Message from the Chairman December 2006 Healthy rivers, lakes and streams are essential to the health, welfare and economic progress of the Metro North Georgia region, and I am proud of the work the District and our local partners are doing to keep the metro area thriving. In just three short years, the District's water resources plans have become valuable tools for protecting our watersheds and for ensuring clean and plentiful water supplies. Our local government partners are implementing the many plan activities that are necessary to safeguard our watersheds and our quality of life. This year the District has continued its work of fostering collaboration, providing training and reviewing our plans and programs. But, beyond dayto-day administration, the real successes of 2006 have occurred at the local level. There are more than 100 cities, counties and authorities in the District. I salute their efforts to protect our region's rivers, lakes and streams. This report highlights a few of the creative and effective approaches to implementing the pollution prevention, wastewater management and water conservation strategies. Through these efforts our water resources are being protected, and we can ensure the metro region continues to thrive. On behalf of the Governing Board and District staff, we appreciate and look forward to your continued support for the District's efforts. Sincerely, Kit Dunlap, Chairman Water District Board Members Elected Officials Atlanta: Mayor Shirley Franklin Bartow: Sole Commissioner Clarence Brown Cherokee: Chairman Mike Byrd Clayton: Chairman Eldrin Bell Cobb: Chairman Sam Olens (Vice Chairman) Coweta: Chairman Greg Tarbutton DeKalb: CEO Vernon Jones Douglas: Chairman Tom Worthan Fayette: Chairman Greg Dunn Forsyth: Chairman Jack Conway Fulton: Chairman Karen Handel Gwinnett: Chairman Charles Bannister Hall: Chairman Tom Oliver Henry: Chairman Jason Harper Paulding: Mayor Boyd Austin, Dallas Rockdale: Chairman Roy Middlebrooks Walton: Mayor Jim Burgess, Social Circle Citizen Members Rebecca "Becky" Champion Robert D. Cheeley Kathryn "Kit" Dunlap (Chairman) Michael J. Egan P. Martin Ellard Gardiner W. Garrard, Jr. Birdel Jackson Dennis McEntire Laura Turner Seydel Former Members* Mayor Mike Fields, Cartersville Mayor Robert Belisle, Senoia Mayor Ken Steele, Fayetteville Mayor H. Ford Gravitt, Cumming Mayor Lorene Lindsey, Locust Grove * Board Service completed in 2006 Table of Contents Overview of the District . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 District Administration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Water Supply and Water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Conservation Management Wastewater Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Watershed Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Education and Public Awareness . . . . . . . . 18 Financial Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Official Code of Georgia 12-5-586 provides: The district shall submit a written report not later than December 31 of each year to the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the chairperson of the House Committee on Natural Resources and Environment, and the chairperson of the Senate Natural Resources Committee, which report shall contain a detailed account of the activities and progress of the district throughout the previous year and an accurate accounting of all funds received and expended by the district and of the implementation of plans and attainment of goals. Overview of the District Mission The District is a planning entity dedicated to developing comprehensive regional and watershed specific water resources plans that are implemented by local governments in the District. These plans will protect water quality and public water supplies in and downstream of the region, protect recreational values of the waters in and downstream of the region and minimize potential adverse impacts of development on waters in and downstream of the region. District Geography 16 counties and 96 cities 5 major river basins Over 4 million people 5,250 square miles Comprehensive Water Resource Plans District-wide Watershed Management Plan Long-term Wastewater Management Plan Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan COOSA RIVER BASIN CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVER BASIN Bartow Forsyth Hall Cherokee Paulding Cobb Fulton Gwinnett OCONEE RIVER BASIN District Board 17 local elected officials 10 appointed citizen members Technical Coordinating Committee 200 local water resources officials Four subcommittees: stormwater, wastewater, water supply and conservation and education TALLAPOOSA RIVER BASIN Douglas DeKalb Walton Clayton Rockdale Coweta Fayette Henry CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVER BASIN FLINT RIVER BASIN OCMULGEE RIVER BASIN Basin Advisory Councils Citizen stakeholders representing Chattahoochee, Etowah, Flint, Lake Lanier, Ocmulgee, Oconee basins Staffing and Enforcement Atlanta Regional Commission Environmental Planning Division Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) www.northgeorgiawater.org 2 District Administration 2006 has proven to be another successful year for the District and our partners in achieving higher standards of water resources management. Education, technical assistance and plan review remain central to the District's work. Member local governments and other interested stakeholders actively participated in this work, and their efforts continue to build momentum towards a truly regional approach to water resources management. Forums for Collaboration The District's enabling legislation calls upon the District to promote intergovernmental coordination of water issues in the metro area. This work begins at the Governing Board meetings, continues with full discussions by the Technical Coordinating Committee (TCC) and is enhanced by the input of the District's six Basin Advisory Councils (BACs). Thus, the decisions of the District's Governing Board are informed by the guidance of professional experts, citizens and stakeholders. In 2006 the District hosted over 50 meetings and gatherings to discuss common water management issues. 