Sunday, August 23, 2009
News Sen. Jeff Chapman's views on water conservation, water wars
Posted by Thomas Wheatley @thomaswheatley on Sun, Aug 23, 2009 at 4:19 PM
This is several days old, but since there's been quite a buzz about a recent op-ed by state Sen. Jeff Chapman, R-Brunswick, we thought we'd share it for the rest of the world.
Chapman's one of the Gold Dome's greatest enigmas. He's one of the few Republicans who doesn't march in lockstep with his fellow pachyderms and isn't afraid to butt heads with leadership over his constituents' concerns. Last year, he won an army of fans when he pointed out problems with Jekyll Island's proposed redevelopment.
One day after Sen. Chip Pearson, R-Dawsonville, published an op-ed banging the reservoir drum, Chapman released an op-ed titled "Fixing the holes in Georgia's water bucket." It was a welcome response to Pearson's call to simply build more holes.
In it, Chapman says the state should offer incentives and tax credits for low-flow toilets and fixtures, tighten up its infrastructure, and dredge existing dams. To do so would save money, prevent intrastate water wars, and send a clear signal to Alabama and Florida — and Congress — that the state is serious about its precarious situation.
After the jump, for posterity's sake, Chapman's full op-ed.
Fixing the holes in Georgia’s water bucket:A common sense approach to water supply needs
Water — who has it and who needs it — is creating a polarized political climate of “us” versus “them.”
For almost 20 years, the State of Georgia has battled Alabama and Florida in the courts for its share of Lake Lanier’s water supply. Georgia’s legal battle has already cost the taxpayers nearly $6.7 million with another $5 million spent by the Atlanta Regional Commission. The legal discord has sown distrust among the three states and now threatens to sow similar troubles here at home by pitting the water needs of metro-Atlanta against those of the rural regions of the state.
Such concerns are now magnified by the State’s stunning defeat in U.S. District Court last month. U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson ruled that the Army Corps of Engineers has never had legal authority to allow Georgia to use Lake Lanier as a primary domestic water source or even to store water there in preparation for drought years. The Court has granted Georgia three years to find alternative sources of water for the City of Atlanta or to prevail upon Congress to grant Atlanta’s use of Lake Lanier as its primary water source.
After that grace period, if the Court’s ruling holds, the metro region will be limited to 230 million gallons daily from Lake Lanier’s water flow. Currently, Lake Lanier sources provide more than double that amount for the area’s potable water. Taking into account all area water sources, Lake Lanier provides the lion’s share of the metro region’s water needs, well over three-fourths of the total, a plan never intended or approved by Congress.
Due to the uncertain outcome of Georgia either winning an appeal or obtaining great favor from Washington, state leaders must move forward on a package of legislative measures in the upcoming 2010 General Assembly showing that the State is serious about solving its water woes. Since the metro area is ground zero, the State’s full effort must first focus on comprehensive water planning where it will have the greatest impact, show considerable results within three years, and be achieved with the least cost.
As the City of Atlanta has already proven, fixing the obvious “holes in the bucket” provides instant water savings. In 2003, the City lost 20 percent of its clean water to leaks and unmetered uses. Within the past five years, its leak detection and abatement program has reduced water loss by 1 percent each year, enough to supply 244,000 Atlanta residents with water. This program, if instituted throughout the 16-county region, could potentially save anywhere from 10 to 20 percent in total water usage.
Secondly, retrofitting all outdated appliances and fixtures with water efficient models could provide an additional 35 percent savings in household consumption. The State should initiate a pro-active program, with special emphasis on the metro region, which rewards home and business owners with tax credits upon the installation of water efficient fixtures. Along these same lines, the State should provide incentives for new development to include water efficient measures, such as designing homes and neighborhoods to capture and reuse storm water and gray water on site.
The State also needs to survey existing reservoirs within the Apalachicola Chattahoochee Flint River (ACF) Basin to determine if water resources could substantially increase if these were dredged or otherwise enlarged.
Maximizing the potential of existing dams is absolutely essential when considering the massive costs associated with new dam construction. The old school approach has always called for the building of new dams, but this is the most expensive and slowest solution. New dams can cost up to 8500 times more than water efficiency measures. According to Georgia’s Environmental Protection Division, dams can cost $4000 per 1000 gallons of capacity, while efficiency measures range from $0.46 to $250 per 1000 gallons saved or new capacity. Without trying to oversimplify the problem, it is far wiser to repair the holes in the bucket than to just pour more water into that leaky bucket.
