Georgia Orders Business to Cut Water Use

Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue ordered public water providers in drought-stricken parts of North Georgia to restrict water withdrawls to 90% of current levels. The move doesn't single out industries -- such as soda bottling plants -- but is expected to effect many businesses and industries, which unlike homeowners, have not been asked to restrict water use yet.

The move follows a lawsuit seeking changes to the way the Army Corps of Engineers regulates Atlanta's reservoir -- which also feeds hundreds of miles of river through Alabama and Florida, including stretches that support endangered species. Perdue has also asked President Bush to waive species protections during the drought, to allow Georgia to retain more water for its people.

The restrictions are seen by critics as a band-aid for larger problems in Georgia, and throughout the South. A piece in the New York Times this week identified serious deficiencies in planning that has allowed rampant development to proceed regardless of the water resources available -- either now or in the future.

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