Georgia
Georgia sits in the South and draws its water primarily from Chattahoochee River, Lake Lanier, and Floridan aquifer. With roughly 11 million residents, the state has a developing water reuse program, reusing an estimated 11% of its treated wastewater.
Georgiawater quality & safety
Top violation drivers in Georgia
| Contaminant / rule | Systems |
|---|---|
| TTHM | 48 |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | 41 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 33 |
| Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon and U | 25 |
| Combined Radium (-226 and -228) | 21 |
| Groundwater Rule | 14 |
Source: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) · 2026 Q1 · health-based violations since 2016
Decades of 'water wars' litigation with Alabama and Florida over the Chattahoochee shape metro Atlanta's supply planning.
On the U.S. Drought Monitor scale, Georgia currently tracks around severe to extreme conditions. Georgia has 1,718 community water systems serving about 11 million people; EPA records show 170 of them (9.9%) with a health-based Safe Drinking Water Act violation since 2016. The pages below break down the water issues that matter most here and the communities working on solutions.
Drought history — severe+ extent
% of Georgia in severe drought or worse (D2+) each late summer.
Source: U.S. Drought Monitor (NDMC/UNL, USDA, NOAA) · latest 2026-06-09
Water use (USGS 2015)
- Per-capita (public supply)
- 123 gpcd
- Total withdrawals
- 3.4 Bgal/d
- From groundwater
- 35.2%
- Irrigation share
- 21.8%
- Wastewater reused (est.)
- ~11%
Primary water sources
- ≈ Chattahoochee River
- ≈ Lake Lanier
- ≈ Floridan aquifer
Common questions
Is tap water safe in Georgia?
Georgia has 1,718 community water systems serving about 11 million people. EPA records show 170 of them (9.9%) with at least one health-based Safe Drinking Water Act violation since 2016, and 23 system(s) over the federal lead action level. Most large systems meet standards; check your specific city and your utility's annual report.
What contaminants are most common in Georgia's water?
The most frequent health-based violations involve TTHM, Revised Total Coliform Rule, Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5).
How much water does Georgia use per person?
Public water systems in Georgia withdraw about 123 gallons per person per day (USGS 2015), drawing 35.2% of fresh water from groundwater.
How bad is the drought in Georgia?
As of 2026-06-09, 89.5% of Georgia is in drought (D1+) and 44.7% is in severe drought or worse, per the U.S. Drought Monitor.
Cities in Georgia
16 trackedAtlanta
Metro Atlanta's reliance on a single reservoir and decades of interstate 'water wars' have made supply security and reuse central to the booming Southeast's largest city.
Columbus
Columbus, GA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Savannah
Savannah, GA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Athens
Athens, GA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Sandy Springs
Sandy Springs, GA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Roswell
Roswell, GA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Macon
Macon, GA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Johns Creek
Johns Creek, GA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Albany
Albany, GA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Warner Robins
Warner Robins, GA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Alpharetta
Alpharetta, GA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Marietta
Marietta, GA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Key issues in Georgia
Drought
Much of the American West is in a multi-decade dry period that researchers describe as the most severe in over a millennium, reshaping how communities plan for water.
ExploreAgricultural Demand
Agriculture accounts for the majority of consumptive water use in the West, making farm efficiency and water markets central to any supply solution.
ExploreAging Infrastructure
Much of America's water infrastructure is decades past its design life, leaking trillions of gallons a year and demanding hundreds of billions in reinvestment.
Explore