Activities and progress report, 2010

Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
Activities & Progress Report
2010

Message from the Chairman

December 2010
The Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District works to protect water quality in metro north Georgia and ensure adequate public water supplies to meet the current and future needs of the region. The Metro Water District provides a forum where local governments, water and wastewater utilities, technical experts, basin stakeholders and others can come together to address challenges and take action to safeguard the region's limited water resources.
The Metro Water District's three water management plans water supply and conservation, wastewater management and watershed management are valuable tools for guiding the activities that are necessary to sustain the quality of life we enjoy in the region. This report highlights some of the creative and effective approaches that the District and its local partners are implementing to manage our water resources.
Our region is faced with the challenge of meeting our growing water requirements with finite water resources. The legal issues surrounding our water supplies have made expanding our water conservation efforts that much more essential. We must consider the water needs of future generations and do more to protect metro Atlanta's water supplies.
In December 2010, the Metro Water District Board amended the Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan by adopting eight additional water conservation measures. With the adoption of these new measures, the Metro Water District continues to provide leadership in water conservation. Implementation of the measures is the responsibility of our local governments and utilities, but all of us who live and work in the region must do our part.
The Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District and its more than 100 cities, counties and water utilities continue to lead the way into a new era of water resources management in the region. As the chairman of the Governing Board, I take pride in all the District has achieved in 2010 and look forward to your continued interest and support of these vital efforts.
Sincerely,

Kit Dunlap, Chairman

| Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District -- 2010 Activities & Progress Report 1

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About the Metro Water District

The Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District was created by the Georgia General Assembly in 2001 to establish policy, create plans and promote intergovernmental coordination of all water issues in the District from a regional perspective. Under the direction of the Governing Board, Technical Coordinating Committee and Basin Advisory Councils, the Metro Water District remains committed to its central mission the development of comprehensive regional water resources plans that protect water quality and water supply 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.
Metro Water District Board
The Metro Water District Governing Board manages the business and affairs of the District. The board is composed of:
The county commission chairs of counties with
200,000 or more population (Cobb, Clayton, DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett counties)
The mayor of the District's most populous city
(City of Atlanta)
A representative from the remaining counties (either
the county commission chair or a mayor whose city has a water or sewer system)
10 citizen members

2010 Board Members
Elected Officials Hon. Kasim Reed* City of Atlanta Hon. Mathew Santini Bartow County Hon. Buzz Ahrens Cherokee County Hon. Eldrin Bell* Clayton County
Hon. Tim Lee* Cobb County Hon. Casey Houston Coweta County
Hon. Burrell Ellis* DeKalb County Hon. Tom Worthan Douglas County
Hon. Ken Steele Fayette County Hon. Ford Gravitt Forsyth County Hon. John Eaves* Fulton County Hon. Shirely Lasseter* Gwinnett County
Hon. Tom Oliver Hall County Hon. Lorene Lindsey Henry County Hon. Boyd Austin (Vice Chairman)* Paulding County Hon. Richard Oden Rockdale County
Citizen Members William Thomas Craig Covington
Bradley Currey, Jr. Atlanta Kathryn Dunlap Gainesville (Chairman)*
Tim Thoms Fayetteville Bob Fountain Macon Birdel Jackson Atlanta (Secretary/Treasurer)* Katie Kirkpatrick Atlanta Gerald Pouncey, Jr. Atlanta Reginald Prime Lilburn Suzanne Sitherwood Atlanta
* Executive Committee

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Basin Advisory Councils

Basin Advisory Council (BACs)
Basin Advisory Councils provide input in the development of the Metro Water District's comprehensive plans and policies that guide water resources management in the 15county District. Individuals represent a wide variety of interests and give local feedback on water management issues affecting six basins: Chattahoochee, Etowah, Flint, Lake Lanier, Ocmulgee and Oconee.
A spring membership drive added 22 new members to the 140 existing active members on the six Basin Advisory Councils. During quarterly meetings, members toured water and wastewater facilities in the basins, participated in panel discussions with local governments and gave input on important issues such as fats, oils and grease education, water reuse and water conservation measures. The council members continue to demonstrate strong levels of involvement and are providing the Metro Water District with diverse and valuable feedback. The Basin Advisory Councils will continue to meet quarterly in 2011.

