Outdoor Watering Ban

Mayor Shirley Franklin and Commissioner Rob Hunter announced that Atlanta would continue its ban on outdoor watering. “We are still in a Level 4 drought,” Mayor Franklin said. “And we still are under an obligation to cut our use 10 percent. We can’t allow outdoor watering and meet that goal.”

Although the governor approved loosening restrictions including one 25-minute hand watering per day, the state maintained the requirement for local utilities to reduce usage by 10 percent and gave local utilities the responsibility of deciding how best to meet that goal. The Mayor pointed out that Atlanta had gone to Drought Level 3 last May, four months before the State moved from a Level 2 to a Level 4 drought, banning most outdoor watering. That means that Atlanta’s usage was already significantly reduced last summer. A 10 percent reduction on top of that already reduced usage would be “unlikely if not impossible,” according to Commissioner Hunter. Commissioner Hunter noted that the 30-day exemption for new landscaping is still in place but that the City would no longer exempt watering for lawn overseeding and aeration.

“Lake Lanier levels have dropped significantly over the past three years,” the Mayor said. “On Feb. 17, 2006, the lake was 1.97 feet below full pool. A year later, it was 4.85 feet below full pool. On Feb. 17 of this year, it was 18.32 feet below full pool. In other words, Lake Lanier is 13.5 feet below where it was at this time last year, and it is .2 feet lower than it was in November. We are still in a very serious drought.” State Climatologist David Stooksbury has predicted that the drought will continue through this summer.

Mayor Franklin did announce that pools will be exempted from the restrictions, effective immediately. “This was not an easy decision,” she said. “But we think it makes sense from a public health and safety standpoint. Atlanta gets very, very hot during the summer, and we want children and families to have access to pools.” Commissioner Hunter said that the City would continue to monitor the situation and take additional steps if necessary.

Conservation tips are available at www.atlantawatershed.org. Additionally, in keeping with the Mayor’s determination to make water conservation a top priority, the City’s water usage figures are posted on www.atlantawatershed.org every weekday.

A more energy efficient home

http://www.southface.org/web/resources&services/publications/factsheets/sf_factsheet-menu.htm

Southface provides resources and fact sheets on ways to save energy, conserve water and preserve the environment. Please look over the website to find tips for making your home more energy efficient.

Recycling in Atlanta

Items that can be recycled at the curb:

• Newspaper
• Aluminum cans
• Glass bottles and jars ( remove the lids)
• Steel ( tin) cans
• Plastic #1 and # 2 bottles
• Mixed paper (Please put the mixed paper in a brown craft paper grocery bag to keep it separated from newspaper.)
• Office paper
• Junk mail
• Envelopes
• Telephone directories
• Boxboard (cereal boxes, tissue boxes )
• Shredded paper tied in a clear plastic bag
• Magazines
• Catalogues

Hartsfield Incinerator Site
2175 James Jackson Parkway
Atlanta, GA 30318

Phone: (404) 794-2422
Days/Hours: Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm
This site is for City of Atlanta residents only; proof of residency is required. Please call first for further details.

Materials Collected:

• Electronics
• Computer Monitors
• Computer Recycling
• Televisions
• Household Hazardous
• Fluorescent Bulbs
• Reuse (Cell phone and Equipment)

For more community-specific information on recylcing, green shopping, energy conservation, household hazardous waste, composting and dozens of other environmental resources, enter your zip code and visit:

http://earth911.org/

City Launches New Solid Waste Initiative

Department of Public Works Prepares to Launch New Solid Waste Collection Process

Beginning March 3, 2008, the Office of Solid Waste Services will implement a new solid waste collection process that will establish long-term improvements in operations, customer service and environmental sustainability. To ensure efficient, timely and safe collection of solid waste from all customers, the Department of Public Works (DPW) has redistributed households into more balanced service areas, which will result in new collection days for most of Atlanta’s residents. The new collection improvements will not only create a more cost-efficient collection process, but residents will benefit from a safer, cleaner, greener Atlanta. “This is a very exciting time for Atlanta, as we work to further enhance and improve solid waste services for our customers. We are committed to the efficient management of our resources and determined to take control of Atlanta’s solid waste destiny”, said David E. Scott, Public Works Commissioner.

The most noticeable changes in the new solid waste collection process include:

• New collection days for most customers.
• Weekly collection of waste materials (garbage, recycling and yard waste).
• Yard waste will not be collected in plastic bags. It must be placed in paper yard waste (kraft) bags or a container clearly labeled “yard trimmings.”
• Only 5 additional bags of garbage are allowed in addition to the contents of your Herbie Curbie for garbage collection.

For additional information and to obtain their new collection day, customers may call the DPW Customer Service Division at 404.330.6333 or visit www.atlantaga.gov.

January 2008 Newsletter

Sewer Program Milestone

Mayor Shirley Franklin and Commissioner Rob Hunter will celebrate the City's Sewer System Evaluation Survey's success with remarks about the Clean Water Atlanta program's status and demonstrations of the techniques, including smoke tests and robotic tools, used to evaluate sewers for damage and defects. The celebration highlights the evaluation of 1,000 miles of the City's 1,530 miles of sewer pipe on budget and ahead of schedule.

When: Thursday, January 31, 2008 11am-Noon

What: Celebration of the City's Sewer System Evaluation Survey's 1,000th mile evaluated

Where: 1279 Ladd Street

Directions: I-20 West to Lowery Boulevard. Exit 55A toward West End. Left onto Joseph E. Lowery Blvd. Right onto Ralph David Abernathy Blvd. Left onto Lawton Street. Lawton Street becomes Hall Street. Right onto Richland Road, left onto Oakland Drive and right onto Ladd Street.