Water Resources
Creation of a proper water management plan for the State of Georgia will require cooperation between local, state and federal officials as well as coordination of water management policies with our neighboring states. State and local action must begin with recognition that water is one of our most precious and limited resources. The Water Conservation Bill adopted in the 2010 session is a good start. This bill has many good provisions that will encourage conservation, and require better planning. Policies must be established which recognize that development policies, particularly in North Georgia, must consider how new development will affect the limited water resources, how water will be provided to the new areas of development, and how state and local governments can provide new reservoirs for drinking water and better plans for dealing with wastewater and controlling pollution of our current ground water.
On the federal level our elected officials as well as the Corp of Engineers must recognize that its operating plans are ineffective and inefficient. Lake Lanier provides an outstanding water resource for North Georgia. It provides drinking water to vast areas of North Georgia while also providing a recreational lake that makes a huge economic contribution to the entire State. We must work with our neighboring states to develop a plan that allows the continued use of Lake Lanier for drinking water.
I support additional legislative initiatives which will require better regional planning including reviewing the effect of new development on existing water resources, and initiatives to provide for responsible ways of treating waste water and reducing ground water pollution. In addition, I will support legislative proposals for water management policies that protect Lake Lanier as both a water source for North Georgia and a recreational facility of economic importance.