2006 Water Summit The District's annual Water Summit provides an opportunity for leaders from the public, private and nonprofit sectors to discuss critical water issues confronting the metro region. The 2006 Water Summit focused on cooperative planning, water conservation and the "water wars." Senator Johnny Isakson delivered the keynote address and stressed the importance of good planning and regional cooperation in gaining federal support for local initiatives. He pledged to continue helping the District obtain federal funding for infrastructure projects. Attendees also heard from Brad Currey, retired CEO of RockTenn Company, who addressed Metro Atlanta's conflicts with both neighboring states and other water users in Georgia. He called for a muscular water conservation component in water resources planning and urged local water officials to reduce consumptive use. Senator Johnny Isakson at the 2006 Water Summit Training Opportunities The goal of each District training opportunity is to provide our partners with the knowledge and tools necessary to implement strategies and activities outlined in the District plans. In 2006 local government officials and staff, extension agents, environmental educators and other interested partners participated in training courses addressing water conservation education programs, floodplain mapping, water system audit software and sewer systems management. 3 Legislative Activities The District closely follows the deliberations of the Georgia General Assembly as they relate to water, land use, the environment, the District's legislation, and state funding. In 2006, the District was involved in deliberations concerning legislation on retrofitting of older inefficient plumbing fixtures. The District also monitored meetings of the House and Senate Natural Resources committees and their subcommittees, as well as other legislative committees that dealt with water issues. The District also hosted a legislative breakfast in October for members of the metro delegation to discuss a number of upcoming 2007 legislative issues. Chairman Mike Byrd, Chairman Sam Olens, Plan Enforcement Rep. Charlice Byrd and Rep. Tom Knox discussed upcoming water issues at the legislative breakfast. In 2006 the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) continued its work to ensure that local governments implement the requirements of the District's plans through its audit process. As part of the audit, each local government completes a checklist outlining how they've addressed the District's requirements. Over the last two years EPD has audited 22 cities, counties and authorities in the District. As part of this process, the District regularly consults with local governments and EPD concerning the requirements of the District plans and the audit process. Plan Amendments Member local governments requested minor changes to the Long-term Wastewater and Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plans in 2006. Most of the requests related to minor changes in capacity or schedule for existing facilities. The Executive Committee considered each request and adopted six minor amendments. In 2006 the District also considered four major plan amendments. On December 7, 2006, the District Board approved an amendment to the Model Ordinance for PostDevelopment Stormwater Management and approved new wastewater treatment facilities for Walton County and the City of Walnut Grove. 4 Plan Implementation Highlights The central goals of the District's work, as specified in the three management plans, are to protect water quality, secure public water supplies and minimize potential adverse impacts of development on waters in and downstream of the region. The District, Georgia EPD and local governments and utilities all play important roles in implementing the District plans. The District provides implementation assistance and is active in the education and public awareness aspects of plan implementation. Georgia EPD is responsible for approving and enforcing the plans, while local governments handle most of the actual plan implementation. The work of the implementing the plans during 2006 is summarized in the following sections. 