That’s a key question as our state faces a court-mandated draconian cutback in water from Lake Lanier and the Chattahoochee in three years unless a reasonable sharing plan can be worked out with Alabama and Florida – not an encouraging prospect.

Conservation works. During the prolonged drought that ended this year, Gov. Sonny Perdue ordered utilities and public water systems in 61 north Georgia counties to reduce consumption 10 percent – and they achieved a 13 per-cent reduction. The state banned all outdoor watering during the drought, and Perdue last year directed state agencies to cut their energy consumption 15 percent below 2007 levels. With the state’s population expected to increase to more than 12 million over the next 20 years, conservation becomes ever more important.

State Sen. Jeff Chapman (R-Brunswick), a surprise new candidate for governor, said before making his announcement last week, “state leaders must move forward on a package of legislative measures in the upcoming 2010 General Assembly showing that the state is serious about solving its water woes.” He pointed to Atlanta’s results of fixing leaks and un-metered use. The city was losing 20 percent of clean water in 2003 but cut this by one percent a year in the past five years by leak detection and abatement. He calculated such a program in the entire 16-county metro area could save 10 to 20 percent in total water usage. Chapman also suggested retrofitting appliances and fixtures, and dredging/enlarging existing lakes.

Yet even with all that, metro Atlanta and all of Georgia must have reasonable, sustainable water resources. And Congress ultimately will have to approve an agreement among the three states or impose one. How much water Georgia conserves could play a pivotal role in the outcome.