Lanier and Oconee council members hear about wastewater treatment and water reuse at Gwinnett County's flagship wastewater treatment plant, the 700 acre F. Wayne Hill Water Resources Center.
Basin Advisory Council Chairs
Eric Olson Chattahoochee Basin Val Perry Lake Lanier
Jill Stachura Oconee Basin Richard Greuel Flint Basin Doris Cook Coosa/Etowah Basin Mike Walker Ocmulgee Basin

Chattahoochee council members learn about the reuse and odor control technology used at Fulton County's new
Johns Creek Environmental Campus.
Local water supply, wastewater and stormwater professionals representing jurisdictions within the Ocmulgee Basin take part in a panel discussion with BAC members. The Ocmulgee panel consisted of Tonja Halton-Mincey from Henry County Water and Sewerage Authority, Lee Pope from Rockdale County Water Resources and Kevin Osbey from Clayton County Water Authority. Panel participants shared their successes and challenges in implementing the Metro Water District's three water management plans.
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Members of the Ocmulgee council explored the Huie Constructed Wetlands in Clayton County. The Clayton County Water Authority is one of the few metropolitan water utilities in the country to utilize constructed wetlands as a final treatment stage of water reclamation. These wetland systems provide filtration, plant nutrient uptake and an environment for microbial treatment of the water that flows through the system.
Flint council members toured Peachtree City's Rockaway wastewater treatment facility, following the path the water takes through the facility from the point of arrival all the
way to the outfall into Line Creek.
The Chattahoochee Basin Advisory Council discussed the 2009 Education and Public Awareness telephone poll results during a meeting at Georgia Power. The poll questions residents within the Metro Water District to gauge their level of awareness about water quality and water conservation issues.
Members of the Coosa Basin Advisory Council toured Cherokee County's Fitzgerald Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant.
The facility incorporates the newest technology to produce high-quality discharge flows of up to five million gallons per day.
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Technical Coordinating Committee
The Technical Coordinating Committee is composed primarily of watershed management, wastewater and water supply officials from counties, cities and water authorities within the Metro Water District. Over 300 TCC members provided detailed input into the District's planning process at 13 subcommittee meetings held in 2010. By contributing their time and expertise, these dedicated individuals work to ensure successful collaboration between the Metro Water District and local governments.
Technical Coordinating Committee (TCC)
The purpose of the Technical Coordinating Committee is to provide technical guidance and feedback to the Metro Water District Staff and the Governing Board.
The following subcommittees guide the District's work:
Stormwater Subcommittee Wastewater Subcommittee Water Supply and Conservation Subcommittee Education Subcommittee
TCC members make recommendations regarding the Metro Water District plans and specific implementation tasks. For example, the technical committee provided significant input on the development of the fats, oils and grease brochure and offered advice on messaging and suggested media for the 2010 Clean Water Campaign. Committee members also developed a guidance document to help water suppliers implement the AWWA Water Audit Software and analyzed additional water conservation measures that were ultimately adopted by the Metro Water District board.
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Activities at the State Level

Coordination with Other Water Planning Councils
In 2008, the Georgia General Assembly passed the Comprehensive Statewide Water Management Plan. Since that time, Georgia EPD and more than 300 stakeholders have worked to develop regional water plans for the 10 new Water Planning Councils around the state.

The Metro Water District assisted the other councils by presenting its planning process and participating in discussions with the Middle-Chattahoochee, Upper Flint, SavannahUpper Ogeechee, Coastal, and Coosa-North Georgia WPCs. District staff also attended and participated in eight Georgia EPD-led joint meetings where representatives of the various councils gathered to discuss their shared water resources.
Once the 10 new regional Water Development and Conservation Plans are adopted by the councils and Georgia EPD in 2011, the Metro Water District will continue to coordinate its activities with these new plans and looks forward to working with the other councils as the process moves forward.
Water Stewardship Act
In addition to the Metro Water District's work with the Regional Water Councils, Chairman Kit Dunlap and seven other members of the District served on a task force created by Governor Sonny Perdue that led to the adoption of the Water Stewardship Act of 2010. Supported by the Metro Water District, this law includes incentives and requirements for increased water conservation. Many of these measures were already part of the Metro Water District Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan. The act is a great demonstration of stakeholder involvement and consensus-building from the government, water providers and the agriculture, business and conservation community. According to American Rivers, Georgia's Water Stewardship Act of 2010 is one of the strongest statewide water conservation laws in the United States.

