Water use in north Ga. down 20 percent

ATLANTA (AP) Georgia Environmental Protection Division Director Carol Couch is praising metro Atlanta and north Georgia for using 20 percent less water in June compared to June 2007.

In a statement, Couch said responsible conservation choices and restrictions on outdoor watering have been effective.

The Environmental Protection Division estimates the amount of water saved at nearly 180 million gallons a day. That's about how much water the city of Atlanta and Gwinnett County take from Lake Lanier and the Chattahoochee River every day.
But the area also used more water in June than in May.

Couch has said her division, along with state climatologist David Stooksbury, are monitoring drought conditions and could again tighten restrictions if necessary.