Wells, Cisterns to Help Georgia World Congress Center Manage Water Restrictions
Monday, June 15, 2009, 4:30 p.m., EDT
Georgia World Congress Center Authority plans to use campus wells and cisterns to irrigate its property and to keep its water features operational. |
The wells and cisterns should be operational by the end of summer. | Georgia World Congress Center Authority might be able to operate its ornamental water features and irrigate its landscaping, despite Atlanta’s ongoing water restrictions that went into effect in October 2007. Georgia World Congress Center Authority bored two 660-foot-deep wells on the 200-acre property, which includes Georgia World Congress Center, Georgia Dome and Centennial Olympic Park.
“We are extremely pleased with the projected output of the two wells on our campus,” said Mark Zimmerman, general manager of Georgia World Congress Center. “With local water limitations, we are happy that we’ll no longer have to put a strain on the state’s water supply, and we’ll be able to maintain much-needed green space in our downtown area. The wells tie in perfectly with our continual goals to be good stewards of our facilities and to take responsibility for the huge impact we can have on the environment.”
Georgia World Congress Center Authority plans to use water from the wells to irrigate lawns and plants and to operate the water features. Since the Atlanta water ban was implemented, Georgia World Congress Center Authority said it has spent more than $100,000 to repair, reseal and caulk dried-out and cracked water features. It lost about $500,000 worth of plant life during that span.
One well, located at the northeast corner of Centennial Olympic Park, is tied into the water garden storage and irrigation system. It will cost $142,712 once construction is completed this summer. Georgia World Congress Center Authority expects the well to produce 12.5 gallons of water per minute, with the project paying for itself within seven years.
The other well, located under International Plaza in the congress center, features piping that connects to cisterns below the plaza that will allow for water harvesting. At a projected construction cost of $292,000, that project will produce 54 gallons per minute and pay for itself within three years, Georgia World Congress Center Authority reported. It expects construction to be complete by early September.
 Give us your opinion on
Wells, Cisterns to Help Georgia World Congress Center Manage Water Restrictions
Industry Professional Site: Comments from non-industry professionals will be removed.
|