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November 13, 2008

Dalton Utilities: Drought persisting, state water plan flawed

Charles Oliver

Dalton Utilities president and CEO Don Cope briefed board members on the drought Wednesday. He said water flow in the Conasauga River, the area’s main source of drinking water, was 46 cubic feet per second in October. The historical average flow in October is 199 cubic feet per second.

The area remains under Level 4c drought restrictions, which limit many outdoor water uses.

Cope also brought the board up to date on the state water plan.

“This process continues to be driven top down,” he said.

Cope said that while the plan was being debated and passed into law, lawmakers promised that regional water councils would perform assessments of local water resources and needs and be able to modify the plan to meet those local conditions.

“Now, it says the state will tell you how to do it. The state will perform the assessments. The state will do the studies, and they’ll give them to you and tell you how to make a plan,” he said.

Cope said the Water Association of Georgia, which is made up of trade groups and the large water utilities including Dalton Utilities, has sent a letter asking for more public participation and more participation by the regional water councils in the planning process.

Cope also told board members that Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) transportation projects currently on the books could cost the utility about $1.6 million in utility relocation costs. Unless the utility is reimbursed for those costs, he said, it could affect customers’ rates.



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