5 Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Managing water supply efficiently is essential to ensuring that individuals, institutions and businesses have the water they need without impacting downstream users. A critical element of the Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan is water conservation, with the emphasis on reducing water use and water leakage. Throughout 2006, the District and the Water Supply Technical Coordinating Committee addressed a variety of issues and developed tools and strategies to help implement conservation measures. Water Audit Software Training Water utilities are required to assess and reduce water system leakage using the American Water Works Association's (AWWA) Water Audit Software. To assist them, the District hosted a seminar on water audits, led by George Kunkel of the Philadelphia Water System who helped developed the software, which is based on the International Water Association (IWA) methodology. The program included demonstrations of the software as well as presentation of case studies. Retrofit of Older Plumbing Fixtures Replacing older inefficient plumbing fixtures is key to meeting the District's water conservation goals. Water providers must implement a program to distribute lowflow showerheads and faucet aerators by 2007 and develop a program to replace pre-1993 toilets in their service areas by 2008. Water providers have the flexibility to choose the type of program that best fits their service area. Incentive based rebates or vouchers, local retrofit on resale initiatives or any combination of these approaches may be used to meet these plan requirements. In order to assist with the development of these retrofit programs, the District provided local water suppliers with data on the number of homes built before 1993 in each county. Residential Water Audits The District published an easy-to-use "Do It Yourself Household Water Assessment" as a water conservation tool for conducting residential water audits. This publication includes a worksheet to help homeowners calculate water usage and tips for using water more efficiently. Since its release, the District has distributed thousands of copies to individuals, local governments and other partners. The assessment is available free of charge on the District Web site and from local water utilities. 6 Pre-Rinse Spray Valve Retrofit Education Program Replacing older pre-rinse spray valves in restaurants with low-flow valves can save both money and water, as dishwashing generally consumes more that two-thirds of all the water used. Since there are over 7,100 restaurants and other food service establishments in the 16-county area, the District's Water Conservation Plan requires local governments to have a pre-rinse spray valve retrofit education program. To help local businesses and local governments, the District developed a new brochure that explains the many benefits of lowflow pre-rinse spray valves. Local governments are ahead of the 2008 schedule to implement a pre-rinse spray valve education program. In 2006 more than 1,000 brochures were distributed to area restaurants by local governments. Measuring Results The District surveyed water suppliers during 2006 to assess progress toward implementing the conservation measures identified in the plan. The 2006 responses from water suppliers regarding water conservation are summarized below. The chart reflects both the percent of utilities that responded "Yes" and the percent of the District population that those utilities represent. Water Conservation Measures 2006 Survey Responses Percent "Yes" 100.0% 90.0% 80.0% 70.0% 60.0% 50.0% 40.0% 30.0% 20.0% 10.0% 0.0% Conservation Pricing Leak Detection Submeter Policy Retrofit Kits Commercial Residential Other Education Water Audits Water Audits Measures Percent of Population Percent of Utilities 7 Conservation Pricing All District water suppliers are required to adopt a multi-tiered rate structure. This rate structure is considered an aggressive water conservation measure. The goal of conservation pricing is to reduce excessive discretionary water use, especially outdoor irrigation, by making water use increasingly more expensive. Increasing block or tiered rates serve 91.5 percent of the District's population, with 62 percent served by three or more tiers and 29.5 percent served by two tiers. These results are based on the 2006 Water and Wastewater Rates Survey conducted by the District, which had a 100 percent response rate. Water Rate Structures by Percent Population Served Increasing Block 91.5% 3 tiers 62% 2 tiers 29.5% Uniform 8% Decreasing Block .5% Leak Detection Detecting and reducing system leaks can deliver significant water savings, which is why the plan requires water suppliers to identify ways to reduce system leakage. Ninety percent of the District population is served by water suppliers that have on-going leak detection programs. Best Local Practices The Clayton County Water Authority began its leak detection program in March 2000. At that time water loss was at 16 percent. Using sensors and computers, the leak detection crew goes street by street to check and fix system leaks. By 2004 the crew had reduced water loss to 11 percent. Effective leak detection programs can be affordable for smaller systems as well. In an effort to reduce their water loss, the City of Roswell has recently purchased leak detection equipment and will spot check their system through the normal maintenance routine and existing staff. Roswell's goal is to reduce 3 percent of their water losses in the first year. 8 Water Supply Management The Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan includes a framework for water supply facilities and strategies for resource management. As part of the 2006 survey of local suppliers, the District assessed compliance with the required resource management strategies. Seventy-seven percent of the water suppliers in the District responded to the questionnaire. The 47 suppliers who responded serve approximately 96 percent of the District's population. Local water management plans and emergency plans are needed to support proposed infrastructure and improvements. Ninety-five percent of the District's population is served by a local jurisdiction that has developed local water supply plans that conform to the District plan. Ninety-seven percent of the District's population is served by a water supplier that has