Metro Water District Launches ‘My Drop Counts’ Business Water Conservation Pledge

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Metro Water District Launches ‘My Drop Counts’ Business Water Conservation Pledge
Cox, Coca-Cola, Georgia Power, SunTrust, Metro Chamber and Agnes Scott Pledge to Conserve Water

(ATLANTA, April 23, 2018) –The Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District today announced the launch of the My Drop Counts business water conservation campaign, which encourages local organizations to join in regional efforts to reduce water use and ensure a sustainable future for the Atlanta region. Water conservation is critically important in metro Atlanta, as the region is subject to cyclical, sometimes severe, droughts, and is reliant on small rivers and the reservoirs located on them for its water supply.

“The tremendous response we’ve had to our new My Drop Counts business water conservation pledge is a clear sign that the region’s business leaders recognize that the economic vitality of our community depends on all of us – as individuals and organizations – working together to conserve our critical water resources,” said Charlotte Nash, Chairman of the Metro Water District. “We’re proud to partner with civic-minded organizations that recognize metro Atlanta must continue to innovate in order to maintain its national leadership in water conservation and stewardship.”

Cox Enterprises, The Coca-Cola Company, Georgia Power, SunTrust Bank, the Metro Atlanta Chamber, and Agnes Scott College are among the leading Atlanta organizations pledging to conserve water as part of this new business campaign – either as building owners or as tenants. The campaign works in concert with the individual My Drop Counts campaign, which encourages residents to save water in and around their homes.

“Cox Enterprises is pleased to partner with the Metro Water District and serve as a catalyst to encourage other business leaders as well as our employees to join the region’s successful conservation efforts,” said Keith Mask, Vice President of Environmental Sustainability at Cox Enterprises. “We invite all businesses across the region to join us and take the My Drop Counts business pledge, because every drop counts.”

The My Drop Counts business campaign provides a way for corporations, governments, academic institutions and non-profits to take a leading role in protecting the Atlanta region’s water supply through cycles of drought – now and into the future.

“As a business that depends on a sustainable water source, Coca-Cola is proud to join the Metro Water District and the business community in the My Drop Counts pledge,” said Bruce Karas, Vice President of Sustainability, Coca-Cola North America. “We are actively engaged in water conservation efforts throughout Georgia as part of our efforts to replenish all of the water used in our beverages and return it to nature – a goal we first accomplished globally in 2015. Through this campaign, we will invite our associates and partners to join us in conserving and replenishing water in our business and our households.”

Businesses that commit to taking specific steps – such as completing audits of water fixtures and developing action plans to replace inefficient fixtures – can achieve bronze, silver, gold, or platinum status. In addition, their employees will be encouraged to take the My Drop Counts individual pledge to save water at home.

“At Georgia Power, our thousands of employees across the state share a commitment to conserve water at work and in their homes,” said Dr. Mark Berry, Vice President of Environmental and Natural Resources for Georgia Power. “We know that water is the most crucial natural resource for our state, and we are excited to partner in this new program that will help us preserve every drop we can.”

The Metro Water District encourages businesses and residents to join these organizations and take the My Drop Counts pledge. Learn more at mydropcounts.org/pledge.

About the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District (Metro Water District)
The Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District is dedicated to developing comprehensive regional and watershed-specific water resources plans to be implemented by local governments in the 15-county metro Atlanta region, which includes Bartow, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Hall, Henry, Paulding and Rockdale counties. These plans conserve public water supplies, protect water quality and recreational values of the waters and minimize potential adverse impacts of development on waters in and downstream of the region. Learn more at www.northgeorgiawater.org.