Tuesday, March 31, 2009
News Proposed South Fulton reservoir has an opponent — Atlanta
Posted by Thomas Wheatley @thomaswheatley on Tue, Mar 31, 2009 at 3:50 PM
A bill that would allow local governments to build big water-filled holes even if they've signed service agreements with other providers is winding its way through the Georgia General Assembly — and the City of Atlanta in none too pleased with the legislation.
Why? Because the bill is tailor-made for three cities in South Fulton that are planning a 440-acre reservoir. And two of those cities purchase water from the city.
Rob Hunter, commissioner of Atlanta’s Department of Watershed Management, said House Bill 406, which passed the House and the Senate Natural Resources Committee, will “throw the bond market into chaos.”Hunter said Atlanta’s $4 billion water and sewer overhaul is partially dependent on revenues from the south Fulton cities. He also said the proposed Bear Creek Reservoir is not needed since Atlanta can meet south Fulton’s water demand through 2060.
Harold Reheis, the former Georgia Environmental Protection Division director turned Gold Dome lobbyist who's pushing the bill, tells the AJC that the cities' contribution to Atlanta's revenue is a fraction of one percent. He also points to the constant threat of droughts — but it's over, yippee! — and the state's ongoing "water war" as reasons for the giant hole.
According to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers documents mailed to CL, the reservoir will feature a 42-foot-tall dam and, once built, will fill with water pumped from the Chattahoochee River.
(Photo of Hickory Log Creek Reservoir by Joeff Davis)
Comments (3)
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"...Atlanta can meet south Fulton’s water demand through 2060" Last I checked Atlanta can"t meet ATLANTA'S water demand.
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why does rob hunter still have a job? do my taxes really pay his salary? step 1 - fire rob hunter and start over. step 2 - build more reservoirs. d'uh.
Rob Hunter still has a job because he runs Atlanta's water sewer system like a business. And no, don't build more unnecessary reservoirs at the expense of the financial stability of our existing water systems that have been supplying us water for over 100 years. D'uh.
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