developed emergency water plans. Conforming Local Water Plans (by percent of population) NO 5% YES 95% Emergency Water Plans (by percent of population) NO 3% YES 97% 9 Wastewater Management Expanding and upgrading wastewater treatment facilities, improving collection system maintenance and managing septic systems will be critical for the metro north Georgia area as the population continues to grow. Each year the District evaluates the implementation of the Long-term Wastewater Management Plan and provides assistance as needed. The District Wastewater and Septic Systems Technical Coordinating Committees reviewed a number of issues in 2006. Sewer Collection System Inspection and Maintenance The District's Long-term Wastewater Management Plan has requirements for managing and maintaining the 103 publicly owned wastewater treatment plants, approximately 9,000 miles of sewers and more than 300,000 manholes in the District. The District surveyed all wastewater utilities in 2006 to assess progress towards a variety of wastewater management actions. Responses were received from 82 percent of sewer systems in the District, which serve 98 percent of the sewered population. Sewer system maintenance programs at a minimum should consist of several elements: sewer system inventory, grease management, overflow response, sewer rehabilitation, capacity certification and training programs. Local government maintenance programs are summarized in the following chart: Sewer System Inspection and Maintenance Elements 2006 Survey Responses - Percent "Yes" 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Grease Management Overflow Response Sewer Rehabilitation System Inventory Capacity Certification Training Percent Sewered Population Percent of WW Utilities 10 Sewer System Management Training The District sponsored a training workshop on Sewer System Management in partnership with the Georgia Association of Water Professionals (GAWP) and Georgia EPD in the fall of the year. This training program provided guidance to cities and counties on plan requirements for sewer system management. Topics included sewer system mapping, grease management, root control, sewer flow monitoring, capacity certification, sewer rehab and spill reporting. Best Local Practices A Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) is a powerful tool to improve sewer system management, operation and maintenance. A CMMS promotes coordination, communication and data sharing between departments. The Peachtree City Water and Sewerage Authority has started the CMMS process by developing an asset management plan. This plan documents the management of pumps, valves and other physical assets over the lifecycle of the asset in the most cost-effective manner to provide a specified level of service. The Peachtree City WSA first conducted a survey of board members, managers and staff to establish the asset management mission statement. From the mission Example of CMMS program statement, levels of service were developed to ensure that customer service provided by the authority was in line with the mission statement. Next, the WSA conducted a condition assessment to determine the current state of the WSA's assets. Finally, the WSA looked at the maintenance history of the assets to determine the lifecycle costs of the assets. With the completion of the asset management plan, the Peachtree City Water and Sewerage Authority will have a good summary of their assets and will be able to easily enter the system information into a CMMS program. The Peachtree City WSA is currently evaluating the different CMMS programs available. Upgrading Wastewater Treatment Plants Over the next 30 years, most wastewater treatment plants in the District will need to install upgraded levels of treatment and many will need to expand existing capacity. The Long-term Wastewater Management Plan recommends detailed local planning to help determine the scope and timing of these needs. Many jurisdictions are exploring creative ways to meet water quality standards and capacity requirements. 11 Best Local Practices Cherokee County Water & Sewerage Authority's actions are just one example of improving water quality while at the same time increasing treatment capacity. The authority approached a local poultry processing plant that held an industrial NPDES permit with the idea of eliminating the discharge and using the facility's assimilative loading capacity to expand one of the authority's public wastewater treatment facilities. The poultry processing plant discharged treated effluent into Blankets Creek, a small feeder stream to the Little River, joining it in the Little River Embayment of Lake Allatoona. This was a region of Lake Allatoona that is highly impacted by increased nutrient loads, so moving the poultry processing plant's discharge out of Blankets Creek was an environmentally desirable action. This poultry plant was also listed as a source of phosphorus by Georgia EPD. By removing the chicken plant's discharge from Blankets Creek and treating the flows at the authority's facility, a problematic discharge was eliminated and additional treatment capacity was generated. The phosphorus loading, through enhanced treatment techniques, was spread over a larger hydraulic capacity, thereby creating new capacity in the public sewer system. Working jointly with Georgia EPD, Cherokee County Water & Sewerage Authority and the poultry processing facility were able to craft the necessary agreements to facilitate this project, resulting in approximately 12 MGD of new wastewater treatment capacity for Cherokee County. Rate