Com prehensive Water Supply Management Plan

Transcription

1 Buoch County Brooket Porta Register Statesboro [ Com prehensive Water Suppy Management Pan Rutherford &Associates Savannah, Georgia 2000

2 The Coasta Georgia Regiona Deveopment Center prepared the preiminary draft ofthis report. Buoch County then empoyed Rutherford & Associates to compete the pan. Rutherford & Associates used the preiminary draft prepared by the Coasta Georgia Regiona Deveopment Center as a basis and then added pertinent information to arrive at this report. The Buoch County Comprehensive Water Suppy Management Pan has been reviewed and approved by the Georgia Environmenta Protection Division (EPD) - Juy 200.

3 Georgia Department of Natura Resources 205 Buter Street, S.E., East Foyd Tower, Atanta, Georgia Lonice C. Barrett. Commissioner Harod F. Aeheis, Director Environmenta Protection Division 1404) Juy 27, 2001 Honorabe Wayne Groover, Vice Chairman Buoch County Board ofcommissioners Post Office Box 347 Statesboro, Georgia 31405, Dear Commissioner Groover: n Apri of 1997, the Georgia Environmenta Protection Division (EPD) announced, produced and distributed a document entited An nterim Strategy for Managing Satwater ntrusion in Southeast Georgia. That document outined a process that EPD woud empoy to deveop a ong-term strategy for addressing the water suppy needs ofcoasta Georgia whie minimizing or arresting the satwater encroachment and intrusion phenomena known to be occurring aong the Georgia and South Caroina coasts. One important eement of that strategy was the requirement that each of the 24 counties in tte affected areas (as defined by EPD) woud deveop a comprehensive county water suppy pan. n June 1997, EPD distributed an outine ofa set of minimum criteria for these pans_ n 1998 the Legisature approved funds to partiay support the deveopment ofthese pans in 22 of the 24 counties, and EPD and the Department of Community Affairs deveoped a process whereby funds woud be distributed to these counties to assist them in producing their water suppy pans. According to the time ine estabished by EPD in the nterim Strategy, the pans were to be competed by the county by December, As ofmay, 2001, each ofthe 24 counties has submitted fina pans. With this etter wish to thank you and your constituents in Buoch County for successfuy competing your water suppy pan. EPD's review of your pan has found that it meets the State's minimum requirements. The data and information you have provided in your pan wi aow EPD to begin the integration process which wi ead to the production of a ong-term regiona pan for managing water to meet future water suppy needs in coasta Georgia by December This process wi require a "union" ofyour water suppy pan and those ofyour neighboring counties. The process wi aso require that we utiize many ofthe findings from the "sound science" initiative aso defined in the nterim Strategy. You and your constituents wi continue to be an indispensabe part ofthis integration process, and we wi consut with you in many different forums as tte process unfods. Again, my sincere thanks to you for your invauabe contributions to effective management of coasta Georgia's water resources. Sincerey, Harod Reheis Director S:\\VTRSUPLY\Buoch approvaccr.doc

4 1, NTRODUCTON 1-1 GENERAL DESCRPTON OF THE PLAN 1-1 THE PROBLEM- SALTWATER NTRUSON 1-2 ADVSORy/TECHNCAL COMM'TEE 1-3 COUNTY OVERVEW 1-4 COUNTY CLMATE, HYDROLOGY, AND HYDROGEOLOGCAL SETNG 1-5. BULLOCH COUNTY POPULATON PROJECTONS i. WATER USE NVENTORY AND PROJECTON- BACKGROUND EPD GROUNDWATER WTHDRAWAL PERMTS EPD SAFE DRNKNG WATER PERMTS ASSESSNG BULLOCH COUNTY'S WATER DEMAND V. WATER USE NVENTORY AND PROJECTON-NDUSTRAL WELLS DESCRPTON PAST AND PRESENT WATER DEMAND FimJREWATERDEMAND WATER SYSTEM MANAGEMENT i-13 i-13 i-13 i-17 V-19 V-19 V-20 V-22 V-23, V. WATER USE NVENTORY AND PROJECTON- AGRCULTURE AND GOLF COURSES V-25 DESCRPTON V-25 PAST AND PRESENT WATER DEMAND V-25 FuTURE WATER DEMAND V-26 AGRCULTURAL WATER DEMAND FOR SNGLE AND DOUBLE CROP USE AND AQUACULTUREV-30 V. WATER USE NVENTORY AND PROJECTON - UNVERSTY'S WATER SYSTEM DESCRPTON PAST AND PRESENT WATER DEMAND FUTURE WATER DEMAND GEORGA SOUTHERN V. WATER USE NVENTORY AND PROJECTON - MUNCPAL WATER SYSTEMS DESCRPTON PAST AND PRESENT WATER DEMAND FUTURE WATER DEMAND WATER SYSTEM MANAGEMENT V-33 V-33 V-33 V-34 V-37 V-37 V-37 V-44 V-46

5 V. WATER USE NVENTORY AND PROJECTON- NON-MUNCPAL COMMUNTY WATER SYSTEMS DESCRPTON PAST AND PRESENT WATER DEMAND FUTURE WATER DEMAND V-49 V-49 V-49 V-52 X. WATER USE NVENTORY AND PROJECTON - SYSTEMS DESCRPTO PAST AND PRESENT WATER DEMAND NON-COMMUNTY WATER X-53 X-53 X-53 X. WATER USE NVENTORY AND PROJECTON - DOMESTC WELLS AND NON-PUBLC WELLS DESCRPTON PAST AND PRESENT WATER DEMAND FUTURE WATER DEMAND X-55 X-55 X-55 X-55 X. WATER USE NVENTORY AND PROJECTON - SUMMARY PAST AND PRESENT WATER DEMAND FUTURE WATER DEMAND BULLOCH COUNTY X-57 X-57 X-59 X. BULLOCH COUNTY WASTEWATER SUMMARY X-65 X. FUTURE WATER SUPPLY OPTONS AND CONSERVATON MEASURESX-69 XV. MPLEMENTATON SCHEDULE MPLEMENTATON MPLEMENTATON MPLEMENTATON XV. APPENDCES MAPS EPD NTERM STRATEGY AND MNMUM REQUREMENTS USGS FLORDAN AQUFER STUDES REFERENCES RESOLUTON XV-73 XV-73 XV-73 XV-73 XV-75 XV-75 XV-09 XV-139 XV-141 XV-143

6 ,/. NTRODUCTON Genera Description of the Pan,, The Georgia Environmenta Protection Division (EPD) issued its nterim Strategy for Managing Sat Waterntrusion in the UpperForidan AquiferofSoutheast Georgia in Apri 1997 to address satwater intrusion that threatens future groundwater suppies in Savannah and Brunswick, and potentiay other areas of Southeast Georgia. As part of its strategy, EPD required Buoch County and 23 other counties in the region that utiize the Upper Foridan Aquifer to deveop a comprehensive water suppy management pan that assesses water demand, water suppy sources, and wastewater management (see Map 1 in Appendix A). This pan characterizes past and present water use, projects future water needs, assesses future water suppy options, and serves as a decision-making too for oca eected officias and Georgia EPD. The goa of the pan is to manage and conserve Buoch County's present and future water resources in order for reasonabe residentia, commercia, agricutura, and industria growth to occur in the future, and to protect the quaity of groundwaterfor use by future generations. This pan shoud be updated every five years to address changing circumstances that affect water use in the county and its municipaities. Specificay, the Buoch County Comprehensive Water Suppy Management Pan examines the foowing aspects of water use in Buoch County: Past, present, and future water demand for the domestidcommercia, industria, and agricutura sectors Present and future water system management Present and future wastewater treatment and disposa Future water suppy options and conservation measures Buoch County and its aquifer users have identified the foowing principes as critica in the Buoch County Water Suppy Management Pan. (1) Continue to utiize the Foridan Aquifer to meet domestic water demand. (2) Continue to aow current and future industria usage of the Foridan Aquifer with proper conservation and water saving principes empoyed by each industria user. (3) Continue to utiize the Foridan Aquifer for agricutura irrigation purposes. (4) Empoy "Best Management Practices" for agricutura irrigation systems. This can be accompished by the County Extension Service working cosey with the agricutura community. 1-1

7 (5) Seek egisative and financia assistance from State and Federa agencies to faciitate the use of surface water impoundments to utiize minor streams and capture rainfa run-off to reduce usage and dependence on the Foridan Aquifer for agricutura practices. (6) Deveop a countywide water conservation education program and utiize municipaities, schoo system, civic organizations and county extension service to inform citizens about conservation principes and practices. (7) See( assistance from state EPD and the University of Georgia Coege of Agricuture and Environmenta Sciences to determinethe viabiity ofthe Cretaceous Aquifer in the Coasta Pain as an aternative or suppementa source offresh water for agricutura purposes. (8) Seek assistance from Georgia Southern University in further study of the Cretaceous aquifer, promotion ofwastewater effuence irrigation, and deveopment of a countywide conservation program. (9) Determine, with state and federa assistance, the true avaiabiity of surface water from the Ogeechee River as a viabe aternative or suppementa source of fresh water. (1 O)The County wi estabish a committee of Foridan Aquifer users to monitor impementation of this pan and to promote water conservation principes and practices. This pan covers unincorporated Buoch County and the municipaities of Statesboro, Brooket, Porta, and Register. The Probem- Satwater ntrusion The Upper Foridan Aquifer is the primary source of drinking and industria process water for Buoch County and the other 23 Southeast Georgia counties required to prepare comprehensive water suppy management pans. The aquifer underies Southeast Georgia, most of Southwest Georgia, Coasta South Caroina, a portion of Southern Aabama, and Forida. Secondary aquifers incude the Surficia, Upper and Lower Brunswick (Miocene), and Lower Foridan.. Most groundwater management issues in Coasta Georgia reate to atera or upward movement ofthe freshwater-satwater interface in the Upper Foridan Aquifer. Due to over pumping, a reversa of the seaward hydrauic gradient has caused atera encroachment of seawater in the aquifer at the north end of Hiton Head sand, South Caroina, and vertica intrusion of satwater in the aquifer at Brunswick, Georgia. Numerous US Geoogica Survey documents describe the satwater intrusion probem in detai. 1-2

8 AdvisoryTechnica Committee \ 1. n order to deveop a comprehensive water suppy management pan for Buoch County that addresses the interests of a stakehoders, the Buoch County Commission estabished an advisory/technica committee to guide the pan deveopment process. This committee was comprised of county and city eected officias; pubic drinking water and wastewater managers; citizens; industria, business, agricutura, and environmenta representatives; and other interests. n addition, a pubic meeting was hed during the pan deveopment process to gain community input. Tabe 1-1 ists the advisory/technica committee' members and their interests or organizations. Joe Adrich Ha Averitt Tabe 1-1 Buoch County Comprehensive Water Suppy Management Pan AdvisoryTechnica Committee Members Committee Member nterest Fred G. Bitch, Jr. Jack A. Brannen Genn Bray Bi Brown Peggy Chapman Steve Coins James Darre Guy Dea Mian Degvansky Terry Gerrad Joe Grooms John Harris Wes Harris Steve James Wayne Johnson Bi Key Bob Kim Richard Meett Mason Moorer Joe Mosey James Oates Brooket Mayor (former) Statesboro Mayor Citizen Citizen County Heath Department Porta Mayor Chamber of Commerce Forest Heights Country Cub Georgia Southern University Citizen Georgia Southern University Citizen Brooket Mayor Citizen Cooperative Extension Service Grinne Corporation Statesboro Water Department Citizen Grinne Corporation Georgia Southern University County Board of Education Statesboro Panning Director Register Mayor 1-3

9 Committee Member Wayne Pauk Wayne Robins James Reichard Genn Rogers Tommy Rogers Bi Smith.. Bob Smitn Becky Tayor Andy Wech Scott Wood nterest Cooper Toos/H.K. Porter Wiss Cooper Toos/H.K. Porter Wiss Georgia Southern University Cooper Toos/H.K. Porter Wiss Fisher Rosemont Petroeum/Brooks County Commissioner County Environmenta Manager County Panner County Panner County Manager County Overview Located 40 mies west of Savannah, Buoch County covers 688 square mies and incudes the municipaities of Brooket, Porta, Register, and Statesboro. Map 2 in Appendix A iustrates these jurisdictiona boundaries, as we as the primary roads serving Buoch County, incuding nterstate 16, US Route 80, US Route 301, US Route 25, State Route 119, and State Route 67. The county seat of government is Statesboro, which is the argest municipaity in Buoch County and home to Georgia Southern University, the third argest university in Georgia. Map 3 in Appendix A highights the county's major rivers and streams, which incude the Ogeechee River (a state-designated protected river which forms the county's eastern boundary), Mi Creek, Lotts Creek, Litte Lotts Creek, Upper Back Creek, and Lower Back Creek. Buoch County is surrounded by Bryan County to the south, Effingham and Screven Counties to the east, Jenkins County to the north, and Emanue, Cander, and Evans Counties to thewest. Statesboro is ocated approximatey 55 mies from Savannah and 122 mies from Macon. The different water systems in the county utiize groundwater from the Foridan aquifer system. Athough becoming more urbanized, Buoch County contains a significant amount of agricutura and and is predominanty rura in character. As indicated in the Buoch County Comprehensive Pan, 40 percent of thei county's unincorporated area (432,000 acres) shoud remain in agricuture through n 1999, Buoch County was the number one row crop county in the state of Georgia with 106,000 acres. n addition, 50 percent of the county's unincorporated area shoud remain in forestry, whie projections indicate that ess than five percent wi be deveoped (residentia, commercia, industria, etc.) by Due to the significant amount of agricuture in and around the county, agricutura-reated services are important to the Buoch County economy. Georgia Southern University aso pays a major roe in the oca economy and generates demand forretai trade and services 1-4

10 ,, to meet the needs of over 15,000 students, facuty, and staff. n and around Statesboro, industry manufacturing represents a growing sector of the county's economy, and three industria parks are operated in Statesboro. Major private sector empoyers in Buoch County incude a Wa-Mart Distribution Center, Briggs & Stratton, Viracon, and Grinne. The East Georgia Regiona Medica Center wi paya major roe in the oca and regiona economy. The county has 64 manufacturers with over 4,609 empoyees. Buoch County is 100% Freeport tax exempt from ad vaorem taxes for inventories offinished goods, raw materias in process and furnished goods hed by distributors and manufacturers but destined fo "out-of-state shipment. The Statesboro-Buoch Chamber of Commerce and the Deveopment Authority of Buoch County promote economic deveopment opportunities for the entire county. The county government is conducted through an eected Board of Commissioners. The County empoys a Manager to assist in impementation of poicies and to oversee day-today operations. The City of Statesboro empoys a City Manager to assist its Mayor and Counci in daiy operations. The cities of Brooket, Porta, and Register, conduct business through a Mayor and Counci form of government and each empoys a city cerk for assistance. County cimate, hydroogy, and hydrogeoogica setting The average daiy temperature in Buoch County is 65.5 degrees Fahrenheit. Average daiy ow is 54.0 degrees Fahrenheit and average daiy high is 77.1 degrees Fahrenheit. Precipitation average is inches annuay.1 Average monthy rainfa from is shown in Tabe 1-2. Tabe 1-2: Average Rainfa by Month 1961 through 1990 Month Rainfa (n nches) January 3.99 February 3.93 March 4.08 Apri 3.01 May 4.09 June 4.85 Juy 5.45 August 5.53 September 3.64 October 2.31 November 2.43 December 3.38 TOTAL Data from Source: Natura Resources Conservation Service, Nationa Water and Cimate Center. 1-5

11 Surface water sources of the county are depicted on the Hydroogy of Buoch County map in Appendix A. The Ogeechee River woud be the ony surface source that might serve as a potentia water suppy. Due to potentia probems with ow-fow and poor water quaity, this is not a viabe surface water suppy source. The arge number of creeks throughout the county does present possibe opportunities for impoundments to be utiized as part of the overa agricutura irrigation system. The northern portion of Buoch County ies within the Tifton Upand, a generaized topographic.division of the Coasta Pain province. The Tifton Upand ranges from about 120 to 400 (eet in atitude and is characterized by roing his and both gente and deepy incised vaeys. Buoch County aso ies within the Coasta Terraces. The Coasta Terraces boundary of the Tifton Upand is the approximate down dip edge of the Guf Trough. The Trough is narrow, generay ess than 5 mies wide, but as much as 10 mies wide in centra Georgia and near the Forida and Georgia state ine. The Guf Trough (a depressed segment of the earth's crust bounded on at east two sides by fauts) is caused by high-ange fauting that was active during much of the time of the deposition of rocks that make up the Foridan aquifer system. Within the depressed segments (grabens) are thick accumuations of ow permeabiity, castic (rock) sediments and argiaceous (cay or cay mineras) carbonate rocks. The Trough has a pronounced effect on the hydroogy of the aquifer system, as the fine castic materia in the trough impedes groundwater fow. The water quaity, as mineraized water, is associated with evaporites downgradient from the trough. Because of arge quantities of recharge and discharge in the fow system upgradient from the Guf Trough, water is ow in dissoved soids and is moderatey hard. Groundwater fow in the Foridan aquifer system is partiay impeded by the GufTrough as a resut of two mechanisms. First, near-vertica dispacement of rocks aong the fauts of the graben system has juxtaposed rocks of ower permeabiity against the more permeabe rocks 'of the aquifer system. Second, within the graben system, the aquifer system consists of reativey ow permeabiity materia, which decreases the aquifer system's effective thickness. The area of highest recharge to the aquifer system prior to deveopment was chiefy updip and upgradient from the Guf Trough, where the aquifer system is exposed or thiny covered and east confirmed. n this area, recharge occurred in the topographicay high areas, either directy into the exposed or thiny covered Upper Foridan. The sma quantity of fow passing downgradient through the Upper and Lower Foridan aquifers across the GufTrough, compared to the tota fow in the area upgradientfrom the trough, further supports the existence of an active but neary isoated fow system in the Foridan Aquifer upgradient from the Guf Trough. The Guf Trough, however, has been 1-6

