Below, you will find responses to major questions that have been submitted to the Water Council since the submission of the Draft Water Plan.  Thank you for your time and interest.

1. Question: How will implementation of the State Water Plan be funded?
   
   Answer: The December 5th revised draft states the following:
   
   • “State investment to support resource assessments and preparation of regional water development plans is essential to meet the goals of the comprehensive statewide water management plan. The Water Council recommends that funding for work by EPD, other agencies, and contractors be part of the state’s FY09 through FY11 budgets.”
   
   The Governor's fiscal 2009 budget request relating to the Water Plan, currently under development, is expected to identify the sources of funds for the execution of work tasks associated with the State Water Plan. Details of the governor's budget request for the State Water Plan will be made available when it has been completed.
   
   It should be noted that, under current statutes, it is not possible for EPD to charge fees for water withdrawal, drinking water, or treated wastewater permits to support water plan implementation. New legislation would be required to authorize fees for these permits.
   
   
2. Question: The Plan appears to expand the authority of the EPD Director. If so, why?
   
   Answer: The plan does not create new authority for the Director nor extend his or her authority beyond that already specified in state law. In all of the instances where the plan outlines specific authorities of the EPD Director, those authorities have already been established by existing state statutes, which are referenced in the plan. For some of these statutes, however, rules have not been promulgated and are needed to clarify and delimit the Director’s authority. In this way, the revised draft plan provides additional checks on the Director’s exercise of authority under current law. Rules of the Board will limit the Director’s discretion through explicit decision criteria.
   
   
3. Question: Is the State Water Plan going to restrict or hinder the construction of new reservoirs?
   
   Answer: No, the draft State Water Plan is intended to facilitate development of additional water storage in areas identified through regional planning. The State Water Plan focuses on water supply reservoirs as a tool that will be needed to meet future water supply needs. In the most recent draft, the sub-section on surface water storage has been substantially revised to clarify the intent of streamlining the permitting process. More specifically, the current draft clearly defines a state role in provision of technical assistance to those developing multi-jurisdictional water supply projects identified in water development and conservation plans is more clearly defined. It also specifies a state role in provision of financial support for certain types of water supply reservoirs.
   
   Like to other management practices described in the draft State Water Plan, water supply reservoirs or other practices to augment water supply will be addressed in regional water development and conservation plans, which will be based on the water quantity resource assessments and forecasts of future demand. For those regions that do not have sufficient water supply, resources that have not historically been used for water supply should be investigated during preparation of regional water development and conservation plans. The revisions in the December 5th draft are intended to clarify ways in which the state will act to facilitate the permitting process.
   
   
4. Question: Is the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District exempt from the plan?
   
   Answer: No. There are a number of provisions in the current draft that clearly state that the plan will apply to the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District (MNGWPD). Under current law, the MNGWPD is required to develop regional water plans similar to those described in the draft State Water Plan. Those plans are subject to guidance from the Environmental Protection Division, and the resource assessment and forecasting provisions in the draft State Water Plan, when adopted by the Legislature, would be equally applicable to the MNGWPD as it revises its plans pursuant to its enabling legislation. Other elements of EPD’s guidance for regional planning, to be developed following adoption of the plan, would be incorporated in guidance to the Metro District as well. Finally, the current draft specifies that the 2008 updates of the Metro District’s plan will be consistent with the provisions of the State Water Plan.
   
   
5. Question: There are a number of current and potential water management practices that are not explicitly addressed in the draft State Water Plan. Does that mean they cannot or should not be considered?
   
   Answer: Discussion of management practices in the State Water Plan is not intended to be comprehensive, and there are a number of additional practices that can be implemented to help meet the state’s long-term water needs. The draft plan explicitly states that viable water quantity and water quality practices include, but are not limited to, those listed in the plan.
   
   As laid out in the draft plan, regional plans will be developed to identify the management practices that will be employed to ensure that forecasted water and wastewater needs can be met. Regional planning provides an opportunity to address region-specific issues and tailor the mix of practices to the specific needs and priorities of each region, and regional plans can and should consider practices beyond those explicitly discussed in the statewide plan.
   
   
6. Question: What does the draft State Water Plan propose evaluation of a new water use classification for significant natural resource waters?
   
   Answer: Georgia’s Rules and Regulations for Water Quality Control (Chapter 391-3-6) include six water use classifications or designated uses: fishing, recreation, drinking water, wild river, scenic river, and coastal fishing. Water use classifications for wild river, scenic river, and the special designation of outstanding natural resource waters are difficult to apply as implementation of these uses generally precludes any development in the watershed. For these designated uses, Georgia’s rules and regulations for water quality state that “there shall be no alteration of natural water quality from any source” or that “existing water quality shall be maintained and protected. At the present time in Georgia, four stream segments are designated as wild and scenic and no waters are designated as outstanding natural resource waters.
   
   A new water use classification of significant natural resource waters could provide an attainable level of protection for selected waters that is higher than that applied to most of the waters in the state. The draft State Water Plan calls for evaluation of the need for such a designation. Questions that would be addressed in the evaluation and subsequent rulemaking by the Board of Natural Resources, if it occurs, include the stream miles potentially affected and the water quality criteria that would apply to waters with that designation.
   
