Avoid Water Wars’ Trickle Down Changes Before They Become a Flood of Problems

We’ve all heard about the Alabama-Georgia-Florida water wars on TV and the radio, but it all seems so far away, doesn’t it? Not any longer – the Judge Magnuson decision on the “Tri-State Water Wars” closed the spigot on Gwinnett County’s population of one million from its principal water source, and other municipalities are considering a range of conservation options from limiting to drastic.  The Georgia General Assembly has also taken action through SB 370, which enacted new rules for the Georgia EPD as well as setting new requirements for water use in general from kitchen sinks to toilets.

Water resource challenges are rising for builders, buyers, and homeowners, and wading through the new requirements and planning how to face them can be like swimming against the current. The Green Building Council of the Atlanta Home Builders Association is here to throw you a life preserver with a presentation from experts to help you face the tide of challenges:

• Lewis Jones, Counsel at King & Spalding LLP will provide insight into the Tri- State water wars
• Nels Peterson, Counsel for Legal Policy in the Office of the Attorney General will discuss SB 370 and the conservation requirements that affect all of us
• Kathy Nguyen, Senior Project Manager for the Cobb County Water System  will explain the EPA’s WaterSense pilot program and the challenges specific to those of us designing and building or renovating homes
• Katie Kirkpatrick, VP of Environmental Affairs at the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, will provide a summary of the practical application for SB 370: What actions are being taken at the local level and what is the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District Governing Board doing to address our challenges?

Hear all this, have a chance to ask the experts how to overcome problems specific to your business, and participate in the discussion on Wednesday, December 7^th at the Georgia Power building at 4404 North Shallowford Road, Atlanta, GA 30338 starting at 11 a.m. Registration can be found here, and the cost is only $25 for Green Building Council Members and $35 for Non-Members – a small price to pay to keep your head above water.