Tri-State Litigation
The litigation between Georgia, Alabama and Florida over the operation of Buford Dam and Lake Lanier was divided into two phases. In his July 2009 ruling on the first phase, Judge Paul Magnuson ruled that water supply is not an authorized purpose of Lake Lanier and that the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers cannot operate Buford Dam for drinking water purposes without specific approval from Congress. In the absence of such authorization, the judge has ordered the Corps to return to the "baseline operations" of the "mid-1970s."
The appeal of Judge Magnuson's order in the first phase of the litigation is pending before the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. A three-judge panel will hear oral arguments in early 2011.
Judge Magnuson issued an order in Phase 2 of the litigation in July 2010. Florida claimed that reservoir operations under a revised operating plan adopted by the Corps in 2008 violate the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and fail to protect sufficiently two mussel species and the Gulf sturgeon. The court denied all claims by Florida that reservoir operations in the ACF Basin violate the ESA. Florida has appealed the decision, which appeal is now pending before the Eleventh Circuit.

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Water Supply and Conservation

The Metro Water District has led regional efforts to make water conservation a priority. Metro Atlanta is the only major metropolitan area in the country with more than 100 jurisdictions implementing a comprehensive water conservation program that is required and enforced. Tiered water conservation rates have been implemented throughout the region. Toilet rebate programs are in place in 37 communities in the region.
In response to the 2009 ruling by Judge Magnuson, a group of the directly affected water providers in metro Atlanta

came together to consider additional water conservation measures. The group reviewed over 70 potential measures and evaluated those that showed the most promise. A list of potential measures went through the Metro Water District's process for amending the plan, including input from the Basin Advisory Councils and the Technical Coordinating Committee and opportunities for public comment. After reviewing all stakeholder, technical and public comments, the District board approved the adoption of eight additional conservation measures.

Summary of Metro Water District's Water Conservation Measures Implementation

100% 90%

80%

70% 60% 50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0% Conservation Pricing*

Toilet Rebate Pre-Rinse Spray Rain Sensor Shut-offs Program Valve Education on Checklist

* As reported in the 2010 Water and Wastewater Rate Survey

Submeter Policy

AWWA Water Audit

Leak Detection

Residential Water Audits

Retrofit

Commercial

Kits

Water Audits

Percent of Population

Education Percent of Utilities

Required Conservation Measures

The 12 water conservation measures required in the
2009 Water Supply and Water Conservation Plan include:
Conservation pricing Replacement of older, inefficient plumbing fixtures Pre-rinse spray valve education Rain sensor shut-off switches on new irrigation
systems and irrigation meter pricing
Submeters in new multi-family buildings Water system leak reduction and repair Residential water audits Low-flow residential retrofit kits Commercial water audits Education and public awareness

Installation of HET toilets and low flow urinals in
government buildings
Water recycling for new car washes
New measures adopted as plan amendments in
December 2010
Expedited Water Loss Reduction (Chattahoochee Basin) Multi-Family HET Rebates (Chattahoochee Basin) Point of Use Leak Detection Meters (Chattahoochee Basin) Private Fire Line Meters (Chattahoochee Basin) Dedicated Water Conservation Programs (Chattahoochee Basin) Water Waste Policy High Efficiency Plumbing Fixtures Additional Education Measures

