ATLANTA - Despite the fact the state is running above average in rainfall this year, an Atlanta engineering firm is reporting that Georgia's water needs will double by the year 2020, and the state will have trouble fulfilling those needs.
Engineering firm Burns and McDonnell Southeast, in a study entitled "The Big Gulp: Georgia's Water Challenge," said Georgians currently use an estimated 2,500,000,000 gallons per day and by 2020, that consumption rate is predicted to increase to 5,000,000,000 estimated gallons per day.
Wayne Haynie, regional water practice manager in the firm's Southeast office, said the issue is not only a growing population, but also the addition of power plants and industry in Georgia.
Haynie said the study shows that by 2020, the daily need for water in north Georgia would be enough to drain Lake Lanier in just eight days.
He said the issue will not resolve itself.
"With all of our recent rainfall, we may be lulled into thinking our water resources are adequate and nature alone will meet our growing demands," he said.
"That's just not going to be enough. We need our expertise and collaboration now to properly address water and wastewater management in every region of the state."
Editor's note: Burns and McDonnell-Southeast removed the study from their website once these claims were disputed by the Atlanta Regional Commission.
Saturday
July 5th, 2025
3:13PM