   
7. Question: Why does the draft plan treat agricultural water use differently from other water use sectors?
   
   Answer: The provisions of the draft plan, including those regarding agricultural water use, follow the authority established by current statutes and the language is consistent with those statutes.
   
   
8. Question: When will the plan take affect?
   
   Answer: Under the Comprehensive State-wide Water Management Planning Act, the Water Council is required to recommend a proposed plan to the General Assembly for its consideration during the 2008 legislative session. The proposed plan will become final after action by the General Assembly and will take affect on July 1, 2008.
   
   
9. Question: Why do we need a comprehensive statewide water management plan?
   
   Answer: Georgia is our nation’s 6th fastest growing state. In some parts of the state, signs of stresses on our water resources are already becoming evident and, without improvements in our water management, we may be unable to meet future demands for water supply and assimilation of wastewater.
   
   When Governor Perdue signed the Comprehensive State-wide Water Management Planning Act, he stated: “As Georgia continues to grow and prosper, it is incumbent upon us to develop a comprehensive statewide plan that addresses our long-term water needs and conservation efforts. Water nourishes our environment and is a major driving force of our state’s economy.”
   
   Meeting our long-term water needs will require enhancing our water management approach to provide the following critical elements:
   
   • A framework for consistently assessing the amount of water that can be withdrawn from a water source without causing harm and the amount of pollution a water source can receive before water quality degrades in different regions across the state;
   • Mechanisms to compare present and future water demands with the ability of our water resources to meet those demands
   • A comprehensive set of water management practices that can be implemented in different regions across the state to ensure that reasonable water needs are met now or in the future.
   
   
10. Question: Will the plan change any of Georgia’s laws that govern water management?
    
    Answer: No, the plan is consistent with, and builds upon, Georgia’s current laws. Most fundamentally, the regulated riparian legal doctrine and provisions regarding reasonable use will continue to guide water management in Georgia. Other provisions of our current management system will remain in place and the plan will not alter current laws governing permitting of water for farm and non-farm uses. It will not change priorities for water use, compel interbasin transfers, or favor one area of the state over another.
    
    
11. Question: What does the draft plan cover?
    
    Answer: The plan has four major components:
    
    • Guiding policies for water quantity and water quality management;
    • Provisions for assessment of the capacities of our water resources;
    • A “toolbox” of management practices; and
    • Provisions for regional planning to select the management practices that best fit the resource conditions and uses in different regions throughout the state.
    
    The draft plan identifies regional water planning as an essential element of water management to meet current and future needs. Implementation of the draft plan, if adopted as proposed, would be accomplished through regional planning to prepare resource-based plans identifying the management practices to be implemented in each water planning region.
    
    
12. Question: Why is regional water planning important?
    
    Answer: In order to meet Georgia’s water resource needs in a sustainable manner, we must develop long-term plans for each of our major surface water and groundwater resources. These plans must forecast future water supply and assimilative capacity needs and identify the management practices that will ensure the sources can meet future needs.
    
    This can only be accomplished through regional water planning. Selection and implementation of management practices on a local and regional level is the most effective way to ensure that current and future needs for water supply and assimilative capacity are met.
    
    
13. Question: Why do I have to register?
    
    Answer: Registration is required for submitting comments or for reviewing comments by others. The registration function is necessary to enable automated cataloguing of comments and review by other users.
    
    
14. Question: Can I submit comments anonymously?
    
    Answer: No, comments submitted through this website have to be tied to a specific name. You can, however, submit written comments to: The Water Council, 2 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Suite 1152 East Tower, Atlanta, GA 30334.
    
    
15. Question: Will I receive a response to my comments?
    
    Answer: A response document will be posted on the web site after the comment period has ended. The document will include the commentors name, applicable section of the plan to which the comment applies, text of comment, and the staff response to the comment.
    
    
16. Question: How will the plan affect the availability and price of water?
    
    Answer: The Plan itself does not affect the availability nor the price of water. Once implemented, the provisions of the plan will help ensure that water is available to meet long-term needs.
    
    
17. Question: How does the plan address water issues specific to a region/area of Georgia?
    
    Answer: According to the approach proposed in the draft plan, water issues specific to a region would be addressed in a region-specific Water Development and Conservation Plan. You can read more about these Regional Water Development and Conservation Plans in the Regional Planning Section of the Draft Comprehensive Statewide Water Management Plan (760-1-1-.14)
    
    
18. Question: What impact, if any, will the plan have on my chances of obtaining a water withdrawal or wastewater treatment permit?
    
    Answer: The draft Plan will have no immediate impact on applications you might consider submitting for water permits. It cannot yet be determined if or how a Plan adopted by the Georgia Legislature in 2008 will impact water permit applications submitted subsequent to legislative adoption.
    
    
19. Question: Does the plan address agricultural water use or will farmers be exempt from the regulations?
    
    Answer: Under the draft Plan, agricultural water users are expected to be participants in the water planning councils that will oversee preparation of regional plans. The draft plan does not change current statutes governing farm use of water. Consistent with those statutes, the draft plan proposes that those who hold farm-related water use permits will be encouraged to implement water conservation and water efficiency measures.
    
    
20. Question: Does the plan limit or otherwise restrict the use of septic tanks?
    
    Answer: No.