Georgia Water Alliance Hosts Event in Atlanta

  ATLANTA, GA — The Georgia Water Alliance, a newly formed organization dedicated to advocacy, education, leadership, and conservation within the private and investor-owned water utility sector, welcomed industry leaders and state officials to its inaugural legislative reception last Tuesday at the Capital City Club.

Chairman of the Board Adam Shaifer expressed appreciation to those gathered, acknowledging the collaborative effort that led to the Alliance’s formation.

“Many of the people in this room have been an integral part of getting this organization where we are today,” Shaifer said. 

“Clearly, we recognize we need a little more organization, which is really the genesis for this Alliance. We look forward to working together to make our communities successful.”

Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones welcomed attendees and emphasized the growing importance of private water systems as Georgia’s population continues to expand.

“As the state continues to grow, we are going to have to rely on private water systems. You need good representation,” Jones said. 

He added that members of the Georgia General Assembly have long maintained an open-door policy toward investor-owned utilities and pride themselves on not being a hindrance to private business operations in the state.

The Alliance brings together private water utility owners across Georgia who collectively serve approximately 200,000 customers statewide. Its mission centers on raising public awareness of how private utilities operate, strengthening communication with policymakers, and promoting adherence to the industry’s best practices.

Board Member Mark V. Smith highlighted the diversity and scale of Georgia’s private water systems.“You may or may not know there are well over 1,000 private water systems in Georgia,” Smith said. “They range from a 20-home mobile home park to communities the size of The Landings in Skidaway Island… we bring private capital to provide solutions, we can move fast, and we can respond.”

Smith also noted the longstanding collaboration between private utilities and regulators.

“Over the last several decades, when Georgia EPD has an issue, they call us to go check on it and help people out. It’s a collaborative effort. We want to be good team players. That’s why we feel it’s important to organize and form this Alliance.”

Executive Director Rick Jeffares is a former State Representative and the President of the Georgia Rural Water Association. He welcomed and educated legislators as the organization continues its work to support reliable, compliant, and community-focused water service throughout the state.

As the Georgia Water Alliance moves forward, leaders say the focus will remain on policy engagement, industry education, and building partnerships that help communities thrive amid continued growth and infrastructure demands.