Perdue, Georgia Water Task Force Meet

The Georgia water task force is made up of more than 80 leaders from business and government and conservation groups. Task force members gathered in the basement ballroom of the governor's mansion Monday.

The work of the group started in October and aims to analyze recommendations on water use for the governor and the legislature.

The state is facing the need for potentially dramatic steps as the result of a federal judge's ruling on water allocations from Lake Lanier.

Georgia would be forced to return to water withdrawal levels from 30 years ago, unless an agreement is reached with Alabama and Florida, which has led to congressional action on water usage from Lake Lanier.

The governors of the three states have yet to meet face-to-face on the water dispute, but Governor Perdue said he expects a meeting date to be finalized soon.

The governor leaves office after next year so the clock is ticking on negotiations before his term has ended.

The judge's ruling set a three-year deadline for a resolution of the tri-state water dispute.