As the Hyundai Metaplant looms large over the southeast region, the newly-formed Bryan-Bulloch Groundwater Sustainability Program hosted its first public meeting and workshop Monday at the Bryan County Board of Education office in Black Creek.
Led by Sustainability Program managers James Pope, representing Bulloch County, and Paul Teague, representing Bryan County, the back-to-back forums set out to explain the origin and purpose of the Sustainability Program, laying out mitigation plans for concerned residents on dealing with potential short-term and long-term impacts of the upcoming wells.
The Groundwater Sustainability Program was created in response to the Georgia Environmental Protection Division issuing of permits on Oct. 7, 2024. The permits authorize the extraction of a combined seven million gallons per day from the Floridian aquifer from four wells located in Bulloch County, although two wells are officially owned by Bryan County.
The program is backed by a $1 million fund, with contributions from the Development Authority of Bryan County, the Development Authority of Bulloch County, Savannah Harbor-Interstate 16 Corridor Joint Development Authority and Hyundai Motor Group.
"The idea is that if the wells draw or are drawn down by the operation of the four wells (in Bulloch) then we would have a fund to pay to lower wells or put in a new well for somebody," Pope said during the meeting.
Pope noted that the state of Georgia also pitched in, providing funding, "around $500 million" to help provide surface water from the Savannah River to the Hyundai Mega Site and surrounding areas in future years.
