Water: Cheaper in the Lake than in the Reservoir
Historically businesses enjoyed the externalities of certain costs, like pollution, and reaped profits from greatly undervalued natural resources. But as global population – and product demand – continues to rise, we are beginning to bump up against pollution accumulations too big to ignore and natural resources shortages. Smart businesses see these challenges as an opportunity and are innovating to ensure sustainable supply chains, create closed-loop manufacturing systems, and save money through energy and water conservation. Waste doesn’t have to be a liability; it can be a resource. That’s why I’m calling my new column at Forbes .
Water is the most important resource to our very survival but has long been taken for granted in many places because it has been extremely cheap. However, access to water is becoming a limiting factor to growth and development with significant economic implications. Last week Fitch Ratings released a report saying that it is considering downgrading the credit rating of Atlanta-area water and sewer utilities. This comes after the county’s water and sewer authority’s credit rating dropped from Aa2 to Aa3 in January 2011, a difference that can raise interest rates by several percentage points.
The Atlanta area is almost completely dependent on water from the Chattahoochee River, impounded north of the city in Lake Lanier. For nearly two decades, as Atlanta’s population has boomed, Georgia has wrangled over this water with Florida and Alabama, which lie downstream. In 2009, a federal court required Atlanta to reduce its withdrawals from Lake Lanier to 1970s levels by 2012 – if the three states cannot reach an agreement on how to allocate the resource. The restriction would reduce Atlanta’s water supply by more than 40 percent.
These kinds of struggles over basic resources have significant economic impacts for utilities, cities, ratepayers, and investors. Last fall, Forbes executive editor Neil Weinberg wrote about a report that found municipal bonds backed by water utilities may be in trouble due to growing water scarcity. Atlanta-area utilities were highlighted as particularly risky in that report, “ The Ripple Effect: Water Risk in the Municipal Bond Market ,” published by Ceres, a coalition of investors and environmentalists and Water Asset Management, a global equity investor.
Although the “tri-state water war,” as it’s known, has blown up in particularly spectacular fashion, complete with expensive legal morass, these states are not alone: at least 36 states expect water shortages by 2013, according to the Government Accountability Office. This is due to population growth, particularly in places with limited water, and climate change, which is making water supplies unpredictable and water management difficult. In addition, some areas rely heavily on groundwater, which is being extracted faster than nature recharges it.
Georgia Building Leaks - News
WRDW-TV reports that ground was broken Wednesday on the new law enforcement center at Walton Way and Fourth Street. Richmond County sheriff's Col. Gary Powell said the existing building has water leaks, mold and other problems.
Fixing leaks can be expensive, admitted Hoffner. “But it's less expensive and faster than building new reservoirs. Given the situation that Georgia finds itself in, where most of its rivers flow to other states, fixing leaks is also an uncontested
When rampant cracking caused radioactive leaks from steam generator tubing, an easier test of the tubes was devised, so plants could meet standards. Failed cables, busted seals, broken nozzles, clogged screens, cracked concrete, dented containers,
This new credit is now available in CA, GA, IL, KS, LA, MI, MO, and TN, and will roll out to more states throughout 2011. “It is so important for a well-managed estate to carry the right insurance,” said Soss. “Independent agents and brokers work with
I was able to successfully knock out the plumbing without any leaks or any problems, so I now consider myself a DIY demigod. I'm pretty proud of that recognition. MB: I will get the full upgrade to "god" status when I can tape and float some sheet rock
$58.9 million budget approved for AA | Georgia Tech
Greetings-
I have some stuff to share with you from the Georgia Tech Athletic Association meeting last Thursday. I was going to blog about it last week but the Brian Oliver transfer came up.
The budget for fiscal year ‘12 was approved at $58.9 million, up from $55.1 million in the past fiscal year. Increased revenues from the new ESPN contract and also the stronger home football schedule (Clemson, Virginia Tech, Georgia) are expected to cover the increased expenses (more on that below). The budget, though, has an apparent leak in it, as football season ticket sales are slower than expected, despite the strong odd-year schedule. As of last week, Tech had sold about 22,300 season tickets. The association has budgeted for 25,000 season tickets. There’s typically a push in July and August, but the AA has got some ground to make up. The ‘11 fiscal year, which closes at the end of the month, will be about $700,000 in the hole. A shortfall in ticket sales, both football and basketball, as well as the Hewitt firing, accounted for the deficit. However, the cash balance remained at about $4.8 million because of improved performance by the Georgia Tech endowment, which holds the AA’s money. I’d think the new ESPN contract, which will be about $3.5 million more than what the ACC distribution has been in the past, should keep Tech’s budget above water in the future.
The renovation of AMC is well underway. The inside of the building, AD Dan Radakovich said, has been razed and is just dirt floor right now. Radakovich mentioned a few other building projects. The football players lounge is being converted into a 140-person auditorium. It is expected to be ready to use in late August. The players lounge will go into the space where the existing team meeting room is. The lead donation came from the Zelnak family, which also provided the major gift for the basketball practice facility.
The association is considering converting the golf practice facility on 14th Street from a range-type area to a nine-hole par-3 course. Radakovich said the impetus is a desire to give players more competitive opportunities. After three rounds of stroke play, the NCAA championship is ultimately decided by match play, where Tech has faltered despite typically having one of the strongest and deepest teams in the field. Fund-raising still has to be done.
Georgia Building Leaks - Bookshelf
Western architect and engineer
If a roof is a covering and the roof is taken off the dome of the school building the building would leak. It would appear then that the roof on the dome is ...The American and English encyclopedia of law
Castleberry, 49 Ga. 272, the court held that, where the landlord occupied ... and neglects to repair, so that the roof of the building leaks so badly as to ...The American and English Encyclopædia of Law: Least to Mail
Castleberry, 49 Ga. 272, the court held that, where the landlord occupied ... and neglects to repair, so that the roof of the building leaks so badly as to ...Atlanta, Ga Fire
He apparently had along standing grudge against a security firm who was a tenant in the building. Scholle Chemical Company Chemical Leak At 11:38 on ...Effective Building Maintenance, Protection of Capital Assets
Once repainting is complete, install a panel of 22 ga. stainless steel on the inside ... as a result of such conditions as building leaks, condensation, ...Day-to-day Articles Directory
Better Built Buildings - Rent to Own Portable Buildings
Georgia and the South's best source for portable storage buildings, gazebos, carports, guard houses, garages, playhouses and horsestalls.
Georgia State building evacuated after chemical leak detected ...
Georgia State building evacuated after chemical leak detected ... A chemical leak was detected at a Georgia State University building in downtown Atlanta, ...
Vet school leak kept quiet | lee.shearer@onlineathens.com
The University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine didn't inform a community liaison committee about potentially serious leaks in a high-security biocontainment ...
770.521.0080 Exterior Building Cleaning Services Atlanta Georgia
**770.521.0080** In Atlanta GA PRESTO provides exterior commercial building cleaning, maintenance and restoration services such as waterproofing, pressure ...
Augusta | Georgia | South Carolina | Building Inspection ...
Criterium-Proctor Engineers is an engineering consulting firm that specializes in all aspects of building evaluation services for both residential and commercial ...