South Carolina legislators want to block water transfers to Georgia

GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA - South Carolina legislators are moving forward with a plan to block water transfers from the Savannah River basin to the Atlanta area even though some Georgia officials say they have no immediate plans to pipe water to the area. <br> <br> Rep. Gresham Barrett, R-Westminster, introduced a bill that would prevent the transfer of water from the Savannah River basin in South Carolina to Georgia without a written agreement. <br> <br> State lawmakers are concerned piping water to the Atlanta area and the low water levels in the basin would affect Greenville&#39;s water supply. <br> <br> The bill&#39;s co-sponsor, Rep. Bill Sandifer III, R-Seneca, said Wednesday he expects to get support from the Legislature. <br> <br> ``We are doing everything we know to keep this from occurring,&#39;&#39; he said. ``As you know, the Savannah River basin is already short of water because of the drought. Even in good conditions, we only have enough water.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> The state Senate has agreed to ask Congress to block a Georgia plan to pipe water from the basin to Habersham County, Ga. But officials there have said they have no immediate plans to pipe water from the Savannah basin. <br> <br> Greenville County currently takes as much as 54 million gallons of water a day from the Savannah River basin at Lake Keowee and that&#39;s expected to increase to 150 million gallons a day, according to the Greenville Water System.