By demonstrating good faith efforts with quick and measurable results, Georgia may win favor from Congress for a more generous solution regarding metro Atlanta’s water use from Lake Lanier. While initiating this common-sense course of action, Georgia will secure a cost-effective water supply, build trust among its southern neighbors, and help prevent water disputes between different regions of the state.
(Courtesy Senate Press Office)
Comments (30)
Showing 1-30 of 30
Sen Chapman's op-ed disproves the cynic's law that there is no such thing as a sane and responsible politician. He especially appears not to have gotten the message from his party: "Drill baby, drill." Chapman for governor, anyone?
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Chapman’s position on the water issue is like a breath of fresh air in a debate dominated by those who seem immune to common sense. He’s not saying that building new reservoirs is unnecessary but rather that we need to pick the low hanging fruit first (conservation/water efficiency measures) and then consider more costly approaches, if need be. Conversely, at Governor Perdue’s water conference the other day, gubernatorial candidate John Oxendine said he’s personally ready to take a shovel in hand now to get new reservoir construction moving, a position akin to that taken by fellow Republican Sen. Chip Pearson in a recent op ed. How is it that the party that claims to be fiscally conservative turns so quickly to the most expensive way to deal with our water supply problem? According to Chapman, if Georgia shows good faith efforts to use wisely the water we can advance our chances of settling up with our neighbors – Alabama and Florida – and/or winning Congressional favor for a water supply solution that would be to our liking. This approach too seems sensible; certainly more so than behaving as if we are the aggrieved party in the water dispute, or spending a small fortune on legal fees in a misguided effort to reverse the Magnuson court decision. I have to say that I’m impressed by Sen. Chapman’s initiative and political courage in backing an approach to resolving our water woes that uses the “C” word – conservation – which is close to the “E” word – environmentalism, both of which border on profanity in the vocabulary of the Republican upper echelon.
Over the past few years, I’ve read about Republican Sen. Chapman standing up for citizens’ rights, first through eminent domain legislation that he sponsored, then through a House bill (214) he amended so as to protect the south end of Jekyll Island State Park from commercialization, and most recently through his successful resolution to protect public access to Jekyll Island’s main beach. Each of these efforts is rooted in the proposition that the common good supercedes special interests. This is the kind of thinking we should expect from all state officials, but it does seem to be the exception, not the norm. Now I see that Sen. Chapman has taken a conservation approach to handling our state’s water supply problem. That approach, as outlined in his news release, makes for good public policy but may not be popular with those powerful interests who stand to gain from the hundreds of millions of dollars that some state leaders want to spend on new reservoir construction. To me, Sen. Chapman is on thin ice, as it appears that he doesn’t care whose political toes he steps on, or how big they are, as long as he thinks he’s doing the right thing, and doing it in an ethical and responsible way. Such behavior is commendable, in an ideal world, but I have to think that Sen. Chapman may be cutting his own political throat by steering a course that irks the leadership of his own party. Convictions and gumption are fine but so is being a team player.
Thanks for giving space to this sensible piece by Senator Chapman. I had not seen it before, but I had read Senator Pearson's op/ed in the AJC a few days ago. Wanted to write a comment about it, but it was so full of grandiose ideas and bad thinking I couldn't decide where to start. Senator Chapman's piece is much better than anything I could have said. I live in the metro area and was astonished when the water conservation measures were eased. As Chapman proposes, conservation is simple yet can save so much, but we as humans quickly go back to our careless ways once the latest crisis is past whether it's unnecessary driving or wasting water. I agree with someone's earlier post: Chapman is the kind of person we need in a statewide leadership position. He's sensible, logical, and seems as though he would be genuinely concerned about the entire state. His leadership on the issues relating to Jekyll Island has been invaluable, and he will obviously bring the same kind of caring common sense to the water issues during the next legislative session.
As usual, Sen. Chapman is on the mark. Wish we hard more like him! Not only at the State level, but in Washington DC.
