Both GRTA and the ARC have created a fascinating riddle.

On one hand, the state Environmental Protection Division, Clean Water Initiative Task Force, Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and the Regional Business Coalition say that we have a “water quality crisis” (AJC, June 14).

We have reached the crisis stage because “water quality experts said that the moderately sized streams flowing through metro Atlanta - the Chattahoochee, Etowah, Flint, South and Yellow rivers - nearly have reached their capacity to assimilate additional volumes of waste water. As a result, most metro counties will exceed their waste water treatment capacities within five years” (AJC, June 14).

The waste water contains high levels of phosphorus that can boost algae growth and kill aquatic life.

New technology to clean the waste water is the equivalent of a financial atomic bomb to the taxpayers. In addition, spray fields are harmful because the water is needed back in the streams and rivers to maintain water levels (especially during a drought).

Harold Reheis, director of the state EPD, estimates the solution will cost us between $2 billion and $4 billion over the next ten years. Is this starting to sound like the way the ARC has handled the traffic situation over the last decade? Will the U.S. EPA be taking control of our water supply and waste water discharge allocations in short order because the metro area decided to overdevelop first and ask questions later?

We in Fayette County need to keep in mind that we live in a water poor area. Also, the federal government could allow Alabama and Florida to take a larger share of our existing water supply. Fayette County and its municipalities need to strongly consider creating ordinances that would make incoming, water intensive industry recycle a bare minimum of 25 percent of their total water consumption. By making industry recycle and reuse a portion of their water, the financial and environmental burden would be partially lifted off the taxpayers.

On the other hand, GRTA is imposing high density land use revisions to the counties. We all know that high density development requires sewer capacity. We are rapidly running out of capacity for waste water discharge. Where will the waste water from the high density development go?

One possible scenario is that the federal government will again step in and hold our feet to the fire because we are incapable of managing our own problems. Another scenario might be that GRTA would tell the taxpayers to go high density and pay the astronomical sum necessary for the high technology fix. Thus, we the taxpayers have the distinction of paying for further development that we do not want.

It is depressing that the citizens are saying, “slow down” and the government is not listening. The job descriptions for our leaders in areas of water quality and developmental planning must demand that the person have an iron will bent on destruction, excellent crisis management skills and experience in pleading with federal government agencies.

Steve Brown
Peachtree City

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