Water Supply Basics

Where Does Our Water Come from and How Do We Use It?

In the 16-county Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District, approximately 652 million gallons of water are used every day.

The District is primarily located in the headwaters of five major river basins: Chattahoochee, Etowah (a sub-basin of the Coosa), Flint, Ocmulgee and Oconee. The Chattahoochee River Basin provides nearly 70 percent of the water for the District area. The District does not import water from outside its boundaries.

The District relies on surface water (streams, rivers and lakes) for 98 percent of its needs. Groundwater is not a major source of supply due to the bedrock of the region – like Stone Mountain granite. 

Though the Atlanta region averages just over 50 inches of rainfall each year, our rivers and streams are relatively small. We must manage our water resources wisely and carefully to ensure adequate supplies now and in the future. 

Many people believe that industry is the major source of water consumption, but industry only accounts for 3-percent of water usage and commercial accounts for 21 percent.  The majority of the water is consumed by single family (43 percent) and multiple family residences (12 percent); therefore, it is important to conserve water at home.