Key House panel passes bill that may help in water war

AJC: 

Georgia’s push for a solution to its water crisis -- as well as efforts to influence the water war with Alabama and Florida -- took a significant step forward Tuesday with a key House vote.

  The Natural Resources and Environment Committee voted unanimously to curtail outdoor watering and require builders and apartment building owners to more efficiently manage water -- a so-called “culture of conservation” intended to convince Alabama, Florida and a federal judge that Georgia is serious about its water.

“I call this a Good Neighbor bill,” said Rep. Lynn Smith (R-Newnan), who chairs Natural Resources. “If I lived in Alabama or Florida, I would say, ‘They’re doing things in Georgia.’ And we are moving in the right direction.”

The Senate counterpart to Smith’s committee has already passed its version of the Georgia Water Stewardship Act of 2010. House and Senate legislators are expected to iron out their not-too-significant differences by session’s end. A spokesman for Gov. Sonny Perdue said Tuesday “we are very pleased with both the House and Senate versions of the bill.” The new water rules would mostly go into effect in July 2012.

Perdue, like most legislators, is keenly aware of the consequences should Georgia fail to pass water conservation legislation.

Senior U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson ruled last summer that Georgia has little legal right to Lake Lanier, the main drinking source for Atlanta. Georgia, Alabama and Florida have been embroiled in a two-decade-long spat over the sharing of the Chattahoochee River, which feeds Lanier.

Magnuson has given the states until mid-2012 -- when the legislation would kick into gear -- to resolve their watery dispute, or else he’s likely to greatly restrict Georgia’s access to Lanier, a federal reservoir.

Bert Brantley, Perdue’s spokesman, said Tuesday the legislation shows “our neighbors that we are serious about conservation and only using what we need.”

“The different elements of the bill are common sense conservation measures that should be done regardless of negotiations or whether the judge’s ruling stands in July 2012,” he added.

The House bill, which garnered support from both the business and environmental communities, would allow outdoor watering only between the hours of 4 p.m. and 10 a.m. Farmers, though, would be exempt, as would people who irrigate their own food gardens, private well owners, nurseries, golf courses and athletic fields.

“This has the potential to save us millions of gallons of water during a time of day where as much as half could be lost to evaporation,” said Rep. Debbie Buckner (D-Junction City), who has introduced water conservation legislation for eight years.

In addition, the legislation requires builders to use more efficient water fixtures, like low-flow toilets, in newly constructed buildings. Owners of new apartment buildings also would be required to install water meters for each unit.

Most of the legislative recommendations were put forth by Perdue earlier this year after a governor-appointed task force came up with a laundry list of possible water conservation and water supply (i.e. reservoirs) measures.

Perdue is negotiating a water-sharing agreement with the governors of Alabama and Florida. He has also appealed Magnuson’s ruling on usage of Lake Lanier. A decision isn’t expected until next year.

Posted via email from Jim Nichols for GA State House