Friday, March 5, 2004

Fairburn passes water ordinance

By LINDSAY BIANCHI
lbianchi@thecitizennews.com

To assure the quality of the public drinking water in anticipation of future water sources being established by the South Fulton Regional Water and Sewer Authority, the Fairburn City Council and Mayor Betty Hannah saw fit to pass the Bear Creek Water Supply Watershed Protection Ordinance at their February 23 meeting.

Stormwater runoff, nature’s way of filling up the water supply, can be threatened by many factors. Unrestricted development, land-disturbing activities, utility construction and commercial or residential usage can all be deterrents to this natural system’s ability to function. Impervious surfaces like roads, driveways, parking lots, decks, swimming pools, patios and even buildings themselves can prevent infiltration of storm water or introduce toxins, nutrients and sediment into drinking water supplies.

The seven page document made it crystal clear what was expected of developers, public works employees and private individuals who find themselves working inside the seven-mile drainage basin. Buffers to protect the streams and corridors, setbacks for septic tanks and impervious surfaces plus several other listed restrictions will ensure that enemies of the ecosystem such as hazardous waste will be well guarded against.

As for any new hazardous waste treatment or disposal facilities being created in the future, they have been strictly prohibited by the Bear Creek Ordinance. However, new sanitary landfills will be allowed if they have synthetic liners in place and leachate collection systems. The leachate system uses a collection pipe buried beneath a layer of stone or gravel.

Exemptions are confined to land uses existing prior to the adoption of the new ordinance, mining activities in compliance with the Surface Mining Act, unavoidable utility projects, forestry activities and agricultural activities. Stiff penalties apply to those who violate these rules, from $250 to $1000 per violation for each day the violation exists.

Minimizing the transport of pollutants and sediments into the Bear Creek water supply watershed is just another step toward South Fulton weaning itself from Atlanta’s dwindling water sources.