The State of Georgia is currently under a Level 1 Drought Response, as issued by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD). While this level does not require mandatory water restrictions, it does call for increased awareness and voluntary conservation efforts from residents, businesses, and local governments.

The City of Griffin encourages all customers to be mindful of their water usage and take simple steps to reduce unnecessary consumption. Small actions can make a meaningful difference in preserving our shared water resources during dry conditions.

For more information and guidance from the Georgia EPD, please review the resources below.

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Drought FAQs:

How long will this drought last? The US Drought Monitor online is the best resource for keeping up with climatic indicators for the duration and severity of this drought. We are currently in a Severe Drought, and it may take weeks to months to return to normal precipitation levels.

It just rained, so how can we be in a drought? Dryer than normal weather for the past several months has led to the drought conditions that we are experiencing now. It will take consistent rainfall over a period of time to bring us out of this drought.

Are we going to run out of water? No. Griffin is uniquely drought resilient given its two surface water reservoirs and raw water intakes on the Flint River. Griffin has nearly 5 billion gallons of water stored between its two reservoirs. It is very unlikely that we will drop to less than 70% of combined water storage even during a severe drought.

Why are we sending water to a data center while we are in a drought? Griffin is a regional water system providing drinking water to communities across six counties. The communities that purchase water through our wholesale connections are responsible for determining how their water is allocated within their jurisdictions. There are currently no data centers within the City of Griffin.

Will my bill go up because of the drought? No. Your water rates are set by the Municipal Cost Index (MCI) each year. Rates are not increased during a drought or for any other reason outside of the annual MCI adjustment for inflation.

Will the drought make my water unsafe to drink? No. Your water is safe to drink. We continue to monitor all water quality parameters to insure your drinking water is safe to consume.

Can I water my garden, wash my car, clean my house, fill my pool, etc.? Yes. Outside of lawn watering between 4pm and 10am only, there are currently no restrictions on how you use your water. However, we are encouraging everyone to follow water conservation practices to help mitigate the effects of this drought on our water resources. Please review the resource links above for more information.