12 ( determined to be an area where deveopment potentia is sma, because of the ow transmissivities that woud resut in arge ocaized water eve decine. The Sound Science nitiative Study of the Foridan aquifer system that is being conducted by the state EPD shoud shed more ight on this prominent geoogica structure as to whether or not it has an impact on the ground-water fows of the Foridan aquifer system. As a resut of the study, it may be that withdrawa upgradient of the trough has no impact on the withdrawa downgradient of the trough. f so, then the opportunity for sat water intrusion in.the upgradient areas ofthe trough woud be greaty minimized. This does not, however, ~emove the possibiity of water eve decines in areas of the Guf Trough resuting in reduced water quaity. Preiminary seismic resuts from the Sound Science nitiative Study indicate that the Guf Trough is present in Buoch County. There does appear to be some infuence of the Trough at work in Buoch County. See map in Appendix A for area of the Guf Trough. EPD and USGS have studied a number of different aquifers within the Coasta Pain. The interbedded sands and cays ofthe Cretaceous units ofthe Coasta Pain form a number of aquifers and confining units. Seven such Cretaceous aquifers in the Coasta Pain have been identified and designated aquifers A 1 through A 7. These aquifers are rarey tapped due to the ease of obtaining water from the shaower Foridan aquifer system. There have been no studies ofthe Cretaceous aquifer in Buoch County. There have been studies in neighboring counties. Aquifer A 1 extends into Screven County. n 1976, 1.5 miion gaons per day were pumped from this aquifer for industria use in Screven County. Other aquifers avaiabe for use are the Dubin, Midvie and Dubin-Midvie aquifer systems. Two wes in Screven County dried in the Dubin aquifer in the mid-1960s and ate 1971 yieded up to 1,500 gaons and 1,750 gaons a minute, respectivey. The Mihaven site, ocated in northeastern Screven County, was studied during : This study was to determine groundwater fow and stream-aquifer reations in the vicinity ofthe Savannah River Site. The'test site consisted of a 1,452-foot deep core-hoe dried into sediments of the ate Cretaceous age. Five test wes were deveoped at depths ranging from 50 to 1,300 feet. Test we 3 was in the ower zone of the Upper Foridan aquifer. t produced over 207 gaons a minute when pumped. Test we 4 was in the ower Dubin aquifer and it produced 76 gaons a minute when pumped. Test we 5 was in the ower Midvie aquifer and ony produced about 15 gaons a minute when pumped. The Miers Pond test site in northeastern Burke County was constructed in to characterize the geoogic, hydroogic, and water quaity characteristics of a muti-aquifer system in Coasta Pain sediments. Seven test wes were deveoped ranging in depth from 80 to 735feet. The testwes were screened in the UpperThree Runs aquifer, Dubin 1-7

13 aquifer system and the Midvie aquifer system. Three wes in the Dubin aquifer system produced from 12 to 41 gaons a minute. Three wes in the Midvie aquifer system produced from 65 to 178 gaons a minute. One we was dried in the UpperThree Runs aquifer and it ony produced 8 gaons a minute.,.' 1-8

14 . BULLOCH COUNTY POPULATON PROJECTONS Buoch County's popuation has grown steadiy since the 1970s, increasing approximatey 84% from 1980 to Tabe 2-1 ists the actua or projected popuation from 1980 to 2000 for Buoch County and the municipaities of Statesboro, Brooket, Porta, and Register. Statesboro has experienced the argest popuation increase among the county's municipaities. This growth can be attributed to such factors as an increase in student enroment at Georgia Southern University, annexation, and an infux of economic deveopment activity into the city and surrounding area. t shoud be noted that Georgia Southern University's 2,750 on-campus residents and an additiona 7,000 students iving off-campus in Statesboro are incuded in the city's popuation figures, beginning in Statesboro popuation figures prior to 1995 may not refect the tota Georgia Southern popuation. Approximatey 4,000 commuter students, who permanenty ive in Buoch County or the surrounding region, are not incuded in Statesboro's popuation figures. Tabe 2-2 ists the projected popuation for the county and each municipaity in Data to determine present water use were either coected for this year or estimated, based on these popuation figures. Tabe 2-3 ists the projected popuation from 2000 to 2050 for Buoch County and each municipaity. Buoch County and Statesboro are expected to experience a tremendous popuation increase during the next 50 years, growing 149 percent and 163 percent, respectivey. Part of this growth is based on a projected two percent annua increase in Georgia Southern University's student enroment (the university is presenty under a two percent annua growth cap). t shoud be noted that economic impacts and other factors that affect popuation figures and reated wateruse are difficutto assess fora 50-yearperiod. Forexampe, changes in student enroment patterns at Georgia Southern University, the conversion of agricutura ands to residentia use, or the opening or cosing of industria faciities can affect popuation growth in both the municipaities and unincorporated area. Forthis reason, the comprehensive water suppy management pan shoud be revised on a reguar basis to account for new popuation data and significant events and poicy changes that affect Buoch County and its municipaities. The East Georgia Regiona Medica Center wi have a profound impact on popuation growth. As the Medica Center grows and truy becomes a regiona provider in medica services, heath care professionas and the reated empoyment and residentia impacts wi occur. -9

15 Tabe 2-1 Buoch County Popuation, Jurisdiction Buoch County (tota) ncrease ,183 35,785 37,400 43,125 59,078 65,675 84% Brooket 683 1,035 1,150 1,013 1,204 1,193 15% Porta.. ~ % Register NA % Statesboro+ 14,616 14,866 15,670 15,854 30,520 35, % Unincorporated Buoch County 16,241 18,995 19,685 25,541 26,328 28,231 49%., +ncudes Georgia Southern UnVersity s 2,750 on-campus students and approxmatey 7,000 off-campus students iving in Statesboro, for years , pus 2% projected increase in 2000 'Projected NA: Not avaiabe Source: : US Census; Buoch County : Coasta Georgia RDC estimate; municipa 1995: The Georgia County Guide, municipa : Coasta Georgia RDC estimate Tabe Buoch County Popuaron Jurisdiction 1997 Popuation Buoch County (tota) 61,631 Brooket 1,171 Porta 753 Register 270 Statesboro+ 32,635 Unincorporated Buoch County 26,802., +ncudes Georgia Southern UnVersity s 2,750 on-campus students and approximatey 7,000 off-campus students Mng in Statesboro Source: Coasta Georgia RDC estimate -O

16 Tabe 2-3 Projected Buoch County Popuation, Projected Jurisdiction ncrease, , Buoch County (tota) 65,675 78,810 94, , , , %!, Brooket 1,193 1,267 1,341 1,415 1,489 1,563 31% Porta ,073 1,212 1,351 1,490 87% Register % Statesboro+ 35,596 43,346 52,771 61,509 76,807 93, % Unincorporated Buoch County 27,805 32,923 38,992 48,900 56,031 66, %.. + ncudes 2% growth ncrease for Georgia Southern students (ony accounts for students Mng on-campus or within Statesboro) Source: Coasta Georgia ROC estimate; Rutherford & Associates -

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18 . WATER USE NVENTORY AND PROJECTON- BACKGROUND EPD Groundwater Withdrawa Pennits EPD issues groundwater withdrawa permits for a industria, municipa, and agricutura uses withdrawing more than 100,000 gaons of groundwater per day (based on an annua use average). Tabe 3-1 ists the five groundwater withdrawa permits for industria and municipa u?ers in Buoch County in 1998, incuding permitted monthy and yeary average withdrawa'per day. The permitted monthy average withdrawa aows a groundwater user to meet seasona peak fow demand, but the permitted yeary average withdrawa (gaons per day) cannot be exceeded overthe course ofa year. Groundwaterwithdrawa permits are cassified by EPD as municipa (e.g., Statesboro), industria (e.g., Grinne Fow Contro), or agricutura (e.g., farms and gof courses). EPD has issued 412 agricutura groundwaterwithdrawa permits as ofnovember1998, butthese are notincuded in Tabe 3-1. Each of the five non-agricutura permitted users withdraw groundwater from the Upper Foridan Aquifer. EPD Safe Drinking Water Pennits EPD issues safe drinking water permits for a water systems with at east 15 connections (Le., residences) or serving more than 25 individuas at east 60 days per year. These systems are commony referred to as community ornon-communitywater systems. Tabe 3-2 ists the 91 safe drinking water permits in Buoch County in 1998, incuding the popuation served by each water system as most recenty reported to EPD. t shoud be noted that popuation figures date from 1989 to 1998 and may not refect the present popuation served by the system. Types of water suppiers and users covered by safe drinking water permits incude arge and sma municipa water systems, such as those operated by Statesboro and Register; industriafaciities (with more than 25 empoyees or on-site customers), such as Grinne, that suppy their own water for industria processes and use a portion for empoyee andor customer consumption; community water systems serving residentia subdivisions, mobie home parks, and other residentia uses not suppied by municipa water systems; and non-community water systems, designated by EPD as transient or non-transient, serving schoos, businesses, parks, and other nonresidentia uses not suppied by municipa water systems. Domestic wes serving individua residences and "non-pubic" wes that serve ess than 15 residences or 25 individuas do not require EPD safe drinking water permits. -13

19 Tabe 3-1 Buoch County ndustria and Municipa Groundwater Withdrawa Permits (ssued by Georgia EPD as of December 1998) Permitted Permitted Permit Permitted Faciity Monthy Average Yeary Average Type Withdrawa (MGD) Withdrawa (MGD) Georgia Southern University Municipa City of Statesboro Municipa Town of Brooket Municipa H.K. PorterWiss* ndustria Grinne Fow Contro* ndustria TOTAL The Standard ndustna Cassification (SC) code for these faciities S 33 - Pnmary Metas. Source: Georgia EPD, 1999 Tabe 3-2 Safe Drinking Water Permits in Buoch County (1998) Permitted System Type of Water System Popuation (EPD Cassification) Served Brooket*+ Community 1,013 Nevis Water Association Community 156 Porta* Community 690 Register* Community 211 Statesboro*+ Community 25,641 Georgia Southern University+ Community 3,100 Southeast Buoch High Schoo Non-Community Non-Transient 675 Stison Eementary Schoo.Non-Community Non-Transient 455 Wiow Hi Eementary Schoo Non-Community Non-Transient 222 Leefied Water Association Community 96 Mixon's Mobie Viage Community 91 Forest Heights Subdivision Community 566 Grove Lakes Subdivision Community 783 Johnson Mobie Home Park Community 175# Parkwood Mote and Restaurant Non-Community Transient 75 Grinne Fow Contro Corp.+ Non-Community Non-Transient

20 Permitted System Type of Water System Popuation (EPD Cassification) Served The Barn Mobie Home Park Community 138 Lake Coins Estates Community 143 Buoch Academy Non-Community Non-Transient 400# Lanier Mobie Home Park Community 96 Tankersey. Subdivision? Community 42 Windfied Subdivision Community 122 Hazewood Subdivision Community 312 Country Cub His/Pine Forest Community 224 Forest His Subdivision Community 185 Country Lakes Estates MHP Community 140 Riverside Estates Community 65 New Hope Subdivision Community 82 Robbins Packing Company Non-Community Non-Transient 75 Frankvie Water Association Community 25 Coach House Estates MHP Community 234 Coonia Heights Subdivision Community 101 Cypress Lake Mobie Home Park Community 63 Mi Creek Estates Community 78 Lakeside Estates Community 70 Newtons Mobie Home Viage Community 65 Thomas Viage Community 49 Westchester Subdivision Community 172 Ogeechee Riverview POA Non-Community Transient 60 Frinks Traier Park Community 43 The Loxcreen Company, nc. Non-Community Non-Transient 50 Buoch County Schoo Bus Garage Non-Community Transient 225 Zetterower Mobie Home Park Community 47 Woodand Mobie Estates Community 101 Northside Junior High Schoo Non-Community Non-Transient 300 Cooper Wiss ndustries, nc.+ Non-Community Non-Transient 300 Georgian Wak Subdivision Community 390# Edora Fanns Subdivision Community 291 -S

21 Permitted System Type of Water System Popuation (EPD Cassification) Served Mi Creek Landing Community 94 Meadow Lakes Pantation Subdivision Community 195# Westridge Subdivision Community 100 Hodges Subdivision Community 65 Deerfied Subdivision Community 133 Northwood Subdivision Community 151 Cedarwood Mobie Home Park Community 177# Chance's Mobie Home Park Community 146 Wiiford Traier Park Community 52 Po-Jo's Gas N Go Non-Community Transient 100 Od Mi Pond Subdivision Community 86# Bird Road Traier Park Community 100 Timberand Points Community 127 Hunters Point Subdivision Community 533# Southern Comfort Subdivision Community 229# On the Pond Subdivision Community 169# Engish Oaks Mobie Home Park Community 52 Oney Station Community 270 Pantation Mobie Estates Community 37 Yorktown Subdivision Community 78 Horizons West Subdivision Community 400# Dry Branch Viage Community 156 Tayor's Creek Mobie Home Park Community 52 Lundy Traier Park Community 47 Country Wak Subdivision Community 340# LA Pacific Statesboro Sawmi Non-Community Non-Transient 65 Gaop Mobie Home Park Community 30 Heritage Mobie Home Park Community 78 Westside Mobie Home Park Community 68 Oak Hi Mobie Home Park Community 26 Middeground Pantation Community 151# 1-16

22 Permitted System Type of Water System Popuation (EPD Cassification) Served Pretoria Station/Brookwood Subdivision Community 335# Westover Subdivision Community 179# Bradford Pace Community 244# nman Lakes Subdivision Community 30 Oasis, ric. Non-Community Transient 100 Buoch South, nc. Non-Community Transient 98 Od ndian Trai WS Community 60 Westboro Apartments Community 94# Cody Lane Mobie Home Park Community 32 Greenwood Traier Park Community 65 Wiow Pond Community 138# W.M. Sheppard Lumber Company Non-Community Non-Transient 125 'Muncpa water system +Permied groundwater user (>100,000 gaons per day withdrawa) #Revised popuation figure provided by water system management Source: Georgia EPD, 1998 Assessing Buoch County's Water Demand As part of EPD's comprehensive water suppy management pan requirements, each county must assess past, present, and future water demand. Groundwater is the primary source of water in Buoch County. Approximatey three miion gaons of surface water are used per day for agricutura irrigation; however, much of this surface water is pumped from ponds that are at east partiay recharged by groundwater. For the purpose of this pan, Buoch County water demand is anayzed for the foowing categories of wes and water. systems, based on EPD's groundwater management reguatory structure and present water withdrawa and use in the, county: ndustria wes Provide industria process water to industria faciities not connected to municipa water systems May require EPD groundwater withdrawa permit and EPD safe drinking water permit Agricutura/gof course irrigation wes Serve agricutura operations (crop irrigation and ivestock watering), and gof courses not connected to municipa water systems May require EPD groundwater withdrawa permit -17

23 \ Surface water systems for agricutura and gof course irrigation Serve agricutura operations, and gof courses not connected to municipa water systems May require EPO surface water withdrawa permit Georgia Southern University's water system Provides water for mutipe campus uses Requires EPO groundwater withdrawa permit and EPO safe drinking water permit Municipa water systems ; Serve residentia, commercia, and industria customers inside and, in some cases, outside municipa boundaries May require EPO groundwater withdrawa permit, and require EPO safe drinking water permit Non-municipa community water systems Serve residentia subdivisions and other sma residentia areas not connected to municipa water systems Provide water to at east 15 residences or 25 individuas Usuay do not require EPO groundwater withdrawa permit, but require EPO safe drinking water permit Non-community water systems Serve businesses, schoos, and other non-residentia faciities not connected to municipa water systems Provide water to at east 25 individuas more than 60 days per year Usuay do not require EPO groundwater withdrawa permit, but require EPO safe drinking water permit "Non-pubic wes" Serve residences and non-residentia faciities not connected to municipa water systems Provide water to 2-14 residences or ess than 25 individuas Usuay do not require EPO groundwater withdrawa permit Oomestic wes Serve individua residences not connected to municipa water systems or "non-municipa community water systems" Usuay do not require EPO' groundwater withdrawa permit Water use is inventoried in the foowing sections for the users of each type of water system or we identified above. The foowing information is addressed in each section: Past and present water demand (1985 and 1997) Future water demand ( ) Water system management - 8