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Clayton County Water Authority is reducing unaccounted for water loss and getting more accurate usage readings by replacing
all residential meters that are at least 15 years old and converting all meters to automated meter reading technology. Two years into
the four-year project, CCWA `s Meter Services staff have installed more than 41,000 meters and identified water leaks for approximately 4 percent of their customers.
Reducing Water Loss
All water systems in the Metro Water District are required each year to assess water system losses and develop programs to reduce system loss and more than half have already set their water loss goals. Almost one-third of the water providers have completed the American Water Works Association's Free Water Audit Software that enables them to identify how much water is lost through leaks. Approximately 10,100 leaks were repaired in 2010, compared to 9,000 leaks in 2009. The Metro Water District is helping local governments meet this challenge through a variety of workshops and guidance materials.
In April, the Metro Water District sponsored a webcast of the American Water Works Association's Increasing Need for Water Loss Control webinar. More than 35 people attended the webinar, hosted at the DeKalb County Scott Candler Water Filtration Plant. The webcast reviewed the important changes to the latest version of the American Water Works Association (AWWA) Free Water Audit Software, discussed how to interpret the results from the audit and described the many resources available for starting and continuing a water loss control program.
In September, the Metro Water District held an all-day workshop to provide additional guidance on completing the AWWA Free Water Audit Software. More than 60 people attended the workshop, representing more than half of the water systems in the Metro Water District. Representatives from five local water utilities who have used the software presented on topics related to gathering data to improve the results of the software.
A technical committee of local water systems worked through the spring and summer to develop the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District Water System Audit Data Collection and Input Guidance for the AWWA software. The document assists local governments in completing the software by providing guidance on the methods of collecting and adjusting data for input. A copy of the guidance document is available on the Metro Water District website, www.northgeorgiawater.org.
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Water Supply and Conservation

Conservation Pricing Structures
Conservation pricing means the more you use, the more you pay. This type of tiered rate system was uncommon in the Metro Water District before being required by the District Water Supply and Water Conservation Management Plan. Now more than 99 percent of the population is subject to conservation pricing, according to the 2010 Water and Wastewater Rates Survey, and decreasing rate structures are no longer in place in metro Atlanta.

Water Rate Structures by Percent Population Served

Uniform 0.1%

Two Tiers 3.3%

Four or More Tiers
42.7%

Three Tiers 53.9%

Toilet Rebate Program
A total of 37 water providers offer toilet rebates either though individual programs or through the Metro Water District's regional program. Since the start of the programs, more than 45,600 toilets have been replaced.

Water Providers with Toilet Rebate Programs

City of Atlanta Watershed Department *

Fayette County Water System *

City of Austell

Forsyth County Department of Water and Sewer *

City of Ball Ground

Fulton County Department of Public Works *

City of Braselton

City of Gainesville

City of Buford

Gwinnett County Water Resources *

City of Cartersville

City of Hapeville *

Cherokee County Water and Sewerage Authority *

Henry County Water and Sewerage Authority *

Clayton County Water Authority *

City of Lawrenceville

Cobb County Water System

City of Marietta

City of College Park *

City of McDonough *

Coweta County Water and Sewerage Authority *

City of Mountain Park

City of Cumming *

City of Norcross

City of Dallas *

Paulding County Water Department

DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management

City of Powder Springs *

Douglasville-Douglas County Water and Sewerage Authority

City of Roswell *

City of East Point *

City of Smyrna

City of Emerson

City of Suwanee *

City of Fairburn *

City of Woodstock *

City of Fayetteville

www.northgeorgiawater.org/html/315.htm *Participate in the Metro Water District Regional Toilet Rebate Program

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Leak Detection and Repair
To reduce water loss, Metro Water District water providers have adopted procedures for timely reporting of standing water and potential leaks and prioritizing leak repairs for mains and smaller lines. Other measures include calibration or replacement of water meters and implementation of proactive leak detection programs.
Low-Flow Retrofit Kits
A low-flow retrofit kit includes low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators to help residents save water at home. Water systems in the District have given out more than 155,000 retrofit kits.

Coweta County Water and Sewerage Authority is engaged in a residential/commercial meter change-out and calibration program.
The new meters have E-Coder registers that can generate a leak report within 24 hours. This allows water authority personnel
to quickly notify customers of irregular water usage and prevent high water bills. In addition, CCWSA tests, calibrates and repairs
all two-inch and larger meters annually, helping to reduce their apparent water losses.

Atlanta Department of Watershed Management participated in the American Cities Mentorship Program for Sustainability Atlanta and provided water saving kits to teen workers who walked door to door and retrofitted 528 homes. The estimated water saved over the lifetime of the water saving kits is over 77 million gallons!

