“It was a good meeting, very fact-based. I leave that meeting very much convinced that conservation is the route Georgia must go now. We need to find the water systems that have the highest seepage rate, we need to start fixing those problems, do a cost benefit analysis [to see] where we can save the most water for the least amount of money. And we need to start today.

“Absolutely, it’s ahead of building reservoirs. The cheapest gallon of water is the one that you never use. As a fiscal conservative, I believe that conservation is the cheapest way to solve the problem. Seepage rates run anywhere from about 10 to about 18 percent.”

Now, I don’t think Scott really has a chance in the race for governor, but I really appreciate his approach on water.  Yes, we should build additional reservoirs and search for ways to achieve ”water independence”, but an acknowledgement from the right that water re-use/return and other sensible conservation tactics are a key part of the solution is actually really nice to hear.  Contrast that with Oxendine’s “Dig Here, Dig Now” and you get a clear picture of who is more interested in rhetoric and who is more interested in workable solutions.