Georgia

Water Privatization Becomes a Signature Issue in Atlanta
2/12/2003 - Last summer, there were more than sugar crystals swirling in kids' Kool-Aid drinks in Atlanta's Buckhead neighborhood. Hundreds of residents complained throughout the summer of brown water pouring from their taps, much of it studded with visible debris. One mother described her Kool-Aid as darker than iced tea with "little particles" floating in it. Officials from United Water Resources Inc., which had held the management contract in Atlanta since January 1999, blamed the red clay- and rust... 

Atlanta, water firm split
The city of Atlanta and its private water provider parted ways Friday, leaving the city government with the monumental challenge of getting in position to run the beleaguered system after four years of private operation. City officials expect to have full control of the water system by mid-June.

City reviews its water privatization contract
ATLANTA — City officials here are trying to decide whether United Water deserves to keep its 20-year contract running the city water systems.

Atlanta's Unquenchable Thirst Sparks Dixie Water War
The water wars of the West have moved east. The explosive growth of Atlanta is draining nearby rivers in the Southeast, threatening ecosystems and livelihoods in a region unused to resource shortages.

Water service still spouting woe
Facing a $35 million budget shortfall next year, Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin says she must spend $1 million now to make sure the city's largest contractor is doing its job. That is a hard decision, but a good one -- a necessary step in cleaning up the mess former Mayor Bill Campbell made. Campbell turned the city's crumbling water system over to a private contractor: United Water Services Unlimited. The city hastily agreed to pay the company $21 million a year for 20 years -- 20 years. Since it took over the water system, United Water has done a miserable job.