Commercial Water Audit Workshops
The Water Supply and Water Conservation Plan calls for water providers to step up water audits (indoor and outdoor) for commercial and other large water users to help meet water conservation goals. Commercial water use accounts for approximately 25 percent of total water use within the region, and hotels represent some of the largest consumers. To address this issue, the Metro Water District offered three workshops in 2010 to train hotel staff and their local water providers on how to conduct hotel water audits. These handson sessions included classroom instruction, a water audit walk-through of a hotel facility and preparation of various water-savings calculations for hotels. More than 15 hotels and 10 providers participated.

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Wastewater Management

The District's Wastewater Management Plan addresses the management and maintenance of 92 publicly owned wastewater treatment plants, 16,000 miles of sanitary sewer line, more than 450,000 manholes and more than 500,000 septic systems in the metro area. These requirements are critical in ensuring that local systems have enough capacity to meet future demands and that wastewater discharges do not damage the health of rivers, streams and lakes in the region.
Wastewater Collection System Inspection and Maintenance
All local wastewater providers in the Metro Water District must establish or maintain a wastewater collection system inspection and maintenance program. System mapping, maintenance and rehabilitation are among the components of such programs. Programs are also designed to ensure adequate system capacity, timely response in the event of a spill or overflow and appropriate staff training.
Reducing Wastewater Collection System Spills
In order to reduce the number and severity of spills, the cause of spills must be identified. Based on wastewater utilities information, the top three most common causes of sewer spills were grease, tree roots and structural defects.
Since grease in sewer systems is the number one cause of clogging problems and resulting sewer spills, the District's

New Brochure: Don't Get Lost in the FOG
The 2009 Metro Water District Implementation Survey revealed the number one cause of sewer blockages and spills to be the result of fats, oils and grease (FOG). In response, the Metro Water District developed a brochure targeted towards food service industries within the metro area. The brochure, "Don't Get Lost in the FOG," is available to local governments to distribute to restaurants, schools, hospitals and any other facility that prepares and serves food. The brochure informs food workers, managers and owners about how to properly dispose of fats, oils and grease.
Wastewater Management Plan requires local wastewater providers to develop a grease management program. Ninety percent of utilities responding to the Metro Water District's annual survey have implemented one or more of the required grease management program elements.

Implemented Wastewater Collection System Inspection and Maintenance Elements
100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0%
System Map System Inspection and Maintenance Rehabilitation Program Capacity Certification
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Grease Management

Percentage of jurisdictions responding "Yes"

Overflow Response

Staff Training

Implemented Grease Management Practices

100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0%
Grease discharge regulatory authority

Enforcement program authority

Written prevention methods and procedures

Facility inspection program

Percentage of jurisdictions responding "Yes"

Overflow tracking

System blockage investigation procedures

Inspection and permitting program for grease pumpers

Septic Systems and Decentralized Systems
The Wastewater Management Plan provides for continued emphasis on planning, management and maintenance of septic systems, both for single-family homes and for larger systems that serve more than one property. These requirements include identification of future sewered and unsewered areas, identification of septic system critical areas where their use may not be appropriate, development of a plan for the disposal of septage collected by on-site systems and

adoption of a local ordinance to manage the use of private decentralized wastewater systems.
Approximately one-fifth of residential wastewater and onetenth of all wastewater generated in the District is treated by septic systems. The percentage of wastewater treated by septic systems is expected to decline as population density increases and more sanitary sewer service is made available.

Onsite Wastewater Management

Storm and wastewater from the Gwinnett Braves Stadium is piped through a unique system that reclaims the water for irrigation. The system is estimated to save a minimum of 650,000 gallons of water a year.

100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0%
Identification of future sewered and unsewered areas

Identification of septic system "critical areas"

Plan for septage disposal

Private decentralized wastewater systems ordinance

Percentage of jurisdictions responding "Yes"

| Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District -- 2010 Activities & Progress Report 13

Watershed Management Plan

Model Ordinance Implementation
The Metro Water District's Watershed Management Plan focuses on protecting water quality, watershed health and aquatic habitats through a number of management measures implemented by local governments. These measures include activities related to stormwater management, floodplain management, watershed protection, pollution prevention and monitoring.
The Watershed Management Plan requires local jurisdictions to adopt a suite of stormwater and watershed protection ordinances or equivalent regulations to address the impacts

of stormwater runoff and human activities on metro watersheds. Of the local governments that reported in 2010, all except one have adopted these model ordinances or equivalent regulations.
Future-Conditions Floodplain Mapping
In the Atlanta region, maps that delineate property within flood prone areas quickly become out of date due to rapid growth. Development and impervious cover increase stormwater runoff, which can cause more frequent flooding and floodplain boundaries to expand over time. Also, current maps often do not extend to smaller streams even though these