24 V. WATER USE NVENTORY AND PROJECTON -NDUSTRAL WELLS Description This section addresses industria faciities that are not connected to municipa water systems but utiize their own wes on-site for industria process water, as we as water for empoyee and customer consumption and other needs. An industria faciity that withdraws more than 100,000 gaons of groundwater per day requires an EPD groundwater withdrawa permit. n Buoch County, Cooper Toos (H.K. PorterWiss) and Grinne. presenty require this permit. Map 4 in Appendix A indicates the ocation of these industria faciities. For the purpose of this pan, industry is imited to business operations that use water in a manufacturing/industria process and incudes the foowing: A industria faciities that require EPD groundwater withdrawa permits Smaer industries that do not require EPD groundwater withdrawa permits ndustria parks or other faciities that may not necessariy use water for industria processes but use or are expected to use more than 100,000 gaons per day for domestic-reated uses ndustria faciities that do not operate their own wes but are suppied water from municipa water systems (e.g., Fisher-Rosemont Petroeum) are addressed in Section 7. However, thesefaciities are considered when cacuating tota water neededforindustria use in Buoch County (Tab/e 11-3). Grinne is an iron foundry (SC code 3321) speciaizing in gray iron pipe fittings. Grinne hods an EPD permit to withdraw up to miion gaons of groundwater per day (annua average). The 560,000 square feet faciity opened in 1969 and empoys approximatey 480 individuas. "Green sand," which consists of siica sand, bentonite cay, and sma amounts of coa mixed with water, is used to create mods that are poured with moten iron to produce iron castings (induction furnaces are used to met scrap stee, aoys, and iron returns into moten iron). A varietyofhydrauicand mechanica equipment is used to form these sand mods and to ce'an and grind the iron castings to meet customer specifications. Grinne uses water for empoyee consumption and sanitary sewer, "green sand" mixing (foundry process), wet dust coection equipment, cooing towers, and once-through cooing. Cooper Toos (HK PorterWiss) (SC code 3421) manufactures a variety of hand toos and is permitted to withdraw.170 miion gaons ofgroundwaterperday (annua average). The foowing four product ines are manufactured at its Statesboro pant: Pumb hammers and hatchets; Wiss scissors, shears, and snips; Wiss Aviation snips; and HK Porter bot V-19

25 cutters, cabe cutters, and strap cutters. However, the pant is schedued to cose in 2000, and these product ines wi be moved to other Cooper Toos faciities by that time. For the purpose ofthis pan, it is assumed that a new industria operation wi ocate in this faciity and future water use wi be simiar to Cooper's present use. Smaer industria faciities that utiize their own wes on-site for industria process water but withdraw ess than 100,000 gaons per day are presenty imited in Buoch County to approximatey four faciities:.. Dixieand Materias (concrete) Conex (concrete) Sheppard Lumber Company Robins Packing Based on water use estimates, these faciities combine to use approximatey 25,000 gaons of water per day. Past and Present Water Demand Tabe 4-1 ists permitted daiy groundwater withdrawa (based on a yeary average), 1985 average daiy groundwater use, and 1997 average daiy groundwater use for Buoch County's two permitted industria faciities. Cooper Toos and Grinne combined to use miion gaons of groundwater per day in 1997, or about 98 percent of their tota permitted daiy withdrawa. Grinne accounted for miion gaons of groundwater use per day during 1997, or 77 percent of its permit imit of miion gaons per day. Cooper Toos accounted for miion gaons of groundwater use per day during 1997, exceeding its permit imit of miions gaons per day. Average daiy water use at Grinne was higher in 1997 than 1985, whie no 1985 data are avaiabe for Cooper Toos to make a comparison. Data for maximum day use for each month for past and present industria water demand are not avaiabe. Water conservation measures empoyed in the past are aso not avaiabe. Present conservation measures at Grinne incude the foowing: Recycing water for dust coectioh and the use of thermostat contro equipment on once-through cooing water An air-cooed refrigerated chier for core making equipment cooing Cooing towers for cooing a fumaces and reated equipment Tabe 4-2 ists average daiy groundwater use for each month of 1997 for Buoch County's two permitted industria faciities. Ony datafor 1997 is avaiabe for present peak summer and winter consumption rates. Peak 1997 water demand at Grinne occurred during December, when miion gaons of water were used per day. Peak 1997 water demand at Cooper Toos occurred during September, when miion gaons ofwater were used per day. Maximum daiy water use data are not avaiabe. V-20

26 As mentioned above, sma industries not requiring EPD groundwater withdrawa permits combined to use approximatey 25,000 gaons per day in 1997, compared to approximatey 20,000 gaons per day in Tabe 4-1 Past and Present Buoch County ndustria Groundwater Use Permitted Faciities '>100,000 qaons per day qroundwater withdrawa) Permitted Permitted Faciity Yeary Average Average Use Average Use Withdrawa (MGD) (MGD) (MGD) Cooper Toos (H.K. PorterWiss) 0.170? Grinne TOTAL 1.178? Source: Cooper Toos and GnnneJ Tabe 4-2 Present Buoch County ndustria Groundwater Use Permitted Faciities (>100,000 gaons per day groundwater withdrawa) Averaqe Daiv Groundwater Use bv Month (1997) Average Daiy Groundwater Use (MGD) Month Cooper Toos Grinne Tota January February March Apri May June Juy August September October November December Annua Source: Cooper Toos and GnnneJ V-21

27 Future Water Demand Tabe 4-3 ists projected future groundwater use through 2050 for Buoch County's two permitted industria faciities. Based on input from the Buoch County Deveopment Authority and the City of Statesboro, no additiona arge industria faciities that woud operate their own wes on-site are expected to ocate in Buoch County in the future. With the exception of the Grinne and Cooper faciities and non-permitted businesses, future industria activity is projected to occur within Buoch County's industria parks andor in proximity t9 Statesboro's water system. These industria water use projections are discussed;in Section 7. However, the Buoch County Commission coud decide in the future to deveop industria parks in the unincorporated area of the county, and industria water use estimates woud need to be adjusted at that time. Through 2050, it is expected that any expansion at Grinne requiring additiona water use wi be offset by water conservation techniques. As a resut, future water use at the faciity is projected to remain simiar to 1997 average daiy use. Future conservation measures wi ikey incude the use of cooing towers for air compressors, additiona recycing of cooing or process water, and metering of water in high use areas. As previousy mentioned, Cooper Toos wi be cosing its Buoch County faciity in Whie future water use is not accounted for this particuar industry, a new business may move into this faciity. Based on this assumption, future water use is projected to be simiar to Cooper Toos' 1997 average daiy water use. Faciity water use coud increase or decrease, depending on the type of industry, size of operation, and the amount ofwater required for the particuar industria processes. The number of smaer industria faciities that utiize their own wes on-site for industria process water but withdraw ess than 100,000 gaons per day is expected to increase in proportion to the county popuation over the next 50 years. Tota water use for these faciities is projected to increase from 27,000 gaons per day in 2000 to 300,000 gaons per day in However, these estimates coud change depending on the type of sma industria faciities ocating in Buoch County and proximity to municipa water systems. This information is shown in Tabe 4-4. Monthy average &maximum day use for each month. peak summer/winter consumption t is unreaistic to project these numbers because of the mutipe unknown factors, such as effectiveness of water conservation and' water reuse measures, technoogica advancements, types of industry, etc. V-22

28 Tabe 4-3 Future Buoch County ndustria Groundwater Use Permitted Faciities '>100,000 qaons per day oroundwater withdrawa) Projected Use (MGD) Permitted Faciity Cooper Toos Grinne New industry with own wes* TOTAL Assumes that a new mdustry Wi move to the Cooper Toos faciity and use a simiar amount of water 'As estimated by Buoch County Deveopment Authority, May 1999 Source: Cooper Toos, Grinne, Buoch County Deveopment Authority/City of Statesboro, 1999 Tabe 4-4 Future Buoch County ndustria Groundwater Use 8ma Faciities «100,000 gaons per day groundwater withdrawa) Projected Use (Gaons Per Day) ,000 90, , , ,000 Source: Rutherford & Associates projection Water System Management Tabe 4-5 Buoch County d n ustna -Water Ssystem Management ndustry Number of Number Storage We Source Storage of Wes Capacity Tanks 400,000 gaons Cooper Toos 2 Upper Foridan Aquifer 2 (200,000 each tank) Grinne 2 Upper Foridan Aquifer 1 400,000 gaons V-23

29 i' V-24

30 [ \ V. WATER USE NVENTORY AND PROJECTON- AGRCULTURE AND GOLF COURSES Description (rrigation Wes and Livestock Watering) This section addresses agricutura operations and gof courses that utiize surface water or groundwater for irrigation or ivestock watering. Agricuture has traditionay payed a major ro)e in Buoch County's economy, and farms occupy a significantamount ofthe and in the county. Buoch County gross farm income totaed $95,226,000 in Major agricutura commodities in 1997 incuded cotton (43,000 acres), peanuts (21,000 acres), soybeans (19,000 acres), and com (16,500 acres). The county aso produces a number of beef catte, poutry, and hogs. Approximatey 75,000 acres are intensivey managed for agricutura purposes. A=rding to the Buoch County Cooperative Extension Service, 20 percent of this acreage utiizes irrigation. As iustrated on Map 5 in AppendixA, most irrigatedfarmand in Buoch County is ocated south and east of Statesboro. Agricutura operations that withdraw more than 100,000 gaons of groundwater or surface water per day require an EPD withdrawa permit. As of January 1999, EPD had issued 412 permits to approximatey 167 agricutura operations. These permits incuded 283 for surface water withdrawa, 114 for groundwater withdrawa, and 14 combined withdrawa. However, most of the surface water withdrawa in Buoch County is from ponds that are party fied with groundwater. Through its permits, EPD imits surface water usage to three miion gaons per day and groundwater usage to four miion gaons per day. EPD considers gof courses to be an agricutura use for the purpose of groundwater management. Five gof courses, iustrated on Map 6 in Appendix A, are presenty operated in Buoch County: Eage Creek Gof Cub Forest Heights Country Cub Lakeview Gof Course and Driving Range Southern Links Gof Cub Hacker's Gof Park (practice range) Past and Present Water Demand Agricutura producers presenty utiize an appication of six to ten inches ofwater per acre per year. For cacuating water use, one acre-inch represents 27,000 gaons. Based on EPD withdrawa imits and appication requirements, approximatey 6,600 acres are irrigated with surface water, and 8,800 acres are irrigated with groundwater. V-25

31 The University of Georgia. recenty competed fow surveys on 25 agricutura water systems in Buoch County (groundwater and surface water). n each case, the actua fow was significanty ess than pump capacity (approximatey68 percent on average). Aso, 12 water systems seected to be checked were not in use. According to the Buoch County Cooperative Extension Service, these findings indicate that potentia use coud be as ow as 70 percent of EPD water withdrawa imits. This equates to approximatey five miion gaons per day withdrawa. As indicatep in Tabes 5-1, 5-2, and 5-3, the US Geoogice Survey estimated tota agricutura water use (agricutura irrigation, ivestock watering, and gof course irrigation) to be 9.47 miion gaons per day in 1997, compared to 5.34 miion gaons per day in Excuding gofcourse water use, agricutura operations may have used 8.5 miion gaons of groundwater and surface water per day in Tabes 5-4 and 5-5 indicate past and present water use by crop. These US Geoogica Surveyfigures are considered conservative and are usedas present agricutura water use estimates in this pan. t shoud be noted that it is difficut to accuratey project agricutura water use, and EPD needs to update its current permits and methods for cacuating the number of serviceabe systems in use. Buoch County's five gof courses combined to use approximatey miion gaons per day in As mentioned above, gofcourse wateruse estimates are incuded in the US Geoogica Survey agricutura water use figures. Buoch County's gof courses utiize both surface water and groundwater for irrigation. Future Water Demand The Buoch County Cooperative Extension Service estimates that the present agricutura production crop mix wi remain about the same over the next five years. Some Buoch County farmers indicate that some farms wi go to doube crop production. Therefore, an increase in agricutura water use due to crop rotation coud occur. The number of agricutura water systems coud potentiay increase, as EPD wi aow, enhancing crop yied potentia. The maximum increase in irrigated acreage is not expected to exceed 10,000 acres, bringing the tota amount of irrigated agricutura acreage in Buoch County to 25,000 acres. Agricutura water use beyond the next five years wi depend on such factors as crop mix, irrigation practices, and the amount of agricutura acreage. For the purpose of this pan, future Buoch County singe crop agricutura water use, incuding gof courses, is projected to utiize irrigation equa to 10 inches per acre. Doube crop irrigation is projected to utiize irrigation equa to 18 inches per acre. Some future agricutura water demand coud be met with water captured in impoundments. The use ofimpoundments woud utiizethe rainfa the county receives in the non-growing season and reduce the demand on groundwater. Some new uses for groundwater in agricutura practices incude aquacuture (catfish V-26

32 farming) and vegetabe crops. Kenaf, a fibrows crop that is a possibe substitute for pup trees, is being examined at the University of Georgia experimenta stations. A new hybrid grain, pear miet, is being considered as a crop that is drought-toerant. Aquacuture n 1980, over 2,000 acres of ponds were used in commercia catfish production in Georgia. Farmers in Buoch County have expressed an interestin catfishfarming. Catfishfarming requires a warm water environment for good growth. Optimum temperature is 85 degrees Fahrenheit. South Georgia has about 250 days when the water is above 60 degrees Fahrenh~it. Ponds can be any size depending upon projected stocking rates. Depth of the water pays no part in determining the stock rate. Pond sizes of approximatey 10 acres seem to be the easiest to work and contro water quaity issues. A pond of 20 acres averaging 5 feet in depth wi require approximatey 16.3 miion gaons of water to fie Water has to be added to the ponds periodicay to repace water ost to evaporation. Assuming a one-inch oss of water per week to evaporation, approximatey 3,847 gaons a day woud be required to maintain the origina depth of a 10-acre pond. 3 Kenaf Kenaf is being tested at severa of the University of Georgia Coege of Agricuture and Environmenta Science Branch Experiment stations. Kenaf is a tree-free paper made from a pan reated to cotton and okra. ts historica roots go back thousands ofyears to ancient Africa, the Midde East, and Asia. The United States Department of Agricuture became interested in this environmentay-friendy source of paper pup during the 1940s and eary '50s when paper usage in the U.S. neary doubed. To meet the demand, forest were being ogged at a tremendous rate, so the USDA began ooking fora non-wood aternative. After much research, the agency decided that kenaf was the best choice. Kenaf compares favoraby in quaity with trees as a source offibers for paper, and it yieds morefiber peracre than southern pines grown in tree pantations. Whie trees can take 20 to 25 years to reach maturity, kenaf can be harvested in just five months. Another advantage of growing this tree-free substitute is that it is naturay resistant to most pests and disease. The pant crowds out weeds, reducing the need for herbicides. Using kenaf as a source of paper pup can hep save natura resources and the energy needed to produce wood-based paper. n addition, it reduces poution, and substituting it for tree fibers heps to preserve widife habitats that are ost in ogging. Pear Miet Pear miet is a grain crop common to Africa and ndia. Pear miet, a memberofthe grass famiy, grows in heights ranging from 3 to 16 feet. t produces a ong, dark spike, 25 ft. =326,000 acres ft. x 5 ft. =1,630,000 x 10 =16,300,000 gaons 3 1 inch =27,000 gaons/week x 52 weeks/year =1,404,000/year =3,847 gaons/day V-27

33 resembing a cattai, which hods hundreds ofsma bue orwhite grains resembing pears. There are two types of pear miet. One type produces grain and the other produces forage for catte. Farmers in semi-arid parts of ndia and west Africa grow64 miion acres of pear miet. Fifty miion acres are for food, making it the word's fourth most important tropica food cerea. Pear miet might be an aternative to soybeans and corn, which to meet the demand in Georgia, have to be imported from the Midwest. The Georgia poutry industry consumption of soybeans is more than 15 times the amount grown in Georgia. Pear miet coud become a new cash crop for Georgia farmers and coud utimatey reduce irrigation needs for farms in the future. Vegetabe farming Vegetabe farming is moving from Forida to Georgia. South Georgia enjoys simiar cimate to that of Forida. With irrigation, vegetabe farming can be very productive and profitabe for the farmers. n most cases, the farmers can get two vegetabe crops a year with a growing season of approximatey 270 days. Vegetabe farming wi become a arge irrigation use in the future. Tabe 5-6 depicts future groundwater use for agricuture. Tabe 5-7 indicates future water use by crop. t is estimated that at east one additiona gof course wi be deveoped in Buoch County by As indicated in Tabe 5-8, tota Buoch County gofcourse water use is projected to increase to miion gaons per day by Tabe 5-9 indicates tota projected agricutura water use from surface and groundwater. Water conservation measures to be empoyed Water conservation measures wi have to be empoyed in order to maintain reasonabe use of the Foridan aquifer as a primary source ofwater. The county wi have to deveop a countywide conservation program for domestic and commercia usage. The county wi have to work with oca industries to assist them in efforts to reduce water usage. The agricutura community with support from the county wi have to study and impement conservation practices as those discussed in the EPD report entited rrigation Conservation Practices Appropriate for the Southeastern United States. Tabe 5-1 US Geoogica Survey Estimated Buoch County Agricutura Groundwater Use Agricutura Average Daiy Groundwater Use (MGD) Water Use rrigation Livestock TOTAL Source: US Geoogica Survey, 1998 V-28

34 ! \ \ i \ Tabe 5-2 US Geoogica Survey Estimated Buoch County Agricutura Surface Water Use Agricutura Average Daiy Surface Water Use (MGD) Water Use rrigation Livestock TOTAL Source. YS Geoogica Survey, 1998 Tabe 5-3 US Geoogica Survey Estimated Buoch County Agricutura Water Use (Tota) Agricutura Average Daiy Tota Water Use (MGD) Water Use rrigation Livestock TOTAL Source. US Geoogica Survey, 1998 Tabe 5-4 Past Water Use By Crop Acres per Crop and Water Use (MGD) per Crop: Acres Water Water Water Water Acres Acres Acres Use Use Use Use Corn 1, , , , Peanuts , , , Soybeans , , Tobacco Vegetabes Pecans - a - a - a Pasture TOTAL 2, , , , Vegetabes incude cucumbers, squash, tomatoes, peppers, waenneons, and cantaoupes. Source: Buoch County V-29

