Gwinnett County commissioners to increase fines for big water users

LAWRENCEVILLE - The Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners has agreed to increase the pressure on the county's biggest water users.

The board approved a water conservation plan Wednesday that will impose larger fines and surcharges on large-volume water users. The proposal also gives incentives to residential customers who upgrade their plumbing fixtures.

Commissioner Lorraine Green -- an engineer -- says it's time for elected officials to address the drought problem.

Commission Chairman Charles Bannister says the money set aside for new toilet installation rebates is NOT enough to cover 114,000 pre-1993 homes that likely will quality for them. He says there's enough in the budget for rebates for about 3,000 homes.

The commissioners say the penalties for excess watering as well as incentives for conserving water must both be increased.

Large volume wholesale water customers will be fined and audited if they fail to meet Governor Perdue's mandated 10 percent cut in their monthly water usage. The amount of the fines will be double what the high-volume water users pay every month.