This will bring an abundance of water to the area without spending lots and lots of money, Commissioner Gary Pichon said.
According to the resolution, raising the water level is also a viable alternative to building costly reservoirs.
“The construction of additional reservoirs may create additional supply, but no feasible location in Georgia permits building a new reservoir with a volume equivalent to Lake Lanier,” the resolution reads.
While Dawson County does not have a permit to withdraw water from Lanier, Pichon said it is imperative to support the project for “our neighbors.”
“We don’t have a dog in this fight, but our prosperity, future and well-being is tied to our neighbors’ well-being,” he said.
Referring to the July 2009 court ruling by U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson that Lanier is not an authorized source for drinking water, Pichon said, “it is monumentally dumb and wrong to take away water from people who come to depend on it.”
Magnuson gave Georgia three years to resolve the situation with Alabama and Florida or face not being able to use Lanier as a water source.
Our neighbors are at long-term water supply risk. This is a solution that would provide adequate water for a long time, Pichon said.
Alyssa LaRenzie of the DCN regional staff contributed to this report.
