Environmentalists say end private water war talks

ATLANTA - A trio of environmental groups want an end to closed-door talks as Georgia, Alabama and Florida negotiate a long-running water dispute.

Riverkeepers for the Coosa, Flint and Chattahoochee rivers are calling on Georgia's next governor to reject confidentiality agreements when negotiating a water conflict that threatens to severely curtail Atlanta's drinking water.

It developed after a federal judge ruled last year that Atlanta has few legal rights to take drinking water from Lake Lanier. That ruling gave political leaders three years to reach an agreement.

Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue has said he's not sure he can strike a deal before leaving office in early January.

The groups say Atlanta must also reduce its water use and acknowledge that people downstream need water, too.