of Current Single Family Building on Septic Bartow 51 - 75 % Cherokee 26 - 50 % Forsyth 26 - 50 % Hall 76 - 100 % Septic Systems Status Report The District published the Septic Systems Status and Issues Working Paper in March 2006. The report provides a description of septic systems, outlines management responsibilities, includes data on septic systems in the District, summarizes issues and provides recommendations for improving the management of septic systems. Paulding 51 - 75 % Cobb 0 - 25 % Gwinnett 0 - 25 % Douglas 26 - 50 % Fulton 0 - 25 % DeKalb 0 - 25 % 26 - 50 % Clayton 0 - 25 % Rockdale Coweta 51 - 75 % Fayette 26 - 50 % Henry 26 - 50 % The septic report identifies the top three reasons for septic system failures in the District: unsuitable soil and location, age of system and excessive water use. The District staff also found that there are an estimated 526,000 septic systems in the District, 90 percent of which are residential septic systems. Using Walton 51 - 75 % the number of septic systems and data from the U.S. Census Bureau, it is estimated that 26 percent of the total housing units in the District are served by septic systems The average number of septic systems installed in the District per year is estimated at 13,000. More than 50 percent of the growth in the outer ring of counties is occurring on septic systems. 12 Managing Septic System Critical Areas Critical areas are those areas where the risks or potential impacts of septic system failures are higher. By 2007 each jurisdiction should identify critical areas with current problems or potential future problems. Twenty-eight jurisdictions are ahead of schedule by starting to identify septic system critical areas. Identification of Critical Areas (by percent of population) NO 32% YES 68% Septage Disposal As homeowners become more educated on the need for maintenance and pumping of septic tanks, the disposal of septage pump out is an issue because septage is harder and more expensive to treat than typical sewage. The District plan recommends local jurisdictions provide arrangements for disposal of the septage generated within their jurisdictions either at local wastewater treatment plants or alternative disposal locations. Twenty sewer systems in the District currently accept septage at their wastewater treatment plants. Offer Septage Disposal Options (by percent of population) NO 10% YES 90% Local Policy for Private Wastewater Systems Local jurisdictions are required to develop policies on private wastewater systems specific to their own needs. Some jurisdictions prohibit private wastewater systems, while others may allow them under very limited situations and others may include them as part of a long-term plan. Twenty-eight local jurisdictions already have local policies addressing private wastewater systems. Policy for Private Wastewater Systems (by percent of population) NO 18% YES 82% 13 Watershed Management We all live, work and play in a watershed. Thus, managing the health of rivers, lakes and streams in north Georgia is everyone's responsibility. The District-wide Watershed Management Plan outlines strategies and tasks to provide stormwater pollution watershed protection. Throughout 2006 the District worked closely with local governments and the Stormwater Technical Coordinating Committee to implement plan measures and to evaluate plan effectiveness. Stormwater Research and Collaboration The District addressed a number of topics in 2006, including stormwater operations and maintenance, level and extent of service, stormwater maintenance tracking, professional requirements for preparing stormwater management plans and financing stormwater programs. Extensive research and discussion were conducted to coordinate the District's Water Quality Monitoring Plan Standards and Methodologies with state monitoring requirements. A subgroup of the TCC was convened to research testing protocols for proprietary structural stormwater controls. Additionally the District surveyed local governments to assess progress towards a variety of stormwater and watershed management actions. Sixty-five local jurisdictions, representing 95 percent of the District population responded to the District's questionnaire. Programs to Address Illicit Discharges to Stormwater Systems Illicit discharges are unpermitted, non-stormwater flows to the stormwater system that contain pollutants or pathogens. Local governments are required to develop programs to look for potential illicit discharges and illegal connections. Sixty-one cities and counties reported having an active illicit discharge detection and elimination program. Illicit Discharge Detection (by percent of population) NO 13% YES 87% Local Stormwater Good Housekeeping Programs Cities and counties in the District are establishing local good housekeeping practices for government facilities and operations, such as: *Vehicle fueling, storage and maintenance areas, *Solid and hazardous waste management facilities and recycling centers, *Water and sewer treatment systems, * Locally owned and operated parks and open space. Good housekeeping programs prevent contaminants from entering waterways and serve as good examples to employees and the community at large. Sixty-five local governments reported having a local stormwater good housekeeping program for their municipal or county operations. Good Housekeeping Program (by percent of population) NO 11% YES 89% 14 Model Stormwater Ordinances An important component of the Watershed Management Plan is a set of six Model Stormwater Management Ordinances, which local governments adopt to