A discussion of state-built reservoirs A bonanza for
speculators? By David Kyler There's a troubling tendency for
water projects to be exploited for opportunistic land
speculation and development schemes. Reservoirs are promoted as
solutions for ensuring water supply needed to sustain Georgia's
growing population. Meanwhile major water users - and wasters -
are not being held accountable. Local ordinances may require
low-flow toilets and showers in new homes, yet power companies
are allowed to literally vaporize hundreds of millions of
gallons of water daily, taken from Georgia's rivers to cool
high-temperature generators at coal and nuclear plants.
Available new technologies for water-efficient cooling and power
production are neglected, as if they don't exist. Despite
Georgia's adopting a water conservation program several years
ago, there are no requirements for the power industry to take
steps to conserve. In fact, power plants use so much water it's
estimated that many Georgians, unknowingly, may use mor