Water Crisis (Atlanta: condos, work, housing)

[FASandy]

Is it really as bad as the media is making it sound??? I've been thinking about moving to ATL for a good while now, but the thought of NO WATER is VERY scary! Can anyone enlighten me on this subject???

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by FASandy

Is it really as bad as the media is making it sound??? I've been thinking about moving to ATL for a good while now, but the thought of NO WATER is VERY scary! Can anyone enlighten me on this subject???

You might find this to be a useful site...

Some folks think the sky is falling, while others think things will be worked out. In any case, it's something people should be concerned about.

[atlantagreg30127]

It's at the current time a no win situation.

The Army Corps of Engineers releases a set amount of water from the lakes every day, which flow downstream. Even during this drought. People in the immediate areas intown, south of town, and to the East and West of town make no difference by conserving water as to how much is left in the lakes, so long as the Corps continues to release what they have been releasing.

The only real effect any residents have, are those who live in the Northern metro counties, where their waste water, runoff water eventually does make it's way into the lakes directly. THOSE people more than anyone in the metro area, make the most difference in terms of how much extra water would be saved if THEY used less. Thing is, many of them use septic tanks. It takes much much longer for septic water to drain it's way back - but any conservation they do in other ways keeps more in the lakes.

For those of us who live in the more immediate areas of Atlanta, our conservation efforts do little to DIRECTLY help us. It helps those downstream from us more than anyone else. That's not to say that everyone doesn't need to conserve more, they do, but the biggest "help" to Atlanta proper is for the Northern folks to conserve, and the Corps to release much less water than it currently is.

Supposedly a deal is being worked out for them to release more. Probably too little too late, though. I'm not quite sure we'll get to the tanker car stages, but I do see massive fines for overuse of water on the horizon, restrictions on how much each household can use per month (or you get those big fines), and things like that going into effect. Maybe even "water blackouts" in certain areas for periods of time per day.

So no, it's not the end of Atlanta. Yes though, it's a serious problem.

[GirlinAZ]

I have heard that the city is so overdeveloped and that no one will stop developing and that is a major issue.
Why aren't people considering moving away rather than to the area?

[crystalblue]

Originally Posted by GirlinAZ

I have heard that the city is so overdeveloped and that no one will stop developing and that is a major issue.
Why aren't people considering moving away rather than to the area?

give it a few weeks/months of serious water rationing and people will start leaving.

[KevK]

It is all a bunch of BS. We have plenty of water and the tap is not gonna quit running. On the front page of the paper, it says "oh, the water shortage is horrible!!!" and on the inside it says 6000 new high rise condos have just been approved for the Perimeter area! How much water do you those babies are gonna suck out of Lanier everyday?
Perimeter area: Next high-rise haven? | ajc.com (broken link)

[mickmel]

Originally Posted by KevK

It is all a bunch of BS.

I don't know about that. Stats don't lie.

The condos being approved just show how inept some of the leadership around here is...

[mickmel]

Why didn't those links work...?

[K'ledgeBldr]

Originally Posted by crystalblue

give it a few weeks/months of serious water rationing and people will start leaving.

Let's open Pandora's box- Housing market hits the skids, average price sinking
Now add drought-
People can't stay in their house because theres no water, and they can't sell their house(for whats it worth) because theres no water.
Pandora's or Catch 22?
Just a thought.

[ARJ]

I was thinking the same thing, now is definitely not the time to have to bail on any housing market as the majority of buyers are waiting to find the true bottom of the housing market, much less having to sell in one that is drought stricken.

I am hoping Atlanta & surrounding areas get the needed rainfall very soon for everyones sake.