help control nonpoint source pollution. All jurisdictions in the District were required to adopt the six model stormwater ordinances by April 2006. The District continues to work with local partners to provide training and evaluate the effectiveness of these ordinances. Floodplain Ordinance Seminar The District Board adopted a revised Model Floodplain Management/Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance in February 2006 in order to ensure compliance with the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The District provided training to cities and counties on the ordinance and new mapping requirements. Training topics included future-conditions floodplain mapping requirements, mapping technical guidance, local adoption and implementation and FEMA/NFIP Coordination. Best Local Practices Gwinnett County pioneered efforts to protect the future-conditions floodplains. In 1999, Gwinnett County began a six-year program to study and identify floodplains in the county using models based on land use and topography to identify existing and future floodplains. All streams in the county, with the exception of the Chattahoochee River, were modeled and all watershed flood studies were approved by FEMA in 2005. The result is new detailed studies for approximately 390 stream miles in the county, an increase over the 230 stream miles of detailed study on the current flood maps. In addition, the data are available in a digital format and can be accessed by the public on the county's GIS data browser. Gwinnett County's approach and efforts were the model for the District's Floodplain Management / Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance and futureconditions floodplain mapping requirement that were updated in 2006. Already, 55 cities and counties have initiated mapping or made preparations to map their jurisdictions' future-conditions floodplains. 15 Stormwater Model Ordinance Adoption by Local Governments (reported as of October 2006) Jurisdiction has adopted model ordinance or equivalent Ordinance adoption in progress at the time of questionnaire Model ordinance not adopted Post Development Stormwater Management Floodplain Management* Illicit Discharge Conservation Subdivision Litter Control Stream Buffer County Municipality Bartow Bartow County (uninc) Cartersville Euharlee Cherokee County (uninc) Ball Ground Cherokee Canton Woodstock Clayton Clayton County Water Authority** Cobb Cobb County (uninc) Austell Kennesaw Marietta Powder Springs Smyrna Coweta County (uninc) Coweta Newnan Sharpsburg Turin DeKalb DeKalb County (uninc) Avondale Estates Chamblee Clarkston Decatur Stone Mountain Douglas Douglasville-Douglas County WSA*** Villa Rica Fayette Fayette County (uninc) Fayetteville Peachtree City Forsyth Forsyth County (uninc) Cumming 16 Notes: * Either the 2002 or revised 2006 Model Floodplain Ordinance ** Clayton County Water Authority's responses were on behalf of unincorporated Clayton County *** Stormwater management for Douglas County and Douglasville is handled by DDCWSA Post Development Stormwater Management Floodplain Management* Illicit Discharge Conservation Subdivision Litter Control Stream Buffer County Municipality Fulton Fulton County (uninc) Alpharetta Atlanta East Point Fairburn Hapeville Palmetto Roswell Sandy Springs Union City Gwinnett County (uninc) Braselton Buford Gwinnett Lawrenceville Sugar Hill Suwanee Hall County (uninc) Flowery Branch Hall Gainesville Oakwood Henry Henry County (uninc) Hampton Locust Grove Stockbridge Paulding County (uninc) Paulding Dallas Hiram Rockdale County (uninc) Rockdale Conyers Walton Walton County (uninc) Loganville Monroe Social Circle Walnut Grove 17 Education and Public Awareness Education and public awareness measures are critical components of all three District plans. The District manages education and outreach objectives from the regional level in order to provide consistent messaging region-wide. With the help of local partners, the District has made considerable progress towards building public awareness and understanding of water resources issues. The Education subcommittee of the Technical Coordinating Committee provides feedback on media outlets, messaging, community workshops and events, educational materials and the middle school essay contest as a means to integrate local expertise into the regional education effort. Mass Media The District hit the airwaves with force in 2006. Through partnerships with Metro Networks, more than 145 live traffic reads featured the District's campaigns on 18 different radio stations during the summer and fall. By embedding the District's messages into the traffic report, millions of area residents heard tips on water conservation and pollution prevention. Over 250 television spots aired with messages from Water Use It Wisely and the Clean Water Campaign. WSB chief meteorologist Glenn Burns worked with the District to produce seven original public service announcements highlighting water conservation tips for homeowners and seven additional announcements teaching citizens easy ways to help prevent water pollution. WSB-TV also helped to raise awareness of regional water issues through the production of a 30-minute television special, "Our Water Our Future," hosted by Kimberley Kennedy. The show explained regional water challenges, showcased public and private initiatives to protect water resources and offered simple consumer tips for pollution prevention and water conservation. The show aired twice during the fall and is available on a number of local government access channels. Clean Water Campaign Workshops Since its creation, the Clean Water Campaign has hosted hundreds of public workshops to educate citizens on a variety of pollution prevention and water conservation topics. Local government partners offered workshops during 2006 that helped residents from across the District learn tips and techniques about: Rain gardens Septic tank maintenance Lawn care (integrated pest management) Water-wise landscaping (xeriscaping) Auto service best management practices Composting Tree planting and care Water-wise households U Fix It Water Conservation Train-the-Trainer Workshop Local government officials and staff, extension agents, environmental educators and others attended this workshop to learn how to educate homeowners on water conservation techniques using Water-wise Household and U Fix It workshop presentations developed by the District. 