35 , Tabe 5-5 Present Water Use Per Crop Acres per Crop and Water Use (MGD) per Crop: Acres Water Water Water Acres Acres Use Use Use Corn 5, , , Cotton , , Peanuts 4, , , Soybeans 1, , Tobacco , rvegetabes Pecans Pasture !TOTAL 12, , , Vegetabes incude cucumbers, squash, tomatoes, peppers, watermeons, and cantaoudes. Source: Buoch County Tabe 5-6 Buoch County Agricutura Water Demand for Singe and Doube Crop Use and Aquacuture Singe crop Doube crop Aquacuture Water Water Water Tota Year Acres Use Acres Use Acres Use Daiy Use (MGD) 1 (MGD) 2 (MGD) 3 (MGD) , , , , , , , , , , , Based on 10 inches irrigation for 120 day growing Season 2 Based on 18 inches irrigation for 270 day growing season 3 Based on 3,847 gaons per day to maintain depth of 10-acre pond Source. Rutherford & AssOCiates V-30

36 Acres Tabe 5-7 Projected Water Use Per Crop Acres Der CrOD and Water Use (MGD Der CroD: Water Water Water Water Water Water Acres Acres Acres Acres Acres Use Use Use Use Use Use r Com 1, ,= ,= ,= ,= ,= Cotton i 9, ,= ,= ,= ,= ,= Peanuts 2,= ,= ,= ,= ,= ,= Soybeans = = = = = = Tobacco = = Vegetabes ,= , , ,= ,= 3.33 Pecans = Pasture = ,= , ,= TOTAL 15, , , , , ,= Acres Der CroD and Water Use (MGD) per Crop: (Cant.) Acres Water Acres Water Water Acres Water Acres Water Acres Use Use Use Use Use Corn 2,= ,= ,= ,= ,= Cotton 9,= ,= ,= ,= ,= Peanuts 7,= ,= ,= ,= ,= Soybeans = = = = = Tobacco Vegetabes 2, ,= ,= ,= ,= Pecans 1,= ,= , ,3» ,= Pasture 2, , ,= ,= ,= TOTAL 24, , , ,3» ,= Vegetabes incude cucumbers, squash, tomatoes, peppers, watermeons, and cantaoupes. Acreage of vegetabe crops wi be determined by market and other economic conditions. Source: Buoch County V-31

37 Tabe 5-8 Projected Buoch County Gof Course Water Use (rrigation) Projected Use (MGD) Source. Buoch County Cooperative Extension Service Coasta Georgia RDC projection / Tabe 5-9 Projected Buoch County Agricutura Use (Groundwater and Surface water) Surface Groundwater TOTAL Source: Rutherford &Associates V-32

38 [ r V. WATER USE NVENTORY AND PROJECTON - GEORGA SOUTHERN UNVERSTY'S WATER SYSTEM Description Georgia Southern University (GSU), the third argest university in Georgia, is ocated in Statesboro aong State Route 67 (see Map 7 in Appendix A). With a 1997 tota student enroment of 13,965 and 1,768 facuty and staff, GSU houses 2,750 students on its campus. Approximatey 7,000 students ive off-campus in Statesboro, and 4,000 students commute from Buoch County and the surrounding region. Whie GSU has grown tremendousy over the past severa years, a two percent annua growth cap is now in pace. The university operates its own water system and is permitted by EPD to withdraw miion gaons of groundwater per day, based on a yeary average. Sewer service and imited water service are provided by the City of Statesboro. Past and Present Water Demand Tabe 6-1 ists GSU's permitted daiy groundwaterwithdrawa (based on a yeary average), 1985 average daiy groundwater use, and 1997 average daiy groundwater use. GSU used miion gaons of groundwater per day in 1997, or approximatey 75 percent of its permitted daiy withdrawa. Water use has remained fairy constant from 1985 to 1997, despite an increase in student enroment. Tabe 6-2 ists GSU's average daiy groundwater use for each month of1997, in addition to per capita use. Peak 1997 water demand occurred during September, when miion gaons ofwater were used per day. Athough this figure exceeds the yeary average daiy groundwaterwithdrawa permit imit, GSU is aowed to average one miion gaons ofdaiy groundwater withdrawa over the course of a month. GSU's per capita water use (gaons per person per day) averaged 63 gaons during 1997, ranging from an average of 31 gaons per person per day in December, to 96 gaons per person per day in September (these months correspond with Christmas Break and the beginning of Fa Semester, respectivey). The sum of the numberof students iving on-campus, 25 percent ofstudents iving off-campus, and 25 percent of facuty and staff is divided by GSU's1997 average daiy water use (0.375 miion gaons) to derive per capita water use. This cacuation assumes that a student or staff member iving off-campus wi ony account for 25 gaons of on-campus water use per day, whie an on-campus resident wi account for 100 gaons per day. V-33

39 Tabe 6-1 Past and Present Georgia Southern University Groundwater Use Permitted 1985 Average 1997 Average Yeary Average Daiy Use Use Withdrawa (MGD) (MGD) (MGD) Source. Georgia Southern UnVersity, Physica Pant DVsion./ Tabe 6-2 Georgia Southern University Groundwater Use by Month (1997) Average Daiy Per Capita Use Month Groundwater Use (MGD) (Gaons Per Day)+ January February March Apri May June Juy August September October November December Annua Georga Southern UnVersity per capita use based on popuation of 2,750 on-campus residents pus 2,604 (25%) of 11,215 off-campus students, and 442 (25%) of 1,766 facuty and staff Sourc.e: Georgia Southern University, 1996 Future Water Demand Tabe 6-3 ists GSU's projected student enroment and groundwater use through These popuation figures are based on an estimated two percent annua increase in the number students iving off-campus, in addition to a ten percent increase in the number of on-campus residents in 2020 and GSU representatives indicate that no residentia deveopment is schedued on campus for the near future. These popuation and water use figures may increase or decrease, however, depending on modifications to the existing two percent growth cap or changes in student enroment projections, campus expansion pans, or water service operations. V-34

40 Tabe 6-3 Projected Future Georgia Southern University Popuation and Water Use Projected Projected Projected On-eampus Off-Campus Projected Water Year Tota Student Student Use (MGD) Enroment Popuation Popuation ,750 11,888 14, ,750 14,266 17, ,025 17,119 20, ,025 20,543 23, ,330 28,760 32, Source: Coasta Georgia ROC esnmate n consutanon with GSU staff [ V-35

41 VT-36

42 V. WATER USE NVENTORY AND PROJECTON - MUNCPAL WATER SYSTEMS Description This section addresses municipa water systems that serve residentia, commercia, and industria customers inside and outside municipa boundaries. A of Buoch County's municipaities (Statesboro, Brooket, Porta, and Register) operate municipa water systems., The water service area for each municipa water system is indicated on Maps 8 11 in Appendix A. Statesboro and Brooket withdraw more than 100,000 gaons of groundwater per day and require EPD groundwater withdrawa permits, in addition to EPD safe drinking water permits. Statesboro is permitted to withdraw miion gaons of groundwater per day (yeary average), whie Brooket is permitted to withdrawa miion gaons of groundwaterperday. Porta is expected to requirean EPD groundwaterwithdrawa permit within the next 20 years. \ Whie each municipa water system serves residentia and commercia customers, Statesboro is the ony municipaity that provides water to industria faciities (defined as a business using water in an industria/manufacturing process). Statesboro provides water to three industria parks, and tota industria water use is expected to increase significanty in the future (see Tabe 7-7). The other three Buoch County municipaities are not expected to provide water to industria faciities in the near future. Past and Present Water Demand Tabes 7-1 through 7-5 ist the maximum daiy water use for past water use for Brooket, Porta, Register, Statesboro and unincorporated Buoch County from Any conservation measures empoyed during this time are not known. A estimates prepared by Rutherford & Associates. Tabe 7-6 ists permitted daiy groundwater withdrawa (based on a yeary average), 1985 average daiy groundwater use, and 1997 average daiy groundwater use for each municipaity.. Overa, Buoch County's municipa water systems combined to use miion gaons of groundwater per day in 1997, compared to approximatey miion gaons per day in Tabes 7-7, Tabe 7-8, Tabe 7-9, and Tabe 7-10 ist average daiy groundwater use for each month of 1997, in addition to per capita water use, for Statesboro, Brooket, Porta, and Register, respectivey. Per capita water use for each municipaity is cacuated by dividing average daiy water use by the projected 1997 municipa popuation or estimated number of residentia customers. V-37

43 Tabe 7-1: City ofstatesboro Maximum Daiy Use and Per Capita for 1970, 1980, 1985 (Water use reported in 000 thousands) Popuation: 14,616 Popuation: 14,866 Popuation: 15,670 Daiy Tota Per Capita Daiy Tota Per Capita Daiy Tota PerCapia WaerUse WaerUse WaerUse Water Use Water Use Water Use Jan Feb / Mar Apr May June Juy Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Average Tabe 7-2: City ofporta Maximum Daiy Use and Per Capia for 1970, 1980, 1985 (Water use reported in 000 thousands) Popuation: 643 Popuation: 694 Popuation: 700 Daiy Toa PerCapia Daiy Toa PerCapia Daiy Toa Per Capita Water Use Water Use Water Use Water Use Water Use Water Use Jan Feb Mar Apr May June Juy Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Average V-38

44 Tabe 7-3: Unincorporated Buoch County Maximum Daiy Use and Per Capita for 1970, 1980, 1985 (Water use reported in 000 thousands) Popuation: 16,241 Popuation: 18,995 Popuation: 19,685 Daiy Tota Per Capita Daiy Tota Per Capita Daiy Tota Per Capita Water Use Water Use Water Use Water Use Water Use Water Use Jan Feb Mar Apr May June Juy Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Average Estimate per capita for unincorporated county 60 gpd based upon comparabe usage from municipaities in Buoch County. Tabe 7-4: City ofbrooket Maximum Daiy Use and Per Capita for 1970, 1980, 1985 (Water use reported in 000 thousands) Popuation: 683 Popuation: 1,035 Popuation: 1,150 Daiy Tota Per Capita Daiy Tota Per Capita Daiy Tota Per Capita Water Use Water Use Water Use Water Use Water Use Water Use Jan Feb Mar Apr May June Juy Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Average VT-39

45 Tabe 7-5: City ofregister Maximum Daiy Use and Per Capita for 1970, 1980, 1985 (Water use reported in 000 thousands) Popuation: 195 Popuation: 195 Daiy Tota Per Capita Daiy Tota Per Capita Water Use Water Use Water Use Water Use Jan Feb Mar Apr May June Juy Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Average Register not ncorporated n Tabe 7-6 Buoch County Municipa Water Systems. Average Daiy Groundwater Use Permitted 1985 Average 1997 Average Municipaity Yeary Average Withdrawa Withdrawa Withdrawa (MGD) (MGD)+ (MGD) Statesboro* Brooket* Porta Register TOTAL MUniCipa water system requmng groundwater withdrawa permit from EPO (> 100,000 gpd withdrawa) +Coasta Georgia ROC estimate Source: 1997 use- Statesboro, Brooket, Porta, Register V-40

46 1 Tabe 7-7: Statesboro Groundwater Use bv Month (1997) Average Daiy Per Capita Use Month Groundwater Use (MGD) (Gaons Per Day)+ January February March Apri , May.' June Juy August September October November December Annua Based on estimated 1997 popuation served (31,600), excuding mgd water provided to ndustria park customers Source: City of Statesboro, 1999 Tabe 7-8 Brooket Groundwater Use by Month (1997) Average Daiy Per Capita Use Month Groundwater Use (MGD) (Gaons Per Day)+ January February March Apri May June Juy August September October November December Annua Based on 1997 popuation of 1,171 Source: Town of Brooket, 1999 V-41

47 Month Tabe 7-9" Porta Groundwater Use by Month (1997) Average Daiy Per Capita Use Groundwater Use (MGD) (Gaons Per Day)+ January February March Apri May ', June Juy August September October November December Annua based on 1997 popuation of 753 Source: Town of Porta, 1999 Tabe 7-10: Register Groundwater Use by Month (1997) Month Average Daiy Per Capita Use Groundwater Use (MGD) (Gaons Per Day)+ January February March Apri May June Juy August September October November December Annua based on 1997 popuation of 270 Source: Town of Register V-42

48 Statesboro As indicated in Tabe 7-2, Statesboro's municipa water system used miion gaons of groundwater per day in 1997, compared to an estimated 1.11 miion gaons of groundwater per day in Presenty, Statesboro provides water to 9,100 customers inside and outside of its municipa boundary, incuding approximatey 38 industria park customers and 1,100 other non-residentia customers. Peak 1997 water demand occurred during September, when miion gaons of groundwater were used per day. The 1997 per capita water use (based on an annua average) for Statesboro's municipa water system (excuding industria water use) is estimated to be 89 gaons per person per day. Statesboro's municipa water system serves three industria parks: Gateway Regiona, Perimeter Center, and Hoand (see Map 4 in Appendix A). n addition, the Airport ndustria Park and a proposed park occupying 450 acres wi be provided municipa water. ndustria water use is concentrated in these three industria parks; however, a significant amount of commercia and government uses presenty occupy these parks. From June 1998to Juy 1999 (waterusefor 1997 is not avaiabe), the three industria parks combined to use miion gaons of groundwater per day on average. The occupants of Gateway Regiona used miion gaons per day, compared to Perimeter Center's use of miion gaons per day and Hoand's use of miion gaons per day. Briggs & Stratton accounted for 66 percent of Statesboro's industria water use, foowed by Viracon (14 percent) and Fisher Petroeum/Brooks (nine percent). Brooket As indicated in Tabe 7-3, Brooket's municipa water system used an estimated miion gaons of groundwater per day in 1997, compared to miion gaons of groundwater per day in Presenty, Brooket's municipa water system serves 465 customers inside the municipa boundary. Brooket does not provide waterto any industria customers. Peak 1997 water demand occurred during Juy, when miion gaons of groundwater were used per day. The 1997 per capita water use (based on an annua average) for Brooket's municipa water system is estimated to be 87 gaons per person per day.. Porta As indicated in Tabe 7-4, Porta's municipar water system used an estimated 69,000 gaons of groundwater per day in 1997, compared to 64, 000 gaons of groundwater per day in Presenty, Porta's municipa water system serves 285 tota customers, incuding 104 outside the municipa boundary. Porta does not provide water to any industria customers. Peak 1997 water demand occurred during September, when 83,000 gaons of groundwater were used per day. The 1997 per capita water use (based on an annua average) for Porta's municipa water system is estimated to be 92 gaons per person per day. V-43

49 Register As indicated in Tabe 7-5, Register's municipa water system used an estimated 23,000 gaons of groundwater per day in 1997, compared to 14,000 gaons of groundwater per day in Presenty, Register's municipa water system serves 80 customers, incuding two customers outside the municipa boundary. Register does not provide water to any industria customers. Peak 1997 water demand occurred during Juy, when 33,000 gaons of groundwater were used per day. The 1997 per capita water use (based on an annua average) for Brooket's municipa water system is estimated to be 86 gaons per person per day. / There are no intergovernmenta agreements at this time. Future Water Demand Tabe 7-6 indicates the projected future water demand for each Buoch County municipa water system. Municipa water use in Buoch County is projected to increase from miion gaons per day in 2000 to miion gaons per day in Average daiy water use for Statesboro's municipa water system is projected to more than doube between 2000 and 2050, whie average daiy water use for Porta and Register shoud neary doube during this time period. Future water use is cacuated by using a per capita consumption of 120 gaons per day and the projected popuation for future years. However, the extension of water ines into unincorporated areas, provision of water service to residents presenty served by nonmunicipa water systems or domestic wes, provision of water to new industria or commercia faciities, and unexpected popuation growth may affect these future water use projections. As indicated in Tabe 7-7, industria water use in Statesboro is projected to increase from miion gaons perday in 2000 to miion gaons per day by Statesboro coud experience industria growth over the nextfifty years that coud push industria water use near miion gaons per day by These figures were projected with considerabe input from the Buoch County Deveopment Authority. Tabe 7-8 indicates the avaiabe or proposed acreage and the type of industry for each offive industria parks. Neary 1,200 acres are avaiabe or proposed for industria park deveopment. Tabe 7-9 provides an overview of the municipa water systems in Buoch County. There are opportunities to expand the Statesboro system into Register and Porta as deveopment continues to occur aong those transportation corridors. An intergovernmenta agreement coud be entered into at the appropriate time. V-44

50 Tabe 7-6 Future Buoch County Municipa Groundwater Use: Municipa Water Systems Municipaity Projected Use (MGD) Statesboro: Tota Statesboro: Non- ndustria Brooket Porta Register TOTAL Source. Coasta Georgia RDC estimate, Rutherford & Associates estimate Tabe 7-7 Future Buoch County ndustria Park Groundwater Use:, Statesboro Municipa Water System ndustria Park Projected Use (MGD) Gateway Regiona Park Perimeter Center Park Hoand Park Airport Park Future (Unnamed) Park TOTAL Source: City of Statesboro, Buoch County Deveopment Authority, 1999;Rutherford & Associates estimate V-45

