Official: Less water doesn't necessarily mean less metro Atlanta growth

ATLANTA - Developers in ever-expanding metro Atlanta are reacting cautiously to information that the region&#39;s water resources may be tapped out more than two decades early. <br> <br> The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently said Lake Lanier and the Chattahoochee River are approaching their maximum output levels much sooner than the previous estimated date of 2030. <br> <br> Still, public and private planning officials said the news should lead to more conservation not less growth. <br> <br> ``It&#39;s too early to tell whether the statements by the corps will have an effect on what we do,&#39;&#39; Gwinnett County Planning Director Mike Williams said. <br> <br> One expected effect is continued emphasis on lowering Atlanta&#39;s high per-capita water consumption. Conservation-minded technology such as low-flow fixtures and subdivisions with large tracts of permanent green space have become popular with both builders and buyers. <br> <br> ``The average citizen is going to have to make some lifestyle changes that several years ago we wouldn&#39;t have dreamed of,&#39;&#39; said Bettie Sleeth, vice president for regulatory affairs for the Homebuilders Association of Georgia. <br> <br> That doesn&#39;t, however, necessarily translate to developers putting the brakes on growth. <br> <br> Jim Durrett, executive director of the Urban Land Institute&#39;s Atlanta office, said the report is more likely to draw attention to efficient construction and land-use strategies that have been discussed in the past. <br> <br> ``This is just a little flare saying 2030 may be closer than you think,&#39;&#39; Durrett said. <br> <br> Some officials said conservation alone won&#39;t solve the problem. Atlanta City Councilwoman Clair Muller, chair of the city&#39;s utilities committee, said she would like to see the region consider building new reservoirs and desalinization facilities. <br> <br> ``Reuse has really got to be looked at,&#39;&#39; she said. <br> <br> Michael Pelt, a developer with M.D. Hodges Enterprises and the current president of the Georgia Chapter of the National Association of Industrial and Office Parks, said developers need time to find ways for metro Atlanta to continue to grow within the limits of its resources. <br> <br> ``It&#39;s hard to go to different procedures and policies overnight ... but over 10 or 15 years, you can ease your way into a good long-term program,&#39;&#39; Pelt said.