18 2006 Essay Contest The District hosted its annual Clean Water Campaign/Water Use It Wisely essay contest again in 2006. Middle school students from 10 counties participated, writing essays about ways to conserve water and prevent water pollution. One winner was selected from each of the participating counties. The District-wide winner was selected from the county winners and received an engraved plaque and $100. Kathryn Fazekas, a student at Wesleyan School in Gwinnett County was the 2006 District-wide winner of the annual essay contest. Stormwater Education In 2006 the Clean Water Campaign developed a Commercial Landscaping & Lawn Care poster. This poster, available in English and Spanish with eye-catching pictures and easy-to-read captions, demonstrates best management practices for applying pesticides and fertilizer, erosion prevention, disposing of yard clippings and maintaining lawn equipment in order to prevent water pollution. The Clean Water Campaign is a long-time partner of Rivers Alive, Georgia's annual volunteer waterway clean-up event. Rivers Alive events are held each October to help create awareness of and involvement in the preservation of Georgia's water resources. In 2006 all 16 counties in the District held successful cleanups. Water Conservation Education In 2006 the District continued to build its library of water conservation materials to help citizens understand and reduce their water use. The District distributed thousands of copies of its new "Do It Yourself Household Water Assessment" and the new Water Use It Wisely "Water Wise Landscape Guide." 19 Financial Overview On June 2, 2005, the District's board approved the budget for the 2006 calendar year. Below is a detailed accounting of the funds received and expended during this budget year. Project Funding Successful implementation of the plans hinges on the ability to fund both capital improvements and the programmatic measures. Estimated costs for these improvements and activities are expected to reach into the billions of dollars over the next 30 years, with the majority of these funds coming from the local level. The District continues to work to identify additional funding at the state and federal level to supplement local dollars. The Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority (GEFA) has met with the District to educate local governments on how they can secure financing for District projects using the state's bonding capacity. In addition, the District is in its fifth year of working to secure federal funding for District projects and has focused on the EPA Appropriations Bill. To date, the District has secured federal grants totaling $2.6 million dollars. This work continued in 2006, and the District is scheduled to receive federal funds in the FY 2007 appropriation cycle. Financial Recommendations The Board has adopted a 2007 budget of $1,762,399. This increase is necessary to fund the work of completing a five-year update of the District's plans. The board approved a per capita assessment of $.30 for 2007 and 2008 to meet this obligation. This increase in local dues will generate an additional $1,192,399 for 2007. The Board has also requested $400,000 in the FY 2008 Georgia state budget for the District's 2007 work. Funds Expended (as of December 7, 2006) Chairman's Allowance 2006 Budget $3,000 Expended or Under Contract Through 12/7/2006 $597 Remaining Budget $2,403 District Special Projects $92,000 $76,452 $15,548 Public Education $225,000 $216,349 $8,651 Salaries $274,827 $259,266 $15,561 Fringe Benefits $156,743 $147,563 $9,180 Contracts $25,000 $20,000 $5,000 Overhead $194,639 $183,480 $11,159 Miscellaneous Operating $75,000 $63,574 $11,426 Totals $1,046,209 $967,281 $78,928 20 Receipt Register Date 1/11/06 1/24/06 1/24/06 1/31/06 2/6/06 2/6/06 2/6/06 2/28/06 3/1/06 3/13/06 3/30/06 3/31/06 4/18/06 4/18/06 04/31/06 5/2/06 5/17/06 5/31/06 5/31/06 6/2/06 6/12/06 6/27/06 6/30/06 7/11/06 7/31/06 8/11/06 8/31/06 9/19/06 9/21/06 9/21/06 9/21/06 9/21/06 9/21/06 9/30/06 10/4/06 10/4/06 10/4/06 10/4/06 10/4/06 10/19/06 10/31/06 11/1/06 11/1/06 11/13/06 11/30/06 12/21/06 Payor Bartow County Forsyth County Clayton County Water Authority January Interest Income Rockdale County Fulton County Coweta County February Interest Income Rockdale County Rockdale County Rockdale County March Interest Income Douglas Water & Sewer Rockdale County April Interest Income Henry County City of Locust Grove Rockdale County May Interest Income Hall County City of Gainesville Rockdale County June Interest Income City of Alpharetta July Interest Income City of Roswell August Interest Income Paulding County Water System Cobb County Fulton County Henry County Hall County Cherokee County September Interest Income Fayette County