Garden City Selected for Prestigious 2009 WaterFirst Class Honor


The City of Garden City is one of five communities in Georgia to be accepted for the prestigious 2009 WaterFirst class, which recognizes communities with a commitment to water conservation. This honor enables Garden City representatives to attend special water conservation classes and to qualify for the elite WaterFirst designation from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs.

The WaterFirst Community Program is a voluntary partnership between local governments, state agencies and other organizations working together to increase the quality of life in communities through the wise management and responsible protection of valuable water resources. A WaterFirst designation is the highest mark of quality a community can receive.

Garden City has always taken the conservation and quality of community water seriously. The Chatham County municipality previously earned a Gold Award from the Georgia Association of Water Professionals in recognition of its ongoing efforts.

“We are doing everything in our power to ensure that Garden City residents enjoy the best quality water, so we are thrilled to receive this honor,” said Charles Draeger, Garden City’s Director of Water and Wastewater. “Water quality and conservation are essential to Garden City’s future.” This proactive approach to conserving water resources and maintaining excellent water quality requires local governments to think beyond political boundaries and recognize the inextricable links created by shared water resources.

The intended result of the program to achieve excellence beyond the current water regulations in seven major categories that include watershed assessment, stormwater master planning, wastewater treatment and management, water supply planning, water supply protection, water conservation and water reclamation and reuse. Only a limited number of communities are awarded the WaterFirst honor and accepted into each WaterFirst class.

“By working to become a WaterFirst Community, Garden City is demonstrating its desire to be a responsible steward of water resources,” said Brian Johnson, City Manager for Garden City. “We look forward to maintaining those high standards in the future.”

Located in the heart of Chatham County, Garden City stands apart as one of the leading municipalities in coastal Georgia. Featuring a progressive blend of industry and small business, Garden City boasts a rich history, friendly neighborhoods, vibrant economy and quality services for residents. Originally founded in 1939, Garden City has the distinction of being the second largest municipality in the state of Georgia with no property taxes.


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