I ditto the remark "Sen. Chapman is right on the mark". NC has had water/drought problems for many years. Conserving water is a primary concern for us all Sen. Chapman: Keep on pounding away. We are all with you. Laura P. Carrico (native Georgian) Raleigh, NC
Bravo for Jeff's common sense approach to the water problems. Water is the one thing we cannot live without; and it's none to soon to take our supply - or lack thereof- very seriously!
The best thing going for the Republican Party of Georgia is Jeff Chapman, a man who has shone an extraordinary amount of common sense and courage. Conservation of Georgia's water is a brilliant idea, one so sane that it seems self-evident, and yet, watch most politicians balk at the idea. Sen. Chapman is my HERO.
Senator Chapman is amazing in his persistance in gathering all the facts and figures of a case and then making common sense proposals. He makes his case with two salient points: We can do much more water conservation in our metro areas than we do now, and Ga. govenment could provide many more incentives for residents, offices, industry to do that. Education and incentives! What a concept. Three cheers for Senator Chapman! Roberta Sedam
Senator Jeff Chapman is head and shoulders above the politicians in both parties. He's an independent thinker, a fiscal conservative who champions the common people, and he isn't afraid of the party leadership. Let's listen to his sensible ideas about water conservation before we go spending tens of millions of dollars on ill-conceived "solutions." I hope Senator Chapman advances to higher office! We need more leaders like him.
Anyone who is honestly worried about our water supply problem has to be impressed with Sen. Chapman’s common sense thinking on this difficult issue, which boils down to supporting ways to use more efficiently the water we have before considering investment of taxpayer dollars in costly ways to increase our water supply. His “leaky bucket” metaphor is very effective in pointing out that, if we want to have any credibility with neighboring states with which we share water resources or with Congress if – the Lord forbid - the water problem ends up in Washington’s lap, we must show that we are trying to maximize our use of the water we have. As Chapman, in his man of the street way, says, Georgia needs to show that it is serious out solving its water crisis by first patching the holes in its water bucket and then exploring other options for a solution, especially those that are fiscally responsible. I must add that anyone who wants to know what makes Chapman tick ought to watch the classic film, “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.” When watching the movie, substitute, Jekyll Island for Willow Creek, the Taylor machine for the Tanner machine, Senator Payne for our Republican leadership, and James Stewart (with all of his heartfelt attachment to our Constitution and naiveté about inside the beltway politics) for Jeff Chapman, who has all the makings of a populist hero for Georgians.
I just fell off the turnip truck, but all of you diverse and totally unconnected commenters are making a lot of sense to me.
Senators Chapman's suggestion of incentive to make appliances more water efficient is right on! The ground water research division at my university has a water use display that has a large wall with a computerized display of several dozen stacked containers of water. It demonstrates the relative water use required for various household functions by "emptying " the number of containers required for each. Functions such as dishwashers, washing machines, lawn watering, car washing etc. empty parts of containers and occasionally more than one . Flushing toilets with regular sized tanks empties the entire wall of containers! It is absolutely astounding how much water is wasted down the drain when the use of small flush amounts could save so much good water.
Senator Chapman is right on with a well thought-out rationale for approaching the water problem. Being proactive (no matter how rare in the political world) is a far better approach than waving a blunderbuss at our neighbors. It will also stand us well when the DC politicos get their tentacles into the act. I would add another piece of the puzzle: Do a study on the uses of water to prioritize our efforts. For example, in my former residence in Mississippi it was determined that a huge user of water was a local golf course. Money was invested in treating sewage to bring it up to being usable on the course (non-potable).
In addition to Senator Chapman's excellent column, Robin Banks's post (above) is interesting as well. Toilets do seem to be the big water waster when not maintained, and hence the biggest opportunity for easy gains. Last year we replaced 4 aged toilets in our house, with the "dual-flush" model. These are quite common in Europe now; one button flushes a small amount of water for "#1" (think men's room urinal), the other, larger button flushes more for "#2". They work very well, and we got a nice rebate from the city of Atlanta. The most pleasant surprise was our water bill. I expected to go down a little; instead it went down a LOT!
Win-win ideas from Senator Chapman. Conserve and use what we have to the max. Senator @earson can only see that we should build new projects, even in national forests, and make no conservation plans. Chapman has ideas which could show results almost immediately. In spite of Pearson's simplistic view, we can't build our way out of the water situation any more than we can build our way out of Atlanta's traffic with more highways.
