Brookhaven
Brookhaven, GA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
With about 51,910 residents, Brookhaven ranks as the 15th-largest city in Georgia and a small but growing city. Water in Brookhaven is sourced chiefly from Chattahoochee River, Lake Lanier, and Floridan aquifer, the backbone of Georgia's supply.
The defining water pressure here mirrors the state's: drought. Decades of 'water wars' litigation with Alabama and Florida over the Chattahoochee shape metro Atlanta's supply planning.
Statewide, Georgia recycles about 11% of its wastewater with developing reuse programs. Locally, Brookhaven faces severe to extreme drought conditions.
The Georgia state profile covers the regional supply outlook; the issues below detail what's driving Brookhaven's water future.
At a glance
- Population ~51,910 (15th-largest in Georgia)
- Primary sources: Chattahoochee River, Lake Lanier, and Floridan aquifer
- Drought: severe to extreme conditions
- State reuse rate: ~11% of wastewater
Statewide drought history
% of Georgia in severe+ drought (Extreme (D3) now).
Source: U.S. Drought Monitor
Common questions
Is tap water safe in Brookhaven?
Brookhaven is served by community water systems regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act. Statewide, 9.9% of Georgia's systems have a recent health-based violation. Check your provider's annual Consumer Confidence Report for local results.
Where does Brookhaven get its water?
Brookhaven draws from the same regional sources that serve Georgia: Chattahoochee River, Lake Lanier, Floridan aquifer.
Related water issues
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