Metro Atlanta Declares Level 1 Drought

On Friday, Georgia’s Environmental Protection Division declared a Level 1 drought response for 53 counties. The declaration, which includes Metro Atlanta, requires water providers educate the public about drought conditions and water conservation.

The declaration follows a wet winter, but a dry spring and summer. According to the National Weather Service, from March through August, Atlanta received 16.59 in. of rain – around 8.5 in. less than the 30-year average for the same six-month period. We don’t know how long the dry weather will continue. Rainfall may return to normal, but we need to take reasonable measures to be responsible stewards of water and to be prepared for the possibility this is a long-term drought.