Water is essential to human existence and therefore so is water conservation. Sen. Chapman's common sense is what we need!
I think Sen. chapman's ideas are the logical way to go. This is an important issue and I a support Sen Chapman's stance and solution.
Think "planning" at the regional level. Bring in users, stakeholders, managers, advocates, municipalities, irrigators and then ground the recommendations in hydrologically-based science. See http://www.waterassembly.org for a good model. Ad hoc solutions such as conservation may not have results as expected. Example, if demand for water rises as the result of development then even the consequent increase of water supplies as the result of conservation will be soaked up by an increase in demand. The good thing about regional planning is that it prepares regions for the kind of choices that they will be facing and provides an opportunity to sit at a negotiating table without resorting to water wars. It gives a chance to quantify recommendations and evaluate the technical, financial and political feasibilities of recommendations. It broadens the scope of proposals to include monitoring, quality, administration and legal aspects. It gives public officials options and insight into potential consequences both on the resource and the economic and financial impacts of recommendations. And it is an inclusive and transparent process that lays the basis for establishing priorities for allocations and regional uses for water that are reality-based.
It is sad that environmentalism and conservation are considered dirty words among most of Georgia's retrograde politicians. Teddy Roosevelt was a Republican, but a staunch conservationist also. But our Republican party in Georgia is mostly about growth at any cost and damn the consequences to our children and grandchildren. Their mantra is "economic development" until the entire state is wall-to-wall shopping centers, tacky subdivisions, fast food outlets, strip malls. condo towers, apartment complexes, multi lane highways, giant, gaudy and bizarre roadside advertising signs, etc., until GA is as ugly, bulldozed and ruined as most of Florida. Senator Chapman is a rare Georgia politician who seems to have the public welfare uppermost in mind, rather than simply entering politics to line his own pockets and those of his cronies. I would love to see him run for governor. It would be like a breath of fresh air!
Martin makes a strong point - regional planning is preferable to politicos deciding things in an information vacuum, and the use of hydrology specialists is an absolute must if we are to have first rate input in resolving the water supply problem. I have good reason to believe that Chapman will incorporate this kind of thinking into his proactive stance on the water issue, given how he made use of specialists in his widely applauded legislative initiative for eminent domain reform, and in his recommendations for how to handle public land planning and resource management for Jekyll Island State Park. After all, neither Chapman nor his colleagues in the Legislature have the depth of knowledge or command of facts to deal effectively with issues as complex as our water supply problem. The same holds true for other challenging issues, such as how to resolve our transportation bottleneck, or improve the quality of our public schools.
Jeff Chapman is one of those rare public servants who consistently espouses a broader perspective--increasingly a statewide perspective--putting aside personal interests and focusing on doing what is RIGHT, not what will bring him votes or personal gain. I agree with those who say that Chapman should run for Governor. He is a man we can trust. What more proof do we need of his integrity than his demonstrated willingness to put himself on the line to uphold his principles?
Senator Jeff Chapman has hit the right note. Like a former Republican conservationist (Teddy Roosevelt), he sees that building and consuming more and more ultimately will cost us the farm. It seems our state legislature and Governor's office can see only one solution to the growing scarcity of water in Georgia---build more of those expensive dams. But, the only REAL, sustainable solution to the reality of huge population growth, in the face of a finite water supply, is CONSERVATION. The 1996 Amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act emphasized the wisdom and lasting value of water conservation. Properly planned and implemented, water conservation programs can defer, reduce, or eliminate the need for not only reservoirs, but also wastewater facilities. Significant capital cost savings can result in much smaller long term debt. Less initial cost and debt frees up funds for other things, such as land conservation, public health, and education improvement.
Hurray for Senator Chapman. Once again, he has the solutions and Georgians should listen. Wish he would run for Governor.
Once again Sen. Chapman has proven himself to be a common sense thinker amidst the sea of insanity in politics today.
Sen. Chapman comes through again. The ideas presented by the Senator are the key to living in the future well knwing water is not an unlimitd source. The Govenor and his staff continue to try to steal water from others and nature as they allow development that cannot be supported by the envirnoment. That well is getting close to empty and Georgia is not the only state that needs water in these parts! Part of planning for the future is to find other ways to fulfill these needs. Another greedy and short term idea from the Perdue adminisration. 2010 cannot cme too soon.
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