Inter-basin Water Transfers
From Atlanta Water Shortage Wiki
An inter-basin water transfer occurs when water is withdrawn from one river basin, is treated and provided as potable water to citizens, is collected and treated as wastewater and then is discharged into a different basin than the one from which the water was withdrawn. While Georgia’s environmental rules do not prevent inter-basin transfers, the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) maintains that appropriate environmental requirements must be met in both the withdrawal basin and the discharge basin before an inter-basin transfer will be permitted. Two concerns are continually being expressed regarding inter-basin transfers in Georgia. The first one is the perception that the metro Atlanta population growth engine will siphon water from far away places in Georgia or out of state to support continued growth, resulting in harm to the water resources, the economy, the environment, and the people of the source basins in those far away places. The second concern being voiced is that inter-basin transfers, regardless of the destination of the water, will result in unacceptable adverse effects (although some of them are as yet unknown) on the streams in the basins where water is withdrawn but not returned.
The Tennessee Inter-Basin Water Transfer Act of 2000, largely prevents water transfers out of any Tennessee river basin. It further limits interstate transfers via a stringent permitting process that requires the intended recipient of Tennessee's water to show it won't harm downstream communities. Alabama and Mississippi, for example, can effectively stymie Georgia's attempt to claim Tennessee River water. Since this law was enacted only seven water transfer permits have been approved, totaling 9.4 million gallons of water daily. In addition, the TVA reviews any water-transfer application to ensure that communities in the seven states that tap the Tennessee River would not be adversely affected. The TVA must also consider a withdrawal's impact on electricity generation, flood control, navigation and recreation.
Cost estimates range as high as $5 billion to pump water from Chattanooga to Atlanta.
There are currently 25 inter-basin transfers of water involving six of Georgia’s 14 river basins. Eight municipalities and four North Georgia industries withdraw water from the Tennessee River system. Dalton buys 3 million gallons a day of treated water from the Hamilton County, Tennessee, enough to cover roughly 10 percent of its need.
