Georgia Will Pay $71M To Receive Water From Lake Lanier As 'Tri-State Water Wars' End With Pact

By T.A. DeFeo | The Center Square contributor, The Center Square Georgia

September 27, 2022

(The Center Square) — Georgia will pay roughly $71 million over 30 years to access water in Lake Lanier, a significant development in the seemingly never-ending fight over water.

The deal allows the water service providers for Gwinnett, Cumming and Forsyth counties and the cities of Buford and Gainesville to draw water from Lake Lanier, the largest reservoir in North Georgia, through 2050.

Water rights have been a controversial issue in the state for decades. Georgia, Alabama and Florida have quibbled for years about water rights and how much water jurisdictions could draw from shared river basins, a squabble colloquially known as the "Tri-State Water Wars."

"After decades of work and negotiation, we have reached a sound, carefully developed, and fair resolution to this long and slow battle of the so-called broader 'Water Wars,'" Gov. Brian Kemp said in an announcement.

Under the deal, the state has access to 254,170 acre-feet of water storage, which is roughly 13% of the lake when full. The price tag does not include the costs of annual operations and maintenance.

Georgia has already made two payments toward the $71 million, and lawmakers allocated more than $14 million in the state budget to secure the deal. Once the state makes the payments, Georgia will have permanent rights to water storage.

"This is a win for all of Georgia, and it underscores the importance of that timeless advice — 'never give up,'" former Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal said in an announcement.

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