City of Atlanta Walton County Forsyth County Clayton County Gwinnett County October Interest Income Bartow County Douglas Water & Sewer Clayton County November Interest Income Georgia DNR Interest State 3,081.65 2,914.91 3,483.42 3,178.81 3,146.22 2,754.98 2,542.64 2,303.28 2,465.13 4,799.44 4,797.05 250,000.00 Local 11,403.00 14,761.00 Special Purpose Funds 30,000.00 1,517.00 13,382.00 35,000.00 1,517.00 1,517.00 7,500.00 13,826.00 2,461.00 1,753.00 15,500.00 5,000.00 1,753.00 12,500.00 15,000.00 7,500.00 7,500.00 24,503.00 182,325.00 128,792.00 35,802.00 41,783.00 42,571.00 27,379.00 124,942.00 18,206.00 29,522.00 59,129.17 176,534.00 22,806.00 27,652.00 11,825.83 Total 11,403.00 14,761.00 30,000.00 3,081.65 1,517.00 35,000.00 13,382.00 2,914.91 1,517.00 7,500.00 1,517.00 3,483.42 13,826.00 2,461.00 3,178.81 15,500.00 5,000.00 1,753.00 3,146.22 12,500.00 15,000.00 1,753.00 2,754.98 7,500.00 2,542.64 7,500.00 2,303.28 24,503.00 182,325.00 128,792.00 35,802.00 41,783.00 42,571.00 2,465.13 27,379.00 124,942.00 18,206.00 29,522.00 59,129.17 176,534.00 4,799.44 22,806.00 27,652.00 11,825.83 4,797.05 250,000.00 2006 Totals 35,467.53 250,000.00 1,017,662.00 135,500.00 1,438,629.53 21 Technical Coordinating Committee James Abraham Gloria Abram Wilson Adams Nick Ammons Miller Andres Jose Anel Jose Aniez Reza Aral Kaipo Awana Diane Badger Jan Ballentine Corlette Banks George D. Barnes Roy Barnes Curtis Barnhart Jr. Johnny Barron Joe Basista Kavita Batra Ellen Bauske Jill Bazinet Bernard Bellinger Dennis Benz David Berkenshire Troy Besseche Bernard Bethea Avis Bishop Cole Blackwell Rob Blake Dave Borkowski Bob Bourne Randy Bowens Steve Brady Wade Brannan Karl Brantner Dave Breaden Charles Brewer Gwen Brinkley Ernie Brooks Barbara Brown Stan Brown Stephen Brown Suzanne Brown Chris Browning Harriet Bryan Lance Buchanan Earl Burrell Jim Caldcleugh Steve Callahan Tim Callahan Gene Camp Tom Campbell Steve Cannon Azarina Carmichael Tony Carnell Michael Carter Tony Carwell David Chastant Rudolph Chen Richard Chime Steve Cole Tara Combs Dan Conn Laurie Cook Charles Corbin Brooks Corlly Bruce Coyle John Daniels Melinda Davies Duane Demeritt Nancy DeShazo Jay DiParguale David Dockery Don Easterbrook Rick Eastin Todd Edwards Holly Elmendorf Herb Etheridge Richard Ferry Leslie Filbey Roy Fowler Jim Free Peter Frost Alan Gaines Mildred Granderson Steve Green Jeremy Greenberg Julie Gyuricza Dan Hall Laurene Hall Stan Hall Angela Harris Derrick Andre Harris Jon Heard Frank Henning Bill Higgins Jamie Higgins Keith Higgs Michael Hoff Renee Hoge Walter Howard Allison Hughes Harry Hughes Herbert Humphrey Ken Jacob Fritz Jacques Josh Jamell Paul Jarrell Ron Jones Samuel Jones Larry Kaiser Brant Keller Karl Kelley Patrick Kelley Cameron Kerr Karim Khan Lamont Kiser Michael Klahr 22 David Kubala Eric Lacefield Pat Lacey Bryan Lackey Charles Lambert Michelle Lawrence Phil Lee Steve Leo Katherine Lewis Raquel Littlejohn Jim Luebbering Erik Lunsford Nadine Maghsadh Phil Mallon Heather Manry John Marshall Sally Mason Alfred Mauldin Jennifer McCoy Steve McCullers Woody McFarlin Kevin McInturff Bill McKinley Jennifer McLaurin Miltresar McMichael Amy Meeks Dee Merriam James Miller Sally Mills Becky Mixon Stanley Mize Alex Mohajer Debbie Mooney Stuart Moring Robert Morrison Shayla Nealy Tyler Newman Kathy Nguyen Robert Olson Michael O'Shield Glenn Page Sandra Parker Nathan Parrott Tony Parrott Fernell Patterson Mike Patton Robbie Paul Michael Payne Steve Payne Alicia Pennie Tim Perkins Ron Peters Cleatus Phillips Melissa Phillips Guy Pihera Sabrina Piper Terry Porter Michele Prescott Paul Ralston Kelly Randall Chuck Rann Russell Ray John Reinhardt Ted Rhinehart Jason Rhyne Tyler Richards Monica Robinson Pam Robinson Jerri Russell Dana Rutherford Susan Rutherford Colby Rutledge Jim Sapp Jim Scarbrough Karen Schroeder Don Schultz Glinda A. Scott Rebecca Shelton Frank Sherrill Majid Shirazi Kim Shorter Tom Sills Sharon Smith Jim Stafford Sean Stauffer Frank Stephens Shirley Stevenson Tyler Strawinski Ed Strong Andrew Sullivan Charlotte Sutphin Rodger Swaim Bob Taylor Bruce Taylor Harriet Thomas Mike Thomas Julie Todd Andy Tsivoglou David Tucker Steve Turner Joe Tyler Miguel Valentin Chris Venice A. Franklin Wagner John Walker Kevin Walter Dwight Wicks Brian Wiley Clarke Wiley Barbara Williams Randy Willis Eric Wilmarth Lindsay Wood Paul Woodward Chris Yancey 23 Basin Advisory Councils Chattahoochee Alex Adams Tommy Bagwell Sally Bethea Rick Blackwell Mark Boner Christopher Burke Lancelot Clark Bill Couch Lee Duncan Dieter Franz Douglas J. Fulle Tal Harber Jamie Higgins Jo Jones Rick Jones Jacqueline A. Joseph John T. Lawrence II Robert Lynch Chris Martin Edward Martin George A. Martin James McCoy David M. Moore Adam Orkin Larry Phillips Julian Powell Susan Rutherford Monte Simpson Robert L. Tant George B. Taylor, Jr. Shana Udvardy Emil Walcek Barbara Williams Etowah Wayne B. Biasetti Bruce Coyle Dexter Jones Katie Knowles John Knox Paul Kreager David Kubala Charles McMillan Diane Minick Robert Morrison Ron Papaleoni Don Sackman Bettie Sleeth Bob Sutton Roy Taylor Dwight Turner Marty Williams Flint Fred Brown Dennis E. Chase Don Easterbrook Bill McKinley Lake Lanier John Cunard Rex Farmer Sollace M. (Mike) Freeman Jim Hazelwood Darcie Holcomb Ron Seder Tyler Smith Frank Turk John Watson Ocmulgee Daren Wayne Paul Bowen Lowell Chambers Terry Clark Holly Elmendorf Jim Hutchens James C. Kinney Rick Lipcsei Faye Lyons-Gary Angie Minton Eric Olson Julius Ross Robert Troxler Dwight Wicks Oconee Leigh Askew Benny Bagwell Jimmy Echols Christopher Ernst Dana Heil David L. Wicker 24