CITY OF ATLANTA WATER CONSERVATION INFORMATION

Mayor Shirley Franklin's Stakeholder Letter on Water Conservation 

City of Atlanta Water Conservation Facts:

• In 2004, Atlanta committed $1 billion toward water system improvements, even though that investment was not mandated.
• Atlanta's water production was 105.9 million gallons a day for the first four days in November 2006. This year, the production was 98.5 mgd over the same time period, a reduction of 7 percent.
• In November 2006, the City was billing 158,960 accounts for a total of 662 gallons per day per account. In October 2007, those numbers were: 183,405 accounts using 537 gallons per day per account, a reduction of 129 gallons per account or 19.4 percent.
• Since 2000, the City's customer base has risen by 9 percent, but its water consumption has dropped by 5 percent.
• Atlanta has repaired almost 8000 leaks since January 2007. The City is currently averaging 800 leak repairs a month compared to 700 a year when the water system was operated privately.
• Atlanta in in the first year of a three-year, $35 million project to replace all water meters with Automated Meter Reading technology, which will reduce leaks, allow meters to be read remotely and ensure accurate billing.
• Atlanta has replaced more than 55 miles of old water mains in communities throughout the City. When the water main replacement project is complete, the City will have replaced more than 130 miles of water mains.
• Atlanta's water/sewer customers overwhelmingly (by a 3-1 margin) approved a one-cent sales tax in July 2004 to help fund water/sewer work.
• In 2004, Atlanta went to conservation pricing on its water/sewer bills, rewarding those who use less water. Atlanta's rates are still among the highest in the country despite the fact that the City has a higher percentage of residents at or below the poverty rate (25 percent) than any other City with comparable water/sewer bills.
• Foreseeing the need for drinking water storage in 2006 in conjunction with Beltline Inc, Atlanta purchased the Vulcan Quarry to become a 2-billion-gallong water reservoir within the city limits.
• Atlanta has launched a $1 million toilet rebate program in cooperation with Home Depot and the Atlanta Regional Commission and supports the passage of state legislation to require a retrofit letter on resale of all property
• Atlanta will contract with top water engineering firm and pay for water audits for its large customers and conduct a conservation seminar for business in mid November.
• Atlanta will conduct water repairs on all government owned facilitIes to reduce leaks and consider other water saving measures.
• Atlanta fully supports the outdoor water ban and has adjusted its government operations including in parks to meet the water reduction goals.
• Atlanta is promoting water conservation on the city channel 26 and will ask area media to advertise water conservation aggressively using public service ads.

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Watershed Management Commissioner. “We are not just talking about it. We are spending $1 billion on it. And, we continue to challenge our customers to look for new ways to protect our water resources.”

Last Friday, Mayor Shirley Franklin and Department of Watershed Management Commissioner Rob Hunter reiterated the City’s intention to comply with the Governor’s 10 percent water use reduction goals, urging Atlanta’s commercial, industrial and residential customers to conserve water whenever possible and vowing that the City will make conservation one of its top priorities.

The Mayor announced a set of new initiatives intended to cut water use throughout the City, including:

• A $1 million ultra-low-flow toilet rebate program in conjunction with the Atlanta Regional Commission and Home Depot;
• Large customer conservation workshops in cooperation with the Georgia Environmental Protection Divisions aimed at the City’s 50 largest users;
• Changes in policy that include allowing only one landscaping exemption per property;
• Eliminating the sale of irrigation meters;
• Informing customers that, while they may receive a permit to build a pool, they will no longer be allowed to fill the pool; and
• Helping fund water conservation audits for large users.

Yesterday, Hunter presented the City’s new water saving policies before Atlanta City Council, where he announced that the City has already made significant progress toward the state’s mandated 10 percent water reduction.  Despite the number of accounts billed has risen from 158,960 in October 2006 to 183,405 in October 2007, Atlanta water customers are taking the City’s conservation message seriously and overall usage has declined from 662.2 gallons per day per account to 537.2 gallons per day per account – a reduction of 129 gallons or 19.4 percent.

The City’s average winter usage is approximately 102 million gallons a day. The Mayor has set a usage goal of 91.5 million gallons a day and is urging all Atlantans to continue to conserve. “We’re all in this together,” she said.