD)
Gainesville Lakeside WTP
Lake Lanier
No expansions
10.0
Expand
15.0
25.0
Expand
12.0
37.0
Expand
9.0
46.0
Gainesville Riverside WTP
Lake Lanier
No expansions
25.0
Gainesville-Hall County Cedar Creek North Oconee
WTP (Note 2)
River/Cedar Creek
Glades Reservoir (Flat
Creek)
No expansions
25.0
No expansions
25.0
No expansions
25.0
Initial Construction
12.0
12.0
No expansions
12.0
New reservoir
-
Demand Projections & Total Capacity (PD-MGD)
35
49 in Hall
50
66 in Hall
74
83 in Hall
83
Notes:
1) Plan schedule shown above is intended to be a general guideline to identify treatment capacity needs. Expansion capacities should be in operation before the end of the periods shown above, while planning, design and expansions may begin in the previous period. Exact timing of expansions is to be determined by local water master planning. Specific conditions for withdrawal/operating permits will be determined by Georgia EPD. 2) Depending on the outcome of tri-state negotiations and available supply, the capacity at the Cedar Creek WTP may be transferred or shared with the expansion of the Lakeside WTP.
Non-Capital Programs The following non-capital programs are specific to Hall County. These programs are in addition to those that apply to all counties within the Metro Water District.
Maintain interconnections and water supply agreements with Gwinnett and White Counties. Continue to explore development of the Glades Reservoir.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M A Y 2 0 0 9 B-14
Appendix B: COUNTY LEVEL SUMMARIES
Henry County
Summary of Needs
Water Demands & Treatment Capacities Henry County Total Projected Demand
2035 Annual Average Day (AAD-MGD)
43 43
2035 Peak Day (PD-MGD) 69 69
Summary of Planned Sources
Source Gardner (Indian Creek) Reservoir Rowland (Long Branch) Reservoir
Local Water Provider
Henry Co. Henry Co.
2006 Treatment Capacity
25
Additional Capacity Needed by 2035
19
39.73 30
Capital Projects Expansion of Towaliga and Tussahaw WTPs to meet future water needs. Towaliga can currently only support 42 PD-MGD.
Phasing Plan
Towaliga River Reservoirs (Strickland & Cole)
Tussahaw Creek Reservoir Henry County Ocmulgee Reservoir Fargason (Walnut Creek) Reservoir Brown Branch Sum
Henry Co. Henry Co. Henry Co. McDonough Locust Grove
Facilities (Note 1)
Sources
By 2010 Proposed Projects
Project Type
Project Capacity (PD-MGD)
Plant Capacity at
End of Period (PD-MGD)
2011 to 2015 Proposed Projects
Project Type
Project Capacity (PD-MGD)
Plant Capacity at
End of Period (PD-MGD)
2016 to 2025 Proposed Projects
Project Type
Project Capacity (PD-MGD)
S. Howell Gardner (Indian Creek)
Reservoir and Rowland (Long
Branch) Reservoir fed by Towaliga
River Reservoirs (Strickland and
Henry Towaliga River WTP
Cole Reservoirs)
No expansions
24
No expansions
24
Expand
5
Current Permitted Withdrawal (MGD)
Monthly 8 10
Fills Gardner and Rowland Reservoirs 13 0 2.4 0.3 33.70
Planned 2035 Withdrawal
(MGD)
Monthly
Peak Day
21.75
29
39 2.4 0.34 63.49
52 3.1 0.45 84.55
Plant Capacity at
End of Period (PD-MGD)
2026 to 2035
Proposed Projects
Plant
Capacity at
Project
End of
Project Capacity
Period
Type
(PD-MGD)
(PD-MGD)
29
No expansions
29
Henry Tussahaw WTP
Tussahaw Creek Reservoir
Expand
13
26
No expansions
26
Expand
13
39
Expand
13
52
Henry Co. Ocmulgee Reservoir
New reservoir
McDonough WTP
Fargason (Walnut Creek) Reservoir Expand
0.82
3.1
No expansions
3.1
No expansions
3.1
No expansions
3.1
Locust Grove WTP
Brown Branch
No Expansions
0.45
No Expansions
0.45
No Expansions
0.45
No Expansions
0.45
Demand Projections &
Total Capacity (PD-MGD)
53.55
39 in Henry
53.55
53 in Henry
71.55
69 in Henry
84.55
Notes:
1) Plan schedule shown above is intended to be a general guideline to identify treatment capacity needs. Expansion capacities should be in operation before the end of the periods shown above, while planning, design and expansions may begin in the previous
period. Exact timing of expansions is to be determined by local water master planning. Specific conditions for withdrawal/operating permits will be determined by Georgia EPD.
Non-Capital Programs The following non-capital programs are specific to Henry County. These programs are in addition to those that apply to all counties within the Metro Water District.
Maintain interconnections and water supply agreements with DeKalb, Clayton, Newton, Butts and Spalding Counties.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M A Y 2 0 0 9 B-15
Appendix B: COUNTY LEVEL SUMMARIES
Paulding County
Summary of Needs
Water Demands & Treatment Capacities Paulding County From CCMWA Projected Demand Needs 2006 Treatment Capacity Additional Capacity Needed by 2035
2035 Annual Average Day (AAD-MGD)
47 -23 24 0 24
2035 Peak Day (PD-MGD) 75 -36 39 0 39
Summary of Planned Sources
Source Richland Creek Reservoir Sum
Local Water Provider
Paulding Co.