Floodplains Mapping Implementation

Future Conditions Floodplain Mapping Status

Completed Mapping

No Mapping

Partially Completed Mapping

No Data

Have Initiated Efforts

|14 Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District -- 2010 Activities & Progress Report

Individually or together, both greenspace protection and green infrastructure are important tools for the overall protection of watersheds and water resources in the Metro Water District.

Hall County partners with the Elachee Nature Science Center to teach students and teachers about aquatic systems in the Chicopee Woods Nature Preserve. Participants use nets to sample invertebrate life and then chemically evaluate the stream habitat.

Metro Water District communities are implementing this provision in a variety of ways including:
Conservation Subdivision Ordinance Greenspace or Green Infrastructure Plan Sustainable Growth Plan Evaluation of Barriers to Use of Green Infrastructure Other Locally Developed Programs

areas may be subject to flooding. As a result, local governments cannot advise developers or homeowners about which properties may be at risk.

In order to address the limitation of outdated flood insurance maps, the Watershed Management Plan requires District communities to map and regulate floodplains based on expected future land use conditions. The map shows the current status of future-condition floodplain mapping within the Metro Water District.

Greenspace Protection and Green Infrastructure

An example of a conservation subdivision that preserves greenspace and forest cover.

The 2009 Watershed Management Plan update provided a number of new management measures for local governments including a provision that District cities and counties implement one or more development and land use policies or practices that encourage the protection of greenspace and the use of green infrastructure in the community.
Greenspace is land that is permanently protected in a natural state, while green infrastructure involves the management of stormwater runoff through the use of natural systems, or engineered systems that mimic natural systems, to treat polluted runoff.

Stormwater Pollution Prevention
Nonpoint source pollution can occur during activities undertaken by local jurisdictions at their public facilities. A comprehensive pollution prevention and good housekeeping program for local governments helps to ensure that District communities are not contributing to water quality degradation. A key aspect of these programs is the training of local staff on correct procedures and practices for pollution prevention. Based on reporting this year, 89 percent of District communities have implemented a good housekeeping program for local government facilities and operations.

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Education and Public Awareness

The Metro Water District's public awareness and education plan targets schools, businesses, residents and water professionals. To assist local governments and to ensure consistent messaging throughout the metro area, the Metro Water District provides brochures, videos, posters, how-to-booklets, training opportunities and guidance in event and workshop planning. For 2010, the local governments focused primarily on community events. The following events were held throughout the District by local governments:
Rivers Alive Annual Wetlands and Watershed Festival Household Hazardous Waste Amnesty Day Cobb County Drug Take-Back Event WaterSense Tour Rain Barrel Workshop Adopt-A-Stream Clean Up Septic Maintenance Workshops Earth Day Celebration Great American Cleanup "Cubihatcha Kids," Henry County

Cobb County Water System held a water festival and WaterSmart garden dedication at Compton Elementary School. The garden design was donated by Bruce Holliday, a Cobb County-based
landscape architect. Lowes donated all the materials, and volunteers with their Home Improvement Heroes Program built the garden
and helped the children plant. During the water festival the students rotated through educational activities, including learning to plant the
right plants for the environment and water their garden efficiently.
2010 Metro Water District Radio Campaign
To reach a mass audience, the Metro Water District partnered with Total Traffic to implement a water conservation and stormwater prevention radio campaign in September. Water conservation and stormwater messages were embedded in morning and evening traffic reports on 10 stations around the region. The campaign reached an estimated 2 million listeners approximately 6.5 times each.

Throughout the year Fulton County partners with various organizations including Fulton County Cooperative Extension, City of
Alpharetta, City of Atlanta, Cobb County, South Fulton Master Gardeners and the nature centers to conduct rain barrel
workshops. The class includes information on water conservation and instructions on building, installing and maintaining the rain barrel.
Participants build the rain barrels on-site and take them home at the conclusion of the workshop. Since 2006, more than 500 rain barrels
have been constructed in North and South Fulton.

