Why One Suburban Atlanta County Has No Drought Problem
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 11.29.07
Short explanation: Clayton County wastewater and storm water runoff are diverted to a series of man-made, wetland ponds and channels that eventually feed two small reservoirs. Afterward, naturally polished wastewater can be withdrawn for human consumption via the existing potable water treatment and distribution system.
Way better than desalination or pipes from the Great Lakes or the other pointless punditry and prayer sessions: it works; and is apparently quite cost effective. Other drought-impacted municipalities from around the world are modeling their systems after the one in Clayton County Georgia. At last: design emerges as a preeminent force in drought adaptation. Why did it take so long for a positive local example to surface?
Other advantages besides having a secure water source: reportedly the County electric bill has been cut by 60% due to the more natural, less engineered approach to treatment. Green space has been preserved. Wildlife has habitat.
The drawbacks: less developable land for suburban expansion and fewer lucrative design and construction contracts for the traditional civil works interests. What a shame.
Tucked behind the empty car washes and waterless fountains of Clayton County is a place where water gurgles down rocks, and herons lounge in lush wetlands.
It's a place where fishermen don't see dry banks, and residents don't have to worry about dry faucets...Clayton County officials say their area is the only one in Metro Atlanta not struggling with severe drought...Drought fears struck Clayton more than 20 years ago, and county officials started to think ahead. The result: an elaborate series of 21 man-made wetlands and reservoirs that allows the county to collect 10 million gallons of wastewater a day and eventually convert it to drinking water...
Construction of the wetlands has cost Clayton about $15 million in bond money. The county will spend $10 million on the fourth phase, but that will come from water and sewer fees, which have been increased for next year.
The wetlands also have reduced the water authority's monthly electric bill by 60 percent. Officials say they will save another $25,000 on monthly electric costs once the fourth wetland phase is finished."It's all natural. Nothing is pushing the water, so there's no power," Thomas said. "It all flows from gravity..."
"Everyone is amazed our reservoirs are full. It doesn't look like Lake Lanier," Thomas said. "It's our little hidden secret."
TreeHugger highly recommends reading the entire Atlanta Journal-Constitution article.
Via::Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Clayton County creates an oasis. Drought? What drought? They've got plenty of water" Image credit::Joey Ivansco/AJC
please, learn how to spell
This is a great model that should be adapted and implemented throughout the south and southwest if we want to maintain populations there.
A larger, national system could be designed with reservoirs and a pipeline system similar to the one that distributes natural gas now. Proposals have been made to tap the Great Lakes in this way, so the idea isn't economically far fetched.
This might rival such projects as the Interstate Highway system and the Hoover Dam, but most wouldn't argue their value today. When most people think this is a good idea, that'll be a good start.
Kudos to Clayton County! It may be annoying that a lot of county governments ignore the needs of their consitutents, but I'm glad that some are ahead of the curve!
Makes Sense
Makes sense, less dense,
Construction in urban spaces,
Time to face, and replace,
Engineered water treatment places,
Gravitation, no hesitation,
Let the water flow trom one pond to the next,
While it naturally purfies and becomes what signifies,
A good source of water for all.
adrianakau2aol.com
@John:
The whole point of this thing is to use local runoff without using electricity. Pipelines are definitely not the way to go.
I agree, this does seem to be a more economical and environmentally friendly method of obtaining and maintaining potable water but lets not make the mistake to say this solves the drought problem. If you’ll notice in the article picture, the grass is dead due to a lack of water. It does not matter how you collect and treat water if you do not get rain; you are drought-stricken and will be until it rains. So I think the “pointless punditry and prayer-sessions” are indeed valid because no matter how ingenious we are with construction and design we are at the mercy of the God of rain when it comes to drought solutions. Reservoirs and pipelines may make you feel good to look at but life requires rain.
I agree, this does seem to be a more economical and environmentally friendly method of obtaining and maintaining potable water but lets not make the mistake to say this solves the drought problem. If you’ll notice in the article picture, the grass is dead due to a lack of water. It does not matter how you collect and treat water if you do not get rain; you are drought-stricken and will be until it rains. So I think the “pointless punditry and prayer-sessions” are indeed valid because no matter how ingenious we are with construction and design we are at the mercy of the God of rain when it comes to drought solutions. Reservoirs and pipelines may make you feel good to look at but life requires rain.
What politician would seriously address drought when issues like abortion win you a position in goverment. Seriously, get clueless and a little less intelligent. The world can go to hell in a handbasket as long as we have family values, no abortion, and all go to the same church and never voice a different opinion. Once we have that, we can pray for water and it will just appear.
@Ryan: That grass is not dead. Rather, it is not the typical "green" lawn grass that we are accustomed to seeing. It is a grass native to Georgia wetlands, and most marsh grass looks like that. The roots of those grasses are constantly bathed in sewage effluent, so they're going to get plenty of water as long as county residents continue using water.
The main point here is that Clayton County has essentially closed the sustainability loop. They lose a small percentage of water to evaporation, but I believe the number is something like 75% water reclamation. For fresh water inputs, Clayton County draws from the Flint River (not the heavily embattled Chattahoochee), and since so much is being reused, even a drought-stricken river can provide enough fresh water for the system.
I grew up in Clayton County, and was a child there the year of the extreme drought that spurred this development. This system is 100 times better than anything most American counties currently have in place. Of course, in order to implement it, you have to stop draining wetlands and building condos and airports over them (i.e. Florida, New York City, Washington D.C., etc.)