Current Permitted Withdrawal (MGD)
Monthly 0 0
Planned 2035 Withdrawal
(MGD)
Monthly
Peak Day
30
40
30
40
Capital Projects Paulding County will continue to rely on CCMWA for a portion of its water supply, as shown below in the phasing plan. The proposed Richland Creek Reservoir project is currently in the permitting process; the 300-acre impoundment has an estimated yield of 35 AAD-MGD. Once Richland Creek Reservoir is completed, Paulding County plans to construct a water treatment plant at the reservoir site; Paulding County will still need to purchase up to 36 PD-MGD from CCMWA.
Phasing Plan
Facilities (Note 1) Paulding County WTP
Sources
By 2010 Proposed Projects
Project Type
Project Capacity (PD-MGD)
Plant Capacity at
End of Period (PD-MGD)
2011 to 2015 Proposed Projects
Project Type
Project Capacity (PD-MGD)
Plant Capacity at
End of Period (PD-MGD)
2016 to 2025 Proposed Projects
Project Type
Initial Construction
Project Capacity (PD-MGD)
25
Plant Capacity at
End of Period (PD-MGD)
2026 to 2035
Proposed Projects
Project Type
Project Capacity (PD-MGD)
Plant Capacity at
End of Period (PD-MGD)
25
Expand
15
40
Richland Creek Reservoir
New reservoir
-
No Expansions
-
26 in Paulding
36 in Paulding
58 in Paulding
75 in Paulding
Demand Projections &
-26 from CCMWA
-36 from CCMWA
- 36 from CCMWA
-36 from CCMWA
Total Capacity (PD-MGD)
0 Total
0
0 Total
0
22 Total
25
39 Total
40
Notes:
1) Plan schedule shown above is intended to be a general guideline to identify treatment capacity needs. Expansion capacities should be in operation before the end of the periods shown above, while planning, design and expansions may begin in the previous
period. Exact timing of expansions is to be determined by local water master planning. Specific conditions for withdrawal/operating permits will be determined by Georgia EPD.
Non-Capital Programs The following non-capital programs are specific to Paulding County. These programs are in addition to those that apply to all counties within the Metro Water District.
Maintain interconnections and water supply agreements with Cobb County. Evaulate required improvements to accommodate routine purchase of 36 PD-MGD from CCMWA.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M A Y 2 0 0 9 B-16
Appendix B: COUNTY LEVEL SUMMARIES
Rockdale County
Summary of Needs
2035 Annual
Summary of Planned Sources
Current Permitted
Planned 2035 Withdrawal
Water Demands &
Average Day
2035 Peak Day
Local Water
Withdrawal (MGD)
(MGD)
Treatment Capacities
(AAD-MGD)
(PD-MGD)
Source
Provider
Monthly
Monthly
Peak Day
Big Haynes Creek (Randy
Rockdale County
17
27
Poynter Lake)
Rockdale Co.
22.1
22.1
27.1
Total Projected Demand
17
27
Sum
22.1
22.1
27.1
2006 Treatment Capacity
14
22.1
Additional Capacity Needed by 2035
3
5.0
`
Capital Projects
Projections indicate that the Randy Poynter Lake should provide adequate supply through 2035. Rockdale County should expand its WTP to meet demand growth through 2035. Infrastructure should be kept in place to allow transfers from DeKalb
and Gwinnett Counties to fill peak demands on an emergency basis.
Phasing Plan
Facilities (Note 1) Rockdale WTP
Source
Big Haynes Creek (Randy Poynter Lake)
By 2010 Proposed Projects
Project Type
Project Capacity (PD-MGD)
No expansions
Plant Capacity at
End of Period (PD-MGD)
22.1
2011 to 2015
Proposed Projects
Plant
Capacity at
Project
End of
Project Capacity
Period
Type
(PD-MGD) (PD-MGD)
No expansions
22.1
2016 to 2025
Proposed Projects
Plant
Capacity at
Project
End of
Project
Capacity
Period
Type
(PD-MGD) (PD-MGD)
2026 to 2035
Proposed Projects
Plant
Capacity at
Project
End of
Project
Capacity
Period
Type
(PD-MGD)
(PD-MGD)
Expand
5.0
27.1
No expansions
27.1
Demand Projections &
Total Capacity (PD-MGD)
22.1
19 in Rockdale
22.1
22 in Rockdale
27.1
27 in Rockdale
27.1
Notes:
1) Plan schedule shown above is intended to be a general guideline to identify treatment capacity needs. Expansion capacities should be in operation before the end of the periods shown above, while planning, design and expansions may begin in the
previous period. Exact timing of expansions is to be determined by local water master planning. Specific conditions for withdrawal/operating permits will be determined by Georgia EPD.
Non-Capital Programs The following non-capital programs are specific to Rockdale County. These programs are in addition to those that apply to all counties within the Metro Water District.
Maintain interconnections and water supply agreements with DeKalb, Gwinnett and Newton Counties.
WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M A Y 2 0 0 9 B-17
Appendix B: COUNTY LEVEL SUMMARIES
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WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
M A Y 2 0 0 9 B-18