Water
Source Water Assessment Plans
The Planning Division conducted source water assessments and produced reports that provide basic information about the drinking water in each public water system in the Northeast Georgia Region. A Source Water Assessment is a document intended to provide basic information to public water suppliers and the general public regarding: 1) where their drinking water comes from, and 2) the degree to which it may be impacted by potential sources of contamination.
Specifically, a source water assessment includes the following:
- The status of a public water system's source water protection plan.
- A description of the water source(s) used by the public water system.
- A determination of the susceptibility of the water sources to contamination.
- A list of contaminants of concern for the water source(s) and potential contaminant sources that could impact the water supply.
These assessments focus on the source of water, rather than the finished water supplied to customers at their taps. A public water system may treat the water to protect and improve its quality before it reaches the consumer.
To view a report, go to the Plans and Publications section of this web site.
To view the maps, data, and reports for each of the 20 systems that participated in the 2002 Source Water Assessment Report, go to http://www.negrdc.org/swap/index.html
Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL)
A TMDL or Total Maximum Daily Load is a calculation of the maximum amount of a pollutant that a waterbody can receive and still meet water quality standards, and an allocation of that amount to the pollutant's sources.
The Clean Water Act, section 303, establishes the water quality standards and TMDL programs. Water quality standards are set by the State. They identify the uses for each waterbody, for example, drinking water supply, contact recreation (swimming), and aquatic life support (fishing), and the scientific criteria to support that use.
A TMDL is the sum of the allowable loads of a single pollutant from all contributing point and nonpoint sources. The calculation must include a margin of safety to ensure that the waterbody can be used for the purposes the State has designated. The calculation must also account for seasonal variation in water quality.
The Planning Division conducted TMDL studies for streams throughout the Northeast Georgia region.
To view a report, go to the Plans and Publications section of this web site.
Northeast Georgia Regional Development Center
Planning Department •
305 Research Drive •
Athens, GA 30605
Phone: (706)369-5650 • Fax: (706)369-5792