51 Tabe 7-8 Buoch County ndustria Park Summary (Statesboro Municipa Water System) Avaiabe ndustry ndustria Park Acreage Description (1999) Heavy industry Gateway Regiona Park and commercia,.. Commercia and Perimeter Center Park ight industry Hoand Park Airport Park Future (Unnamed) Park Source:. Coasta Georgia ROC estimate Heavy industry and commercia Light industry and commercia Unknown acres 56 acres 400 acres 183 acres 450 acres (Proposed) Monthy average &maximum day use for each month, peak summer/winter consumption t is unreaistic to project these numbers because of the mutipe unknown factors, such as effectiveness of water conservation and water reuse measures, technoogica advancements, types of industry, etc. Water System Management Tabe 7-9 Buoch County Municipa Water System Overview Water Number Water Storage Municipaity Production Water Source of Wes Capacity Capacity (MGD) Brooket 2? Porta 2? Register 2? Statesboro 6.. Source: Coasta Georgia ROC ntevews with municipa staff, 1999 Upper Foridan Aquifer Upper Foridan Aquifer Upper Foridan Aquifer.200 miion gaons (1 storage tank) 90,000 gaons (2 storage tanks) 2 storage tanks 6,850 gaons Upper Foridan miion gaons per minute Aquifer (4 storage tanks) V-46

52 The United States Geoogic Survey (USGS) has conducted numerous studies of the Foridan aquifer system in Southeast Georgia. These studies are made avaiabe to the Georgia Environmenta Protection Division (EPD) for their review. Water quaity is good for the Foridan aquifer system as used in Buoch County. Numerous studies, reied on for sources in deveopment of this pan, indicate that water quaity is not an issue. A pubic water systems are required to compete Consumer Confidence Reports (CCR). The CCR was mandated by the U.S. Environmenta Protection Agency and contains information on the quaity of drinking water provided by the pubic systems. t becam~ apparentthat some imitations on additiona withdrawa from the Foridan Aquifer system were appropriate in some parts of Coasta Georgia to protect the quaity of pubic water suppies. The nterim Strategy was deveoped and impemented to address these issues and to study the safe yied of groundwater sources through the Sound Science nitiative. Unti the Sound Science nitiative concudes, the safe yied of groundwater sources cannot be determined or panned for by oca governments. The Georgia Department of Natura Resources Environmenta Protection Division (EPD) is the state agency that has statutory authority to reguate water use through a permitting system. This system requires permits for a withdrawas of surface water or groundwater that exceed 100,000 gaons per day. EPD issues Safe Drinking waterpermits forsystems withdrawing ess than 100,000 gaons per day.. t became apparentthat some imitations on additiona withdrawa from the Foridan Aquifer system were appropriate in some parts of Coasta Georgia to protect the quaity of pubic water suppies. The nterim Strategy was deveoped and impemented to address these issues and to study the safe yied of groundwater sources through the Sound Science nitiative. Unti the Sound Science nitiative concudes, the safe yied of groundwater sources cannot be determined or panned for by oca governments. Wehead protection programs are critica to reduce the potentia to impact groundwater quaity. The county in partnership with the County Heath Department shoud make sure that a wes in service in the county are part of a wehead protection program. The existing permitted systems have tire capabiities to exceed their permitted withdrawa amount. However, since a permit exists for each system, the ikeihood of exceeding the permit is minima. There may be aternative water sources that can be utiized after further study. The Cretaceous aquifer may serve as a viabe source of water to reduce the County's overa dependence on the Foridan aquifer. The Dubin and Midvie aquifers may provide some imited amount of suppy. However, it is important to continue to study the aternative aquifers prior to becoming dependent on them ony to find that there may be a probem. Service areas incude the municipaities and the numerous community systems. The potentia for interconnection wi occuras deveopmentcontinues to spread throughoutthe county. nterconnection wi be one aternative to expand the system capabiities. V-47

53 The Ogeechee River woud be the ony surface source that might serve as a potentia water suppy. Due to potentia probems with ow-fow and poor water quaity, this is not a viabe surface water suppy source. nformation on the abiity of the Ogeechee River to meet a specified withdrawa amount is avaiabe from EPD. A surface water withdrawa permit is needed to utiizewaterfrom any ofthe state's many surface sources. nformation concerning safe yied and water quaity coud be obtained. As to source protection measures for surface water, many communities are now or wi soon be rf'iquired to meet certain stormwater discharge criteria. The quaity of surface streams can be negativey impacted by poor stormwater management practices. This is an area that rura counties wi begin addressing in the near future. Any pubic water systems utiizing surface water in the future woud have a system capabiities anaysis at that time. V-48

54 V. WATER USE NVENTORY AND PROJECTON - NON-MUNCPAL COMMUNTY WATER SYSTEMS Description This section addresses "non-municipa community water systems," defined as water systems that serve residentia subdivisions and other sma residentia areas not connected to municipa water systems. n addition, these systems serve more than 15 residences" or 25 individuas and require an EPD safe drinking water permit. EPD considers municipa water systems as community systems for the purpose ofsafe drinking water permitting; however, municipa water systems are reviewed separatey in this pan. The ist of Buoch County non-municipa community water systems in Tabe 8-1 is based on Tabe 3-2 (1998 EPD safe drinking water permits). Sixty-nine non-municipa community water systems serving rura residentia subdivisions, mobie home parks, or other residentia uses were permitted in Buoch County in The approximate ocations of most of these non-municipa community water systems are indicated on Map 12 in Appendix A. Past and Present Water Demand Tabe 8-1 ists the present popuation served by each non-municipa community water system and the estimated gaons of water used per day from each system. t is assumed that 100 gaons of water are used per person per househod per day. n tota, an estimated 10,464 persons in Buoch County are served by non-municipa community water systems and use approximatey miion gaons ofwater per day. t shoud be noted that the reported popuation served by each non-municipa community water system can range in date from 1989 to 1998 and may not refect the present popuation served by a system (revised fig,res based on direct contact with system managers are noted in the tabe). n addition, cfsma number of non-municipa community water systems may not be permitted through EPD, so overa water use may be underestimated. Based on Buoch County's 1985 popuation, an estimated 6,350 persons were served by non-community water systems in the county in 1985, using a tota of miion gaons of groundwater per day (assuming 100 gaons per person per day). V-49

55 Tabe 8-1 Present Buoch County Non-Municipa Community Water System Groundwater Use Based on EPD Safe Drinking Water Permits (1998) Permitted Non-Municipa Popuation Served Gaons of Water Community Water System (Number Persons) Used per Day Nevis Water Association ,600 Leefied Water Association 96 9,600 Mixon's M~bie Viage 91 9,100 Forest Heights Subdivision ,600 Grove Lakes Subdivision ,300 Johnson Mobie Home Park 175# 17,500 The Barn Mobie Home Park ,800 Lake Coins Estates ,300 Lanier Mobie Home Park 96 9,600 Tankersey Subdivision 42 4,200 Windfied Subdivision ,200 Hazewood Subdivision ,200 Country Cub His/Pine Forest ,400 Forest His Subdivision ,500 Country Lakes Estates MHP ,000 Riverside Estates 65 6,500 New Hope Subdivision 82 8,200 Frankvie Water Association 25 2,500 Coach House Estates MHP ,400 Coonia Heights Subdivision ,100 Cypress Lake Mobie Home Park 63 6,300 Mi Creek Estates 78 7,800 Lakeside Estates 70 7,000 Newtons Mobie Home Viage 65 6,500 Thomas Viage 49 4,900 Westchester Subdivision ,200 Frinks Traier Park 43 4,300 Zetterower Mobie Home Park 47 4,700 Woodand Mobie Estates ,100 Georgian Wak Subdivision 390# 39,000 V-50

56 ' Permitted Non-Municipa Popuation Served Gaons of Water Community Water System (Number Persons) Used per Day' Edora Farms Subdivision ,100 Mi Creek Landing 94 9,400 Meadow Lakes Pantation Subdivision 195# 19,500 Westridge Subdivision ,000 Hodges Subdivision 65 6,500 Deerfied(Subdivision ,300 Northwood Subdivision ,100 Cedarwood Mobie Home Park 177# 17,700 Chance's Mobie Home Park ,600 Wiiford Traier Park 52 5,200 Od Mi Pond Subdivision 86# 8,600 Bird Road Traier Park ,000 Timberand Points ,700 Hunters Point Subdivision 533# 53,300 Southern Comfort Subdivision 229# 22,900 On the Pond Subdivision 169# 16,900 Engish Oaks Mobie Home Park 52 5,200 Oney Station ,000 Pantation Mobie Estates 37 3,700 Yorktown Subdivision 78 7,800 Horizons West Subdivision 400# 40,000 Dry Branch Viage ,600 Tayor's Creek Mobie Home Park 52 5,200 Lundy Traier Park 47 4,700 Country Wak Subdivision 340# 34,000 Gaop Mobie Home Park 30 3,000 Heritage Mobie Home Park 78 7,800 Westside Mobie Home Park 68 6,800 Oak Hi Mobie Home Park 26 2,600 Middeground Pantation 151# 15,100 Pretoria Station/Brookwood Subdivision 335# 33,500 Westover Subdivision 179# 17,900 Bradford Pace 244# 24,400 V-51

57 Permitted Non-Municipa Popuation Served Gaons of Water Community Water System (Number Persons) Used per Day' nman Lakes Subdivision 30 3,000 Od ndian Trai WS 60 6,000 Westboro Apartments 94# 9,400 Cody Lane Mobie Home Park 32 3,200 Greenwood Traier Park 65 6,500 WiiowPOhd 138# 13,800 TOTAL 10,464 1,046,400 'Cacuation S based on 100 gaons ofwater used per day per person #Revised popuation figure provided by water system management Source: Georgia EPO, 1998 Future Water Demand Tabe B-2 ists projected future water use for Buoch County non-municipa community water systems. These estimates are based on the present number of individuas served by non-municipa community water systems as compared to tota county popuation. Assuming the present rate of use, the number of non-municipa community water systems and the amount of water used by these systems wi neary doube between 2000 and However, as Buoch County becomes more urbanized, many of the existing and future areas served by community water systems may connect to municipa water systems, and water use woud be ess than the figures projected in Tabe B-2. The Buoch County Commission coud consider the deveopmentand operation ofcountyowned community water systems for residentia areas in the future. Potentia water use from these systems is incuded in the Tabe B-2 projections. County-owned systems coud potentiay serve areas presenty provided water from individua domestic wes or private community water systems. Tabe 8-2 Projected Future Buoch County Non-Municipa Community Water System Groundwater Use Projected Use (MGD) Source. Coasta Georgia ROC estimate, Rutherford & ASSOCiates estimate V-52

58 X. WATER USE NVENTORY AND PROJECTON - NON-COMMUNTY WATER SYSTEMS Description This section addresses non-community water systems, which provide water to nonresidentia faciities not connected to municipa water systems and require an EPD safe drinking water permit for serving more than 25 individuas at east 60 days per year. EPD cassifies safe drinking water permits for non-community water systems as transient (e. g., parks, shopping centers, restaurants) or non-transient (e.g., schoos, industria faciities). The ist of Buoch County non-community water systems in Tabe 9-1 is based on Tabe 3 2 (1998 EPD safe drinking water permits). Fifteen non-community water systems were permitted in Buoch County in The approximate ocations of most of these systems are indicated on Map 13 in Appendix A. Past and Present Water Demand Tabe 9-1 ists the present popuation served by each of 15 non-community systems and the estimated gaons of water used per day from each system. t is assumed that 25 gaons of water are used per person per day per non-community faciity. n tota, an estimated 3,025 persons are served by transient and non-transient non-community water systems and use approximatey 75,625 gaons ofwater per day. As is the case with nonmunicipa community water systems, the reported popuation served by each noncommunity water system can range in date from 1989 to 1998 and may not refect the present popuation served by a system. n addition, some water systems may be operating in the county without and EPD safe drinking water permit. Based on Buoch County's 1985 popuation, an estimated 1,836 persons were served by non-community water systems in the county in 1985, using a tota of 45,892 gaons of groundwater per day (assuming 25 gaons per person per day). Future Water Demand Tabe 9-2 ists projected future water use for Buoch County non-community water systems. These estimates are based on the present number of individuas served by noncommunity water systems as compared to tota county popuation. Assuming the present rate of use, the number of non-community water systems and the amount ofwater used by these systems wi neary doube between 2000 and These projections wi decrease if present and future non-residentia faciities throughout the county are connected to municipa water systems. X-53

59 Tabe 9-1 Present Buoch County Non-Community Water System Groundwater Use Based on EPD Safe Drinking Water Permits (1998) Permitted Non-Community Popuation Gaons of Water Used Water System Served per Day' Southeast Buoch High Schoo ,875 Stison Eementary Schoo ,375 Wiow Hi,.Eementary Schoo 222 5,550 Buoch Academy 400# 10,000 Robbins Packing Company 75 1,875 The Loxcreen Company, nc. 50 1,250 Northside Junior High Schoo 300 7,500 LA Pacific Statesboro Sawmi 65 1,625 W.M. Sheppard Lumber Company 125 3,125 Ogeechee Riverview POA 60 1,500 Parkwood Mote and Restaurant 75 1,875 Buoch County Schoo Bus Garage 225 5,625 Po-Jo's Gas N Go 100 2,500 Oasis, nc ,500 Buoch South, nc. 98 2,450 TOTAL 3,025 75,625 Cacuation S based on 25 gaons of water used per day per person #Revised popuation figure provided by water management staff Source: Georgia EPD, 1998 Tabe 9-2 Projected Future Buoch County Non-Community Water System Groundwater Use Projected Use (MGD) Source: Rutherford & AssOCiates estimate X-54

60 f, x. WATER USE NVENTORY AND PROJECTON - DOMESTC WELLS AND NON-PUBLC WELLS Description This section addresses domestic wes that provide water for individua residences not connected to municipa water systems or non-municipa community water systems. n addition, "non-pubic' wes that provide water to 2-14 residences or ess than 25 individuas'are considered in these cacuations. The number of present domestic and non-pubic we users in Buoch County was cacuated by subtracting the known number of individuas served by other types of water systems from the county's 1997 popuation (61,631-45,293). Approximatey 16,338 individuas are served by domestic or non-pubic wes. This equates to over one-quarter of Buoch County's popuation in the unincorporated area. Past and Present Water Demand Assuming daiy water use equas 100 gaons per person, Buoch County's estimated 16,338 domestic and non-pubic we users presenty consume miion gaons of water per day. Based on Buoch County's 1985 popuation, an estimated 9,915 persons were served by domestic wes in Buoch County in 1985, coectivey using a tota of0.991 miion gaons of groundwater per day (assuming 100 gaons per person per day). Future Water Demand Tabe 10-1 ists projected future water use for Buoch County domesticand non-pubicwe users. These estimates are based on the present number of individuas served by domestic wes as compared to tota county popuation. Assuming the present rate of use, the number of domestic and non-pubic wes and the amount of water produced by these wes wi neary doube between 2000 and However, as popuation density increases in Buoch County, many of these domestic wes wi ikey be repaced with municipa water systems or non-municipa community water systems. Tabe 10-1 Projected Future Buoch County Domestic We Use Projected Use (MGD) Source. Coasta Georgia RDC estimate X-55

61 X-56

62 r r, X. WATER USE NVENTORY AND PROJECTON - BULLOCH COUNTY SUMMARY Past and Present Water Demand Tab/e 11-1 summarizes tota daiy Buoch Countywaterwithdrawa in 1997forthe various categories ofwes and water systems described in the previous sections. n tota, Buoch County accounted for miion gaons of groundwater and surface water per day in 1997 (surface water is imited to agricutura operations). Buoch County water use during 1997 can be characterized as foows: Combined domestic and commercia uses accounted for 36 percent tota wateruse ndustries that operate their own wes (with or without groundwater withdrawa permits), which incude Cooper Toos and Grinne, accounted for six percent tota water use Agricutura operations and gof courses accounted for approximatey one-haf of water use (surface water and groundwater), Buoch County's municipa water systems (Brooket, Porta, Register, Statesboro), which provide water to approximatey one-haf ofthe county's residents, combined to account for 20 percent tota water use (this figure incudes domestic/commercia and industria use) Georgia Southern University, which provides water to 2,750 on-campus residents and over 11,000 commuter students and facuty, accounted for two percent tota water use Non-municipa water systems, which serve overone-tenthofthe county's residents, accounted for six percent tota water use Domestic wes serving individua residences, which provide water to overt onequarter of the county's residents, accounted for ten percent tota water use Non-community water systems serving non-residentia uses a=unted for ess than one percent tota water use Tab/e 11-2 summarizes tota daiy Buoch County groundwater and surface water withdrawa in 1985, based on estimates, for the various categories of wes and water systems described in the previous sections. Compared to Buoch County accounted for approximatey miion gaons of water per day in 1985, which is 7.3 X-57

63 miion gaons ess per day than during Tabe 11-3 compares tota daiy Buoch County groundwater and surface water withdrawa in 1985 and 1997 for domestic/commercia, industria, and agricutura uses. The figures in this tabe for domesticcommercia uses excude water provided to industry by municipa water systems. Likewise, the figures for industria uses incude industry connected to municipa water systems (e.g., Gateway ndustria Park). The foowing is a comparison of Buoch County water use between 1985 and 1997:.' Totarwater use increased 76 percent between 1985 and 1997 Tota industria water use (incuding industry served by municipa water systems) increased 51 percent between 1985 and 1997 Domestic/commercia water use increased 80 percent between 1985 and 1997 Agricutura water use increased 77 percent between 1985 and 1997 (the actua increase may be ess than reported in this pan) Tabe 11-4 provides a comparative view of Buoch County groundwater and surface water use in 1980, 1985, 1990, 1995, and 1997, as compied by the US Geoogica Survey. The USGS water use categories are defined as foows: Pubic Suppy: Waterwithdrawn by pubic and privatewatersuppiers and deivered to various users (incuding non-municipa community water systems) Domestic and Commercia: Sef-suppied water used for househod purposes and commercia uses ndustria/ and Mining: Water used for such purposes as fabrications, processing, washing, and cooing in faciities that manufacture products rrigation: Water withdrawn for crops, arge nurseries, athetic fieds, and gof courses Uvestock: Water withdrawn for poutry, horses, catte, hogs, and catfish farms Thermoe/ectric: Water withdrawn for use at thermoeectric power pants The USGS estimates arefairy simiarto the data presented in the previous sections ofthis water pan. The USGS estimated owerfigures for domesticcommercia/pubicsuppy (1.5 miion gaons per day ess) and tota water use. X-58

64 Future Water Demand Tota future groundwater and surface water use in Buoch County is projected to increase from miion gaons per day in 2000 to miion gaons per day in This represents a 42 percent increase over a 50-year period, or approximatey one percent per year on average. Tabe 11-5 provides the projected average daiy groundwater use for each water use category for the foowing year~: 2000, 2010, 2020, 2030, and Municipa ~ter systems are projected to see the argest water use increase over this 50 year period. Water suppied by municipa water systems for industria use is projected to increase 200 percent, whie municipa water for other uses is projected to increase 111 percent. Tabe 11-1 Present Tota Buoch County Water Use (1997) WeWater System 1997 Residentia 1997 Average Use (MGD) Category Popuation Served Permitted ndustria Wes Non-Permitted ndustria Wes Georgia Southern University Water System Municipa Water Systems (industria use ony) , Municipa Water Systems (residentia, commercia, 32, other uses ony) Non-Municipa Community Water Systems Non-Community Water Systems Domestic Wes/Non-Pubic Wes Agricutura rrigation Wes (inc!. gof courses) Agricutura Surface Water Systems (inc!. gof courses) 10, , TOTAL 61, Source. Georga EPD and Coasta Georgia RDC projections X-59

65 Tabe Tota Buoch County Water Use 1985 Residentia WaterWater System 1985 Average Use (MGD) Popuation Served Category (estimated) (estimated) Permitted ndustria Wes Non-Permitted ndustria Wes.. Georgia S'outhern University Water System Municipa Water Systems (industria use ony) , Municipa Water Systems (residentia, commercia, 17, other uses ony) Non-Municipa Community Water Systems Non-Community Water Systems Domestic Wes/Non-Pubic Wes Agricutura rrigation Wes (inc!. gof courses) Agricutura Surface Water Systems (inc!. gof courses) 6, , TOTAL 37, Source: Georgia EPO and Coasta Georgia ROC projections Tabe 11-3 Tota Buoch County Water Use Summary: Domestic/Commercia, ndustria, Agricutura Uses, 1997 v Average Use 1985 Average Use (MGD) Type of Use (MGD) (Estimated) Domestic/Commercia ndustria Agricuture TOTAL Source: Georgia EPO, Coasta Georgia ROC projections X-60

66 ,,, Tabe 11-4 US Geoogica Survey Estimate of Buoch County Groundwater Use: 1980,1985,1990,1995,1997 Water Use Average Daiy Groundwater Use (MGD) Category Pubic Suppy Domestic/,.. Commercia ndustry/mining rrigation Livestock Thermoeectric TOTAL Source. us Geoogca Survey, 1998 Tabe 11-5 US Geoogica Survey Estimate of Buoch County Surface Water Use: 1980,1985,1990,1995,1997 Water Use Average Daiy Surface Water Use (MGD) Category Pubic Suppy Domestic/ Commercia ndustry/mining rrigation Livestock Thermoeectric TOTAL Source: us Geoogca Survey, 1998 Tabe 11-6 shows projected water use for Buoch County by category. Tabe 11-7 compares the projected water use in 2050 without conservation measures to water projected water use with conservation measures, based on a 20 percent reduction in use. X-61

67 Water Use Category Tabe 11-6 Projected Future Buoch County Water Use: Average Daiy Groundwater Use (MGD) Permitted ndustria Wes , Non-Permitt(:d ndustria Wes Georgia Southern University Water System Municipa Water Systems (industria use ony) Municipa Water Systems (residentia, commercia, other uses ony) Non-Municipa Community Water Systems Non-Community Water Systems Domestic Wes Non-Pubic Wes Agricutura rrigation Wes (inc!. gof courses and aquicuture) Agricutura Surface Water Systems (inc!. gof courses) TOTAL Source. Rutherford & Associates X-62

68 [ [ Tabe 11-7 Comparison of Water Use With and Without Conservation Without With Conservation Water Use Category Conservation (20% reduction in use) Permitted ndustria Wes Non-Permitted ndustria Wes Georgia Southern University Water System Municipa Water Systems (industria use ony) Municipa Water Systems (residentia, commercia, other uses ony) Non-Municipa Community Water Systems Non-Community Water Systems Domestic Wes Non-Pubic Wes Agricutura rrigation Wes (inc!. gof courses and aquicuiture) Agricutura Surface Water Systems (inc!. gof courses) TOTAL X-63

69 ,.. X-64

70 X. BULLOCH COUNTY WASTEWATER SUMMARY Statesboro presenty operates the ony municipa wastewater treatment pant in Buoch County. n addition to serving residentia and commercia customers, Statesboro provides sewer service to three industria parks, Cooper Toos (operates its own water system); and Georgia Southem University (operates its own water system). The Statesboro WPCP's average daiy wastewater discharge during 1997 was 3.56 miion gaons pep-day. Tabe 12-1 indicates the average daiy wastewater discharge for each month of Peak wastewater fow for 1997 occurred during December, when miion gaons of wastewater were discharged per day. As indicated in Tabe 12-2, Statesboro's wastewater fow is projected to increase from miion gaons per day in 2000 to miion gaons per day in Statesboro's WPCP has a current capacity of 10.0 miion gaons per day. Average treatment fow during 1999 has been just under 4.0 miion gaons per day. Statesboro WPCP discharges into Litte Lotts Creek. The Buoch County municipaities of Brooket, Porta, and Register utiize private septic systems for wastewater treatment and disposa. These municipaities combined to produce miion gaons of septic discharge per day in Tabe 12-2 indicates the current popuation served by on-site systems. As indicated in Tabe 12-3, the average daiy septic discharge from Buoch County's municipaities is projected to increase 60 percent over the next 50 years. Tabe 12-4 indicates the projected popuation to be served by on-site systems. With the exception of Statesboro, future municipa wastewater fows are considered to be 80% of projected water use. Grinne Corporation maintains the ony industria wastewater treatment system in Buoch County. As noted above, Cooper Toos, the other major industria water user in Buoch County, is provided sewer service by Statesboro. Grinne's uses wastewater treatment for sanitary discharge ony and averaged 25,000 gaons per day Non-contact cooing water is the ony other water fow from pant. Discharging to an unnamed tributary of Wison Creek, Grinne's wastewater fows had been reduced to roughy 15,000 gaons per day in. ate Future industria wastewater demand is indicated in Tabe The present discharge to septic systems in Buoch County for a uses is approximatey miion gaons per day. This figure incudes the foowing: miion gaons per day for residentia uses associated with municipa water systems (Brooket, Porta, Register) miion gaons per day for residentia uses associated with non-municipa community water systems miion gaons per day for non-residentia uses associated with noncommunity water systems miion gaons per day for residentia uses associated with domestic wes and non-pubic wes X-65

71 Tabe 12-4 ists the projected tota discharge to septic systems for a uses in Buoch County from 2000 to Discharge to septic systems is expected to increase to miion gaons per day during this time period. However, with increased density, many residentia areas wi need to upgrade to more advanced wastewater systems. Tabe 12-1 Statesboro WPCP 1997 Average Daiy Wastewater Discharge Average Daiy Tota,.' Month Discharge (MGD) January February March Apri May June Juy August September October November December Annua Source. City of Statesboro Tabe 12-2 Buoch County Popuation Served by On-5ite Systems, Jurisdiction Buoch County. 27,271 28,558 Source: Rutherford & ASSOCiates XU-66

72 Tabe 12-3 Grinne 1997 Average Daiy Wastewater Fow (Sanitary Discharge) Month Average Daiy Fow (MGD) January February March Apri May/ June Juy August September October November December Annua Source: Grinne Corporation, March 2000 Municipaity Tabe 12-4 Buoch County Municipa Wastewater Fows (Based on 80 Percent Projected Future Water Use) Projected Fow (MGD) +Wastewater treated by municipa WPCP 'Wastewater treated by individua septic systems Source: Rutherford & Associates Statesboro Brooket* Porta* Register* Tabe 12-5 Projected Buoch County Popuation Served by On-site Systems, Buoch County 37,870 45,887 55,580 64,586 80,152 97,251 Source: Coasta Georgia RDC estimate, Rutherford & Associates X-67

73 Tabe 12-6 Unincorporated Buoch County Future Tota Septic System Discharge Projected Discharge (MGD) Source: Rutherford & Associates Tabe 12-7 Projected Future ndustria Wastewater Discharge Projected Discharge (MGD) Source. Rutherford & Associates X-6&

74 X. FUTURE WATER SUPPLY OPTONS AND CONSERVATON MEASURES The water pan advisory/technica committee considered severa conservation measures and aternative water suppy sources for Buoch County and its municipaities. Suggested practices, some of which are aready being impemented, are isted beow. t shoud be noted that Buoch County's present groundwater withdrawas are not capped, and the water pan advisory/technica committee was not asked to identify "reduction strategies" to meet or maintain a water use cap. f a cap is paced on Buoch County water use in the future, it appears that the most practica way to reduce water use is through conservation measures, which is a simiar opinion hed by surrounding counties. A suppementa water suppy may be avaiabe from the Cretaceous aquifer system. The water pan advisory/technica committee concuded that surface water, such as the Ogeechee River, was not a viabe source ofwater suppy for Buoch County, due to fow variabiity and distance from existing municipa and industria water users. The opportunity for surface water use from the Ogeechee River is not reaistic due to ow water fow and poor water quaity. A dam or reservoir woud be difficut to construct, due to topography and avaiabiity of and. The Miocene Aquifer coud be used for irrigation purposes, but it is ess reiabe in Buoch County than in coasta areas. Water conservation measures wi have to be empoyed in order to maintain reasonabe use ofthe Foridan aquifer as a primary source ofwater. The county wi have to deveop a countywide conservation program for domestic and commercia usage. The county wi have to work with oca industries to assist them in efforts to reduce water usage. The agricutura community with support from the county wi have to study and impement conservation practices as those discussed in the EPD report entited rrigation Conservation Practices Appropriate for the Southeastern United States. Municipa Conservation Measures:. Brooket competed a eak detection study a coupe of years ago, and competed severa water system improveme':ts in past year. Effective Juy 1, 2000, Statesboro utiizes an increasing rate structure for use. The more water a user consumes, the higher. the cost per unit. Statesboro has a water conservation program, which is administered through code enforcement. Statesboro's unaccounted water use has been reduced from ten percent to approximatey four percent over the past ten years (hydrant use not accounted for, except in fire situations). X-69

75 Statesboro has separate meters for residentia irrigation; reduction of this use can be targeted separatey from other residentia uses. Statesboro empoys a eak detection device on new/repaced meters (the city repaces $18,000 worth of meters each per meter). Georgia Southern University Conservation Measures:,. Statesboro effuent from its wastewater treatment pant, ocated two mies from campus, coud be used for irrigation (GSU's argest water-reated issue is to identify aternative water sources for irrigation purposes). GSU uses water-efficient fixtures in new construction and renovations. ndustria Conservation Measures: Buoch County and Statesboro coud attract newindustry that woud use effuent as a water source (such as turf farms, which buids on Buoch County's existing agricuture). Present conservation measures at Grinne incude the foowing: Recyc ing water for dust coection and the use of thermostat contro equipment on once-through cooing water An air-cooed refrigerated chier for core making equipment cooing Cooing towers for cooing a furnaces and reated equipment t woud not be difficut for industry to use effuent for water use, particuar for use in cooing towers. Agricutura/Gof Course Conservation Measures: Statesboro effuent from wastewater treatment pant coud be used for gof course irrigation (Southern Links and Forest Heights are about 5 mies away); Statesboro woud have to insta an effuent storage tank at its WPCP if effuent was used as a irrigation water source, due to variabiity in fow. X-70

76 Statesboro WPCP is not ocated near major agricutura areas; wastewater effuent coud be transported to farms but woud be costy.. Potentia water savings and reated costs have been identified in an EPD report entited rrigation Conservation Practices Appropriate for the Southeastern United States. The most important point in this report is that farmers shoud conduct an irrigation efficiency audit to determine where improvements in irrigation practices coud occur. Conservation Education Buoch County and Statesboro shoud estabish a pubic education program on water conservation and be the ead partners in promoting water conservation. nfrastructure Upgrade r 1 The City of Statesboro wi have to expand its wastewater re-use capabiities. n panning for such, the City shoud investigate opportunities for effuent use at the University, on gof courses, or on agricutura fieds. Water Reuse As the county and cities continue to grow and wastewater treatment is expanded and effuent quaity improves, there wi be opportunities for water reuse. These opportunities woud most easiy be met for domestic irrigation needs. However, there might be an industria opportunity for recaimed water to become part ofthe process water. Agricutura irrigation aso provides an opportunity for water reuse. X-71

77 ,.. XV-72

78 XV. mpementation Schedue, impementation Revise this pan with new information from the Sound Science nitiative. Estabish water conservation education programs at the county eve. Begin study of the Cretaceous aquifer as an aternative or suppementa source for the Foridan aquifer. Study feasibiity of impoundments for rainfa or reservoir for the Ogeechee River. Continue to work with farm community to promote conservation and best Management Practices for agricutura ands. Work cosey with University of Georgia's agricutura programs to investigate different crops that are ess water dependent. Deveop stronger reationship with Georgia Southern University for conservation program deveopment and impementation. Examine opportunities for water reuse of the effuent from the City of Statesboro. Encourage the ocation of non-water dependent industries. Deveop and impement programs to achieve 5% water reduction in industria and agricutura uses. mpement new technoogica irrigation advances. The County shoud coordinate these efforts with the farmers. Some ofthe farms in the county coud be piot or test sites for new, improved irrigation equipment. mpement wehead protection programs impementation Prepare fu update to water suppy management pan. Continue to promote conservation efforts. Undertake the procurement of funds (grants or other) to construct impoundments. Examine opportunities for water reuse for the remainder ofthe county, incuding agricuture. Begin impementing the resufs of the aternative aquifer studies. Deveop and impement programs to achieve 10% water reduction in industria and agricutura uses impementation Continue to promote conservation programs. Continue to investigate different crops for agricutura production. Deveop and impement programs in 2030 to achieve 20% reduction in water use for industria and agricutura users. Review and update the Comprehensive Water Suppy Management Pan. XV-73

79 ... ~ XV-74

80 XV. Appendices A. Maps Location of the Guf Trough Geographic Extent of the Foridan Aquifer Geographic Extent of the Cretaceous Aquifer Dubin and Dubin-Midvie Aquifer Systems 24 Georgia Counties Covered by the EPD nterim Groundwater Strategy Buoch County: Major Roads and Municipaities Major Rivers: Buoch County Buoch County ndustry rrigated Agricutura Land: Buoch County Buoch County Gof Courses Georgia Southern University Municipa Water Service Area: Town of Brooket Municipa Water Service Area: Town of Porta Municipa Water Service Area: Town of Register Seected Non-Municipa Community Water Systems Seected Non-Community Water Systems XV-75

81 r E Nf'f. N. C. OAOE! o M E3 E= H ~ o KM N t HE.RO Approximate ocation of the Guf Trough and Apaachicoa Embayment Source: Keam and Gorday, 1990.

82 TE NN. N. C. o 2040M E3 E3 H H o KM N t ":'J'OUP Geographic extent of the Foridan aquifer system. Shaded area indicates aquifer. Source: Keam and Gorday, 1990.

83 as 84' 83' 8" 32~ 31' Grady Thomas. o o '0 Bas modified rom U.5.Geoogica Survey Stae bug map MLES! i 50 KLOMETERS.1 EXPLANATON CRETACEOUS AQUFER SYSTEMS.21UOO4 OBSERVATON WELL AND DENTFCATON NUMBER Location of Cretaceous aquifer system and observation wes. Source: Groundwater Concfiions in Georgia, Open-FOe Report , US Department of the nterior, USGS, in cooperation w~h GA DNR-EPD, GA Geoogic Survey, Abany Water, Gas, and Light Commission, C~ of Brunswick, Gynn County, Cresser, 2000.

84 - EtPLAiATON / ". ~ t9 " 10 ~O 30 '0 ""~(;.,, ~~,,.L J '...J'..., U.S. g'.'d1'u'... r $,."...u. " ". _._ '... u... G.eJ.~'..., OU"'o. "" Structura features, outcrop area, and atitude of the top of the Dubin and Dubin-Midvie aquifer systems. Source: Carke, Brooks, and Faye, 1985.

85 , 24 Georgia Counties Covered by the EPD nterim Groundwater Strategy ' ),! :, ~::::'i-,"=;::,:::t~'-'~ Discaimer. u._. 6'tkiStat!Jf0W This map is intended for genera r'r=te pannmg purposes ony. e men \...::J r Produced: Panning & Government Services 2000 Map 1 w- -, N o s 50 Mies ~i~~i

86 Major Rivers Buoch County '.. ~ ;.'.,",.,-'-. Litte Lotts Cree'r---:"------,"------,-Uc-~J---=::~ ' ' 7 Lotts creer--~~4yf: "~.Ash Branch Upper Back Creek o o N Municipaities County Boundary Major Rivers Seconda Rivers Luke Branch ' Source: Base map compied from 1990 U.S. Bureau of the Census Tiger fies. Discaimer: This map is intended for genera...:::;..;~ panning purposes ony. Produced: ::;::::--:;.::;;.::==

87 Buoch County ndustry 1 1 \., \\. i 1\ \,,! '. \ \ \_-- \ '. / Cooper Toos ~ 8 ~rj~ne Corporation / r;hoand ndustria Park/ //./~ ---- Legend Gateway Regiona nd. Park i /./ \. \ \, i Perimeter Center ~O!Jth \ nd. Park Private Water Statesboro Provides Water Municipaities Major Roads 1 Source: Base map compied from 1990 U.S. Bureau ~/i"('f r.-j~'p fti;~1'/;- of the Census Tiger fies. UVAJLULie VV L- W Discaimer: This map is intended for genera RDr;; :=t-n:=> ==== r=panning purposes ony. _~5pnd LA:::Ve pmen u::nler Produced Panning & Government Services 2000 Map4 o i w- -, N S 4 Mies i

88 rrigated Agricutura Land Buoch County Legend rrigated Agricuture Zones 1- Most rrigated Zone ~ 2- Second Mosrrigated Zone, a 4- Least rrigaed Zone a Municipaities 315- Third Mosrrigated ZOne ' :1 ' " " ~;:;.='~-,-",'"- 6'iJ(jJ'ft[t!fon~ra-, Discaimer. This map is ntended for genera R;:;;;:; =-n:::::-- - -r= panning purposes ony. ~5~ond. A::Ve pmen ~er Produced: Panning & Govemment Services 2000 MapS N w-<?-' s Mies i i

89 Buoch County Gof Courses Legend GofCourses,-. i...j Roads o (is> Buoch County Municipaities.- -, N of the Census Tger fies. Discaimer. This map is intended for genera panning purposes ony. Produced: o S 6 Mie ~j~~~~j

90 Georgia Southern University \:--._--_// \ '\., " \ \ \ ". \ ' Legend o (\j Georgia Southern University Statesboro Major Roads ~t':;~~e:::: ~;r ~':ed 6tJa:sft:;fJ~.(5'(J.~itr from 1990 U.S. Bur...u.-<r, N Discaimer: This map is intended for genera ~ -D r::: c: 0 2 Mies panning purposes ony. ~na e prnen ~ner ~~~~~~~ Produced Panning & Government Services 2000 C: i Map 7 S

91 Municipa Wat~r Service Area City of Brooket Legend City of Brooket water service area Roads N w-<t-' S Source: Base map compied from 1990 U.S. Bureau ~/('t AC~';O(J.~1'/;- of the Census Tiger fies. U-vWJU.( Vt ~.. U Discaimer. This map is intended for genera =na--n:=nmen r=r panning purposes ony. 1~1U 1 LJt:V' :. '-Out:: Produced: ~anning & Government Services 2000 Map9 o i 0.8! Mies

92 Municipa Water Service Area Town of Porta ) Legend (\) <:) Water Service Area Porta Roads Porta Boundary N w-<?-' S Source: Base map compied from 1990 U.S. Bureau q/i('fa"~',opi~1"/i othe CensusT,ger fies. UVCAJiUie /Vn fa 0 1 Mies Discaimer: This map s ntended or genera ~j-\~ r~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ panning purposes ony. ~5~1 LA::Ve pmen \.XnU::r i: Produced: Panning & Govemment Services 2000 Map 10

93 Municipa Water Service Area Town of Register ! /.-." Legend _ o Register Water Service Area Register City Umis (\) Route 46 Other Roads.-<r, N Source: Base ~ap compied from 1990 U.S. Bureau of the Census Tger fies. U-V,fJJA.~. UV'L- A. ~/J('t /oc~rp fii~~'/-; ~~~~~~~;:':;~~S intended for genera &gonade pmen center Mies Produced: Panning & Government Services 2000 ~i~~~~~~~i Map 11 S

94 , Seected Non-Municipa Community Water Systems Legend Water Systems (~, \~j Major Roads 0 Municipaities 0 County Border N '-</-' s o 7 Mies ~i~~~~~i

95 B..EPD nterim Strategy and Minimum Requirements [ XV-109

96

97 NTERM STRATEGY FOR MANAGNG SALT WATER NTRUSON N THE UPPER FLORDAN AQUFER OF SOUTHEAST GEORGA Apri 23, 1997 Executiye, Summary The Georgia Environmenta Protection Division's objective is to STOP THE NTRUSON OF SALT WATERbefore mnnicipa water suppy wes on Hiton Head sand, South Caroina and Savannah, Georgia are contaminated, and to prevent an existing satwater probem at Brunswick, Georgia from worsening. Sat water intrusion into the Upper Foridan Aquifer threatens ground water suppies in the Hiton Head-Savannah and Brunswick areas. ntrusion rates, however, are quite sow, being more than a hundred years to reach Savannah. To accompish this objective, EPD wi to do the foowing: (1) Conduct expanded scientific and feasibiity studies to detennine with certainty how tb pennanenty stop the sat water inttusion moving towards Hiton Head sand, South Caroina and Savannah, Georgia and how to prevent the existing sat water intrusion at Brunswick, Georgia from worsening. (2) Require the deveopment ofcomprehensive oca water suppy pans in a 24 county area of southeast Georgia. (3) Create one or more advisory committees. With their input, the additiona scientific information and the oca water suppy pans, deveop a ong term ground water management pan for southeast Georgia by the end ofthe year 2005, which wi protect the Upper Foridan aquifer from further sat water intrusion. (4) mpose caps on ground water use in Gynn County, Chatham County, and portions ofbryan and Effingham counties, to avoid worsening the rate ofsat water intrusion at Hiton Head ~avannah and at Brunswick. (5) Reduce ground water use in Chatham County by at east 10 miion gaons per day by December 31,2005 through conservation and substitution ofsurface water for ground water.. Union Camp wi provide at east 6.5 Mgd ofthe tota 10 Mgd ofground water reduction in Chatham County. This wi be affirmed through reductions in ground water use pennits. 1 [

98 nterim Strategy (or Managing Sat Water ntrusion in the Upper Foridan Aquifer (6) Aow on an interim basis increases in ground water withdrawas in the areas ofsoutheast Georgia that have itte impact on sat water intrusion probems. (7) Encourage and promote water conservation and reduced ground water usage wherever feasibe, throughout southeast Georgia.,/ ntroduction "The Uppc-Foridan Aquifer ofsoutheast Georgia is susceptibe to sat water intrusion. The aquifer is a primary source ofdrinking and industria process water throughout 24 counties ofthe regiol The United States Geoogica Survey (USGS) estfrnates 1995 ground water use in the area to be about 359 miion gaons per day (Mgd). EPD beieves ony a sma portion ofthe aquifer is susceptibe to sat water intrusiol There is one confirmed source ofsat water and two additiona suspected sources ofsat water threatening Savannah. A sat water wedge exists on the northern end ofhiton Head sand; this wedge is sowy moving beneath the sand toward Savannah. Further south near the eastern end ofbu sand in South Caroina, geoogic conditions favorabe for ocean water to enter the aquifer aso exist. Some wes in this area have higher than expected sainity. Based on ground water modeing, the United States Geoogica Survey (USGS) reports that sat water may be entering the aquifer offshore from Tybee sand. Sat water, originating from deepy buried brines currenty is intruding the aquifer at Brunswick. Furthersouthin thest Marys-Fernandina Beach area., the USGS reports that sat water intrusion conditions are simiar to those at Brunswick; some wes in northern Forida have been abandoned because ofsat water probems. n February of 1996, EPD proposed a draft nterim Strategy to protect the Upper Foridan Aquifer in twenty-four southeast Georgia counties from sat water intrusion. n the draft nterim Strategy, EPD subdivided southeast Georgia into three subareas (i.e., northern, centra, and southern), whichwere separatedbecause ofgeoogica information (Figure 1). The proposed nterim Strategy coud be carried out within ~e confines ofepd's existing statutory authority. Minima reguations were proposed for the northern and southern subareas. For the centra subarea., EPD proposed that pennittee meet certain standards ofwater-use efficiency, use aternate sources ofwater, or trade ground water aocations. f the proposed nterim Strategy were carried out as it was originay presented, the net resut woud be equivaent to a 12-Mgd reduction in ground water. withdrawas in Chatham County. The buk: ofthe actua reductions, however, woud have been in counties other than Chatham. Between eary March and mid-apri 1996, EPD hed nine pubic meetiogs to soicit comments, and received over four hundred written and ora responses. One ofthe primary comments was that 2

99 nterim StrategyjOr Managing Sat Water ntrusion in th! Uppu Foridan Aqui(u the impacts (costs vs. benefits) ofthe proposed nterim Strategy needed carification. There was the perception that the proposed nterim Strategy coud create adverse economic impacts on some categories ofusers. The remaining comments generay fe into six categories; as foows (in no particu1ar order): (1) Therewas a need for comprehensive water suppy panning in southeast Georgia. (2) Tge eve of scientific knowedge needed to be expanded, particuary with respect to ocations where sah wateris entering the aquifer, and where and when sat water woud reach Georgia users. Moreover, there were considerabe misconceptions about the geoogica nature ofthe satwater intrusion probem. (3) Sources of water that are aternate to the Upper Foridan Aquifer need to be identified, described, and tested. (4) There was the perception that the proposed nterim Strategy was unfair to some categories ofusers, particuary those that are not cose to the aquifer"drawdown areas in Chatham and Gynn counties. (5) The reationship between Georgia, Forida, and South Caroina needed carification. Carification was particuary needed with respect to each state's expectation ofthe others. (6) The information base on agricutura water use was too poor to be used for meaningfu ground water management purposes. [., After receiving the comments, it was cear to EPD that the draft proposed nterini Strategy required considerabe rethinking; and that a non-reguatory perspective shoud be one ofthe avenues investigated. To achieve this, EPD contracted with the Schoo ofpoicy Studies ofgeorgia State University (GSU). The GSU principa investigators had backgrounds in environmenta economics and interstate water negotiations. GSU competed its anaysis on October 1, 1996, and recommended that EPD's nterim Strategy pursue a po~cy ofrationa (or expanded) Use. The primary tuust ofgsu's proposa was that a poicy ofrationa Use woud be conducive to economic deveopment. GSU pointed out t\at sat water intrusion veocities were very ow. Therefore, a nomina user fee coud be instituted to repace those wes in Chatham and Gynn. counties, when such wes became saty in the future. The user fees woud be paced in a fund and aowed to grow by accruing interest. Bythe time sat water actuay began to contaminate wes in either Chatham or Gynn counties, the fund woud be more than adequate to construct surface water treatment pants, construct engineered barriers to sat water intrusion, or to deveop other aquifers. 3

100 nterim Strategy {or Managing Sat Watu ntrusion in the Upper Foridan Aquiu A number ofstakehoders expressed concerns that such a poicy woud depete the aquifer. Some ofthose expressing this viewpoint requested that EPD pursue a poicy of "sustainabe use" (i.e., a poicy that when impemented woud resut ii withdrawa reductions ofsuficient magnitude to ensure that continued use ofthe Upper Foridan Aquifer at such reduced use eves woud not resut in any further movement ofthe sat water wedge). Some stakehoders commented that EPD shoud expand upon the economic anaysis that GSU had attempted. Many stakehoders were supportive ofusing fees to expand the eve ofscientific knowedge. Based on pubic comments, EPD decided not' to pursue a poicy which woud aow the aquifer to become saty at Chatham County, orwhich woud aow any further sating ofthe aquifer in Gynn County. After considering a ofthe ora and written comments received, EPD reeased a proposed Revised nterim Strategy on December 20, Three pubic meetings were hed on the proposa in January 1997 and approximatey 90 ora and written comments were received. Many comments contradicted one another; for exampe, some stakehoders advocated pumpage reductions whereas other stakehoders advocated no pumpage reductions. Nevertheess, there were severa consistent themes; among them: Scientific studies shoud be coeague reviewed. EPD shoud aggressivey promote water conservation. The requirement of comprehensive water suppy panning shoud be expanded to a of southeast Georgia on an acceerated schedue. EPD shoud soicit ideas from technica advisory committees or 1996 pumping eves might not be.hydroogicay appropriate for estabishing pennit caps.. Water conservation or reductions in pumpage coud be more readiy achieved via incentives. EPD shoud aow fexibiity in permits in those areas where pumpage is capped, if tota withdrawas do not exceed the cap. New GeoJo2:icaJ nformation Since first proposing the nterij.n Strategy in February, 1996, EPD has embarked on a S,500,OOO five-year study. The purpose ofthis study is to better define the mechanics ofsat water intrusion and to ideruify those areas that woud be most susceptibe to intrusion. At the time ofthis writing deep wes have been constructed on Tybee sand, and are in progress atst. Marys. Severa shaow wes aso have been dried at Hiton Head sand. During the summer and fa of1996,. about two dozen separate ground water modeing runs were performed. Some newy deveoped information incudes: (1) Under 1985 pumping conditions (the date to which the USGS modes are caibrated), the sat water wedge coud reach the center ofthe cone ofdepression at Savannah in about

101 .' ntoim Strategy for Managing Sat Water ntrusion in the Upper Foridan Aquifer years from now (from the vicinity of Bu sand or from northern Hiton Head sand, respectivey). Ai. Brunswicc, the pwne OOOJpies about 2.8 square mies and may be growing. (2) Under expanded pumping scenarios, where withdrawas are consistent with popuation increases, ony two areas within the centra subarea are susceptibe to sat water intrusion; namey Hiton Head-Chatham County and eastern Gynn County. ncreasing pumping woud resut in sat water reaching these areas more rapidy. A other parts ofthe centra subarea shoud continue to have fresh ground water., (3) The Upper Foridan Aquifer is not susceptibe to depetion because ground water withdrawn by pumping is repaced by atera andvertica infow. After more than 100 years ofpumping, the Aquifer remains competey fu. Continued pumping at reasonabe growth rates woud resut in satwater sowy reaching currenty unaffected fresh water suppy wes in these two areas. (4) BasedonUSGS modeing, there woud have to be about a Mgd reduction in pumpage in Chatham County and about a 100% reduction in Gynn County and a remaining centra subareacounties maintaining constant pumpage (i.e., no increases) to hat sat water intrusio). A5 ong as there is significant pumping in southeast Georgia, sat water intrusion is irreversibe. (5.) Other than acceerated sat water intrusion, there are no known or expected environmenta impacts associated with increased pumpage. No surface water bodies or habitat woud be affected. (6) Within the centra subarea, the further pumpage is away from Chatham and Gynn counties, the ess woud be the impact on the potentiometric surface and sat water intrusion. For exampe, ground water modes performed by the USGS at EPD's request suggest that one gaon of ground water pumped at Savannah has about the same impact on sat water intrusion at the northern end ofhiton Head sand as about 100 gaons pumped at Syvania or about 2S gaons pumped at Brunswick. mpacts of the Strategies Proposed To Date "There have been severa sat water intrusion mitigation strategies proposed to date. For each' strategy, EPD had the USGS perform a modeing run, using either the EPD Coasta Mode, the RASA Mode~ the Brunswick Vicinity Mode or the Savannah Vicinity Mode. A modes were deveoped by the USGS and foow USGS modeing protocos; a are interreated and information can be cross-compared. Using the USGS modes, EPD estimated the impact ofeach ofthe proposed 5

102 nterim Stratq:y (or Manaf(ing Sat WatD'1trSion in the Upper Foridan Aquifer strategies on sat water intrusion; that is, how much woud intrusion be quickened or sowed ifthat strategy were empoyed. The resuts are presented in Tabe 1. EPD has authorized and provided funding to the USGS to pubish these mode runs with accompanying assumptions. This pubication wi conform to USGS coeague-review procedures. 6

103 nterim StrategY (ormanaging Sat Watu ntrusion in the Uppu Foridan Aqui(u Genera This nterim Strategy is intended to continue the process ofprotecting the Upper Foridan Aquifer ofsoutheast Georgia from sat water intrusion. Once impemented, the nterim Strategy wi continue unti December 31, During the time that the nterim Strategy is in effect, EPD wi work wj,th a broad-based stakehoder advisory committee on information exchange, and wi encourage and accept input from the conunittee on matters reated to both the impementation ofthe nterim Strategy and deveopmentofa fina strategy. EPD aso woud cooperate with other pubic and private entities to deveop comprehensive water suppy pans, and to gather water use, engineering, and geoogic information. The outcome wi be the deveopment ofa fina strategy (by December 31, 2005) which is a broady understood and supported, and which wi stop sat water intrusion at Hiton Head, Savannah, and Brunswick and aso aow additiona ground water withdrawas in the 24 counties ofsoutheast Georgia When fuy impemented the nterim Strategy wi: (1) Deveop the information needed to assist Georgia's stakehoders with the deveopment and impementation of a fina strategy that wi a=ptaby address sat water intrusion and encroachment probems aong Georgia's coast. (2) Recognize the importance ofa users throughout southeast Georgia (3) Promote conservation ofground water throughout southeast Georgia (4) Deveop comprehensive water suppy pans throughout southeast Georgia (5) Deveop feasibiity studies (with economic anaysis) of engineered barriers, redistributed pumpage, and aternate sources ofwater in the centra subarea. (6) Deveop expanded scientific studies throughout southeast Georgia (7) (8) Minimize restrictions on those users that have minima impact on sat water intrusion. Aow reasonabe expanded use ofthe Upper Foridan Aquifer in those areas of southeast. Georgia where such use has been found, based on sound science, to not have a significant infuence on sat water encroachment in Chatham County or sat water intrusion in Gynn County. 7

104 nterim StratWforManaging Sat Water ntrusion in the Upper Foridan Aquifer (9) Utiize input from stakehoder advisory committees to deveop panning, science, and feasibiity scopes ofwork. For the purposes ofmanaging the Upper Foridan Aquifer, EPD wi continue to subdivide southeast Georgia into three separate subareas as shown in Figure 1. Based on information provided in USGS Professiona Paper 1403-D, ground water pumping in the northern subarea has itte or no impact on sat water intrusion; the impact ofpumpage in the southern subarea on sat water intrusion is not known; ground water pumpage in the centra subarea impacts sat water intrusion. Based on aurenty avaiabe scientific information and EPD's interpretation ofthe resuts of recent USGS modeing runs, EPD cannot demonstrate that pumping from the Upper Foridan Aquifer in the northern and southern subareas wi significanty affect the movement ofthe sat water intrusion towards Chatham County or the upward movement of sat water in Gynn County. EPD wi therefore not cap withdrawas in these subareas at any specific eve~ but wi aow reasonabe additiona pumping from the aquifer unti such time as it can be shown that such withdrawas exercise unacceptabe adverse infuence on the two probem areas. For the centra subarea, excusive ofchatham and Gynn counties and defined portions of Bryan and Effingham counties, the nterim Strategy woud permit some imited increases i withdrawas for those counties that have comprehensive water suppy pans. [Note: EPD estimates that through 2005, tota new ground water withdrawas in the centra subarea woud be about 15 Mgd, an increase ofabout 6 percent over current use. This woud incude issuing permits for those appications currenty in review as we as new permit appications.] For Chatham and Gynn counties and defined portions ofbryan and Effingham counties (seefigure 2), the nterim Strategy woud be based on the principe of"no mpact ofsat Water ntrusion on Existing Users". Ground water withdrawas in this area woud be capped at some defined eves, and withdrawas from the Upper Foridan Aquifer in Chatham County woud be reduced by at east 10 Mgd by December 31, The effect ofthis capping wi be that at the end ofthe interim period, Chatham, Bryan and Effingham counties wi sti have a reiabe source offresh water for at east 100 years. On the other hand, sat water is aready impinging on some existing Gynn County water suppy wes; therefore capping ofground water use in Gynn County wi better protect the existing users and shoud provide them with access to the aquifer for at east 50 years or more. Depending on the scientific information gathered during the period that the nterim Strategy is in effect, it may be appropriate in the Fina Strategy to imit or restrict ground waterwithdrawas in the northern and southern subareas. The decision to do this, however, woud not be made unti 2005 as the Fma Strategy is being deveoped. Scientific studies and comprehensive water suppy panning cost money. Such money coud be obtained through direct appropriations or through user fees. EPD beieves that user fees are most appropriate as the users receive the direct benefit of having a reiabe ong-term water Sippy. 8

105 ntmm Strategy for Managing Sat Water ntrusion in the Upper Foridan Aquifer However, the fina decision regarding the best mechanism to fund studies and to conduct p.anning, rests with the Genern Assemby and the Governor. ntis matter shoud be deat with by the Genera Assemby in the 1998 egisative session. Assuming the Genera Assemby and the Governor support a fee based systern during the 1998 egisative session, it is ikey that EPD wi recommend a nomina and equitabe user fee be assessed on a permitted users in a three subareas. t is aso ikey that EPD wi recommend that the proceeds from the fees be used, (1) to provide for comprehensive water suppy panning, (2) to perfomiscientific studies to monitor and predict sat water intrusion, and (3) to perform feasibiity studies ofredistributing pumpage, ofobtaining water from sources other than the Upper Foridan Aquifer, and ofcreating engineered barriers to sat water intrusion. Fa1y, EPD wi ikey recommend that unti the Fna Strategy is deveoped, fee money ony be used for the deveopment ofcomprehensive water-suppy pans, the gathering ofscientific studies, and the performing ofsuch feasibiity studies. Some or a ofthese thoughts may be modified prior to the Genera Assemby's consideration ofthe matter next year. mpementationofthis strategy, however, wi require some changes in State aws and EPD:s Rues. nterested egisators have introduced a resoution to the 1997 Session of the Genera Assemby to create a Study Committee. The purpose ofthe Study Committee is to hod hearings, to receive recommendations on egisation to protect southeast Georgia from sat water intrusion, and to identify a mechanism for funding further studies and panning. Based upon the strategy and the Study Committee findings, impementing egisation may be introduced in the 1998 session ofthe Gencia Assemby. f the Genera Assemby and the Governor concur, then EPD woud begin coecting fees and using them to c3rry out the nterim Strategy. EPD woud conduct reguar (at east yeary) progress meetings to update stakehoders on new monitoring information, technoogica advances, and so forth. EPD woud continue to coordinate with the St Johns River Water Management District in Forida and the South Caroina Department ofheath and Environmenta Contro to estabish consistent sat water intrusion protection measures across state boundaries. Water-Suppy PaDDjD~ EPD recognizes that oca comprehensive water-suppy panning is critica to prudent management ofthe Upper Foridan Aquifer in southeast Georgia. Such pans shoud be prepared utiizing pubic participation and shoud, at a minimum, address the foowing issues for each county: Historica water use perspective. Review ofexisting water suppy needs and options studies. 9

106 nterim Strategy for Managing Sat Watu ntrusion in 1M Uppu Foridmt Aqui(u Current water management practices. dentification ofpossibe sources ofwater other than the UpperForidan Aquifer. Quantification ofexisting ground and surface water usage. Conservation efforts. Popuation, and use projections, and waterdemand projections to Deveopment ofwater-suppy management options. mpementation schedues. i' To ensure that the pans are consistent in content, format, and methods, EPD wi distribute a detaied water suppy pan outine by May 30, New withdrawa pennit appications from the UpperForidan Aquifer wi be reviewed by EPD for a southeast Georgia counties, except in Chatham, Gynn, and the southern portions of Bryan and Effingham counties, effective January 1, However, comprehensive water suppy panning is extremey important for southeast Georgia Therefore, EPD wi not issue new municipa, industria, and agricutura UpperForidan Aquifer ground water permits, after December 31, 2000, to appicants in any county ofthe 24 county area which has not deveoped a comprehensive water suppy pan and had it approved by EPD. Agricutura water use information is acking. This is particuary significant as agricuture is a rapidy expanding user group in southeast Georgia (an estimated 200% increase in permitted usage between 1985 and 1995). To expand the eve ofknowedge oft!s important user group, EPD wi work with agricutura interests to deveop a statisticay vaid yeary estimate ofagricutura water uses for each southeast Georgia county, and a program to educate agricutura water users on best management practices to conserve irrigation water. EPD woud contract to deveop an genera educationa program on irrigation best management practices and irrigation-water conservation. CODservatioD EPD wi reguate Upper Foridan Aquifer ground water withdrawas in Chatham County so that at east 10 Mgd of the Mgd reductions identified by the Savannah/Chatham Counry Metropoitan Panning Commission's (MPC) Comprehensive Water Suppy wi be achieved by December 31,2005. EPD expects the pup and paper industry to carry out those ground water conservation measures identified in the 1995 nstitute ofpaper Science and Technoogy Study. 10

107 ntuim Strategy (or Managing Soh Wata ntrusion in the Uppa Foridan Aquifa After January 1, 2001, EPDwi ony issue any newor e:qjanded permits for municipa ground water suppy, where the oca government has deveoped water-ronservation ordinances, incuding utra-ow fow pumbing requirements, audits to find out transmission osses, and so forth. This woud appy to Usen in a three subareas. \ \ After January 1, 2001, EPD wi ony aow new or expanded agricutura use ofground water for those owners who have taken a rourse on irrigation best management practices and irrigation water conservation. This woud appy to Usen in a three subareas., After January 1, 2001, EPD wi ony aow new or e:qjanded industria use ofground water for those owners who have deveoped a water Conservation pan. This woud appy to users in a three subareas. EPD encourages Chatham and Gynn counties, aong with those portions of Bryan and Effingham counties where ground water is fuy capped, to use surface water or shaow aquifers for future Water suppy. n these areasepd wi aso require waterusers, wherever feasibe, to substitute surfuce water, treated wastewater, or water from shaow aquifers for gofcourse irrigation and noncontact cooing water currenty being withdrawn from the Upper Foridan Aquifer. EPD recognizes that incentives can be conducive to conservation, especiay for those users that woud have to make capita improvements. Permitting UJpper Foridan Aqujfer. ony) During the period in whicp the nterim Strategy is in effect, EPD, in consutation with the affected permittees, wi reasonaby adjust some existing municipa and industria ground water withdrawa permits to a yet to be determined eve. A reviewofepd's permits shows that some permits are for rates that greaty exceed actua usage. nactive ground water use permits wi be canceed. This woud appy to a three subareas. A significant amount ofthe 10 Mgd ofreduced Upper Foridan Aquifer ground water use wi come from vountary reductions by Union Camp. Union Camp has agreed to reduce its permitted withdrawa by 6.5 Mgd, which is the equivaent ofits prorata share ofindustria ground Water pumping in Chatham County. n conjunction with tha~ EPD wi aso reduce. Union Camp's ground water withdrawa permit by 1.9 Mgd (from 28.5 Mgd to 26.6 Mgd) in order to eiminate unused capacity made avaiabe.by increased water use efficiencies achieved by Union Camp. Union Camp's permit thus wi be further reduced from 26.6 Mgd to 20.1 Mgd by December 31, \ 11 \

108 nterim Strat~1{Y(or ManaginJ{ Sat Water 1trUsion in th~ Uppu Foridan Aquifer Union Camp has made a funher commitment to transfer 2.5 Mgd in ground water capacity ifitis needed by other permittees for domestic growth. Union Camp wi make this capacity avaiabe for transfer (assuming surface water treatment pant capacity is avaiabe to repace this quantity ofwater) after EPD deveops suitabe guidance governing such transfers. EPD beieves that certain water use practices are no onger wise for the Upper Foridan Aquifer. These incude gofcourse irrigation and non-contaet Cooing water. EPD wi not iss4e any new permits for gof-eourse irrigation or non-eontact cooing water, where aternate sources ofwater exist. This woud appy to users in a three subareas. EPD wi not issue any new ground water withdrawa permits in Chatham or Gynn counties without associated reductions in water usage esewhere within the county. fconsistent with EPD approved, comprehensive oca water suppy pans, EPD woud consider aowing the transfer of some or a of a permitted ground water withdrawa from one user to others, provided such transfer shifts pumpage away from the deepest portions ofthe potentiometric cone ofdepression. (See "Reaocation ofwater" for further detais.) On the basis of ground water modeing that has been performed, EPD wi cap future withdrawas from the Upper Foridan Aquifer in those portions of Bryan and Effingham. counties that have the same hydrodynamic impact on sat water intrusion as Chatham County withdrawas. The affected areas generay are those portions ofbryan County southeast of Fort Stewart and those portions ofeffingham County south ofgeorgia Highway #119. EPD, however, wi consider pubic water suppy appications in these areas which have been submitted to EPD before Apri, 23, 1997 or for which project appications have been submitted to the oca zoning board before Apri 23, EPD wi estabish the permit imit for each individua Upper Foridan Aquifer permit hoder in Chatham, Gynn and those capped portions of Bryan and Effingham counties. The modified annua permitted withdrawa imit wi be based upon an evauation of annua reported ground water withdrawas over the interva from 1990 to n most instances, caps are expected to be based upon the highest annua reported ground water withdrawa during that period. EPD wi not issue water withdrawa permits or safe drinking water permits for the deveopment or construction ofnew pubic water systems in the Chatham County or Gynn County.cap areas after Apri 23, 1997, ifthe source of water suppy is the Upper Foridan Aquifer, with the possbe ex:ception oftransfers which shift pumpage away from the cone of. depression. This aso appies to the Bryan County and Effingham County cap areas except as provided for in the preceding paragraphs. EPD wi continue to evauate the issuance, modification and renewa requests for permits to operate a pubic water system for existing 12

109 . ' ntmm Strategy (or Managing Sat Wato ntrusion in the Upper Foridan Aquifer systems and for new systems that had initiated the permitting process prior to the impementation ofthis strategy. Forpubicwater systems using ess than 0.10 Mgd in Chatham and Gynn counties and in the capped portions ofbryan and Effingham counties, EPD wi modify existing Safe Drinking Water permits to require the permittee to begin metering and reporting their water use by December 31, / For a124 counties covered by this strategy, any request for the expansion ofa pubic water system woud require the submitta, approva and impementation ofa water conservation pan. Aso, metering ofthe water system and water use monitoring wi be required (a sources, treatment fuciities and service connections). AfterDecember 31, 2000, EPD woud not approve or permit any new project for deveopment or construction within the counties which have not deveoped comprehensive water suppy pans and had them approved by EPD. EPD wi not necessariy permit a new additiona withdrawas within the centra subarea. For appications received after Apri 23, 1997, new ground water withdrawa permits within the centra1 subarea, outside the capped areas, wi ony be issued after EPD has assessed the impact on sat water intrusion on other users. EPD woud perform simiar assessments o'n withdrawa permit appications that average 1 Mgd or more in the northern and southern subareas.! - With the exception of Gynn and Chatham counties and capped portions of Bryan and. Effingham counties, EPD wi imit tota new permitted withdrawas in'the counties covered by this strategy to 10% above the USGS's estimate of1995 ground water use for the entire 24 counties. This imit is equivaent to 36 Mgd,'and woud appy to a three subareas. This vaue wi be periodicay reassessed as new scientific information is deveoped. Reaocation ofwater Reductions in Upper F10ridan Aquifer ground water use wi QCQT as a resut ofconservation, source substitution, and other means. As such reductions opportunities are identified, EPD wi modify permits (m consutation with permittees) to reduce permit imits to agreed upon eves over agreed upon periods oftime. n consutation with the permittee and other Upper Foridan Aquifer stakehoders in the affected area, EPD wi consider reaocating this unused capacity in one or more ofthe foowing ways: Pennanenty remand the recaimed waterto the Upper F10ridan Aquifer unencumbered so that it contributes to the maintenance ofthe potentiometric surface. 13 \

110 ntuim StraJegyfor Managing Sat Water ntrusion in tu Upper Foridan Aquifer Temporariy remand the recaimed water to the Upper Foridan Aquifer unti such time as municipa water needs (as identified in the EPD approved regionaoca water suppy pan) is such that this recaimed water can be aocated to municipa water users in "the affected area." Again priority wi be given to reaocations that have the effect of redistributing pumpageto points further away from the centers ofestabished cones ofdepression, and to reaocations to areas where surface water is not economicay avaiabe. Dstribute to municipa water suppy system(s) within the previousy described area in a fushion outined in EPD approved regiona (or oca) water suppy pan. Priority wi be given to such reaocations that have the effect ofredistributing pumpage to points further away from the centers of estabished cones of depression, and to reaocations to areas where surfuce wateris not economicay avaiabe. However, EPD wi not reaocate ground water in such amounts that woud prevent the attainment of a tota 10 Mgd reduction in use in Chatham County by December 31,2005. Sound Science EPD currenty is in the second yearof a five-year program to expand knowedge ofgroun\! water and geoogy in the 24 county area. The USGS is participating in these studies as a cooperator. n addition, using state appropriations, EPD personne are driing approximatey two dozen additiona monitoring wes in Southeast Georgia, EPD is aso financing the construction ofsome monitoring wes in the Hiton Head and Bu sand area ofsouth Caroina. The five-year program is designed to estabish an eary warning system of sat water monitoring wes, evauate aternate sources ofwater to the Upper Foridan Aquifer, and expand EPD's version ofthe USGS ground. water modes into South Caroina and Forida. EPD wi continue to pursue these scientific investigations. During the pubic meetings that were hed.on the draft 4terim Strategy, a number of stakehoders requested an expansion ofscientific studies to more precisey oeate the position offresh water-sat water interface, to more precisey identify the ocations where sat water is entering the aquner, to more precisey predict the veocity and route ofsat water movement, to perform feasibiity studies ofpossbe engineered barriers to.sat water intrusion or pumpage redistnbution, and to more precisey assess the impact of withdrawas in the northern and southern subarea on sat water intrusion in the centra subarea and vice versa. Doing this woud require expanded geoogica studies, possiby incuding offshore driing, and and marine seismic surveys, and deveopment ofnew sat water transport modes. To achieve this and assuming funds are avaiabe for scientific studies, EPD aso woud perform additiona geoogica and engineering studies, as recommended by a Technica Advisory Committee. The primary objective ofthese studies woud be to obtain a more precise estimate ofthe time that sat 14