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2010 Clean Water Campaign/ Water Use It Wisely Essay Contest
Partnerships with schools are an important part of the education requirements of the Metro Water District water management plans. Each year, the Metro Water District encourages middle school students within the 15-county region to submit essays about water pollution prevention and water conservation. This year the Metro Water District regional winner is Kenneth Doyle, a seventh grader from Redan Middle School in DeKalb County. Kenneth submitted the top essay in the region where he discussed easy things we can do to conserve water and expressed how we can protect the water quality in our own neighborhoods. In Kenneth's essay he says, "turn off the water while brushing your teeth, take five minute showers, fix leaky faucets and save grey water to water your plants." Not only did Kenneth write about these things, he has started many water initiatives in his own community. Kenneth installed a rain garden in his yard, organized a community stream clean up and participated in water quality classes with DeKalb County.

From left to right: Kenneth Doyle, Sr., Vivian Doyle, Kenneth Doyle, Jr. , Regional Winner and Ms. Shelia Johnson-Reese,
prinicipal of Redan Middle School in DeKalb County.

Clayton County Water Authority's 2010 Rivers Alive Stream Cleanup brought out 198 community volunteers who cleaned trash, litter and other debris from Beaver Dam Creek and the area around it in Independence Park. The objective of this annual event is to get local residents involved in preserving and protecting local waterways.
Cherokee County Water and Sewerage Authority teaches students about water conservation, the water cycle, water quality monitoring and point and non-point source pollution every year using educational
tools like this EnviroScape model. In 2010, CCWSA taught environmental education programs to over 5,000 students, including these seventh graders at Woodstock Middle School.
| Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District -- 2010 Activities & Progress Report 17

Plan Compliance

The Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) enforces the Metro Water District plans through its audit process. EPD auditors conduct a thorough review of the local programs and procedures to determine consistency with the Metro Water District plans. Communities must comply with the plan provisions to modify or obtain new water withdrawal permits, wasteload allocations, GEFA loan

funding, or to renew MS4 stormwater permits. In 2010, EPD provided a new audit checklist that reflects the revised programs and policies outlined in the 2009 plan updates. EPD continues to work closely with the M etro Water District to provide technical assistance to local governments in their efforts to comply with current plan requirements.

2010 Audits
Completed by December 1, 2010 Atlanta
Bartow County Cobb County
Dallas Dunwoody Forsyth County Gainesville Hall County Henry County Henry County Water & Sewer Authority Kingston Pine Lake
Roswell Waleska
In progress as of December 1, 2010 Canton
Cartersville Cumming DeKalb County Douglasville Douglas County Water & Sewer Authority with Douglasville and Douglas County Rockdale County Stockbridge
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| Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District -- 2010 Activities & Progress Report 19

2010 Financials
The Metro Water District operates on a calendar year budget, with the majority of revenues coming from local government dues ($782,795) and the State of Georgia ($250,000). Local government dues were $0.20 per capita for 2010. Below is a review of revenues and expenses. This accounting is subject to adjustments after fiscal year-end close and independent audit.

Revenues
State Funds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $250,000 Local Dues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $782,795 General Fund Carryover . . . . . . . . . $259,602 Interest Income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $2,500 District Special Projects Revenue . . . . . . . $112,224 Miscellaneous (meeting and other fees) . . . $65,000 Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,472,121

Expenses
Chairman's Allowance . . . . . . . . . . . $3,000 District Special Project . . . . . . . . . . . $112,224 Public Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . $150,000 Salaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $345,835 Fringe Benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $193,619 Contracts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $70,000 Overhead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $291,307 Miscellaneous Operating . . . . . . . . . . $80,000 General Fund Carryover for 2010 . . . . . . $226,136 Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,472,121

Financial Recommendations for 2011
The governing board has adopted a budget of $1,278,795 for 2011, with the majority of revenues coming from local government dues ($782,795) and the State of Georgia ($250,000). Local government dues will be $0.20 per capita for 2011.

| 20 Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District -- 2010 Activities & Progress Report

Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District 40 Courtland Street, NE | Atlanta, Georgia 30303 phone: 404.463.3256 | fax: 404.463.3254
www.northgeorgiawater.org
|22 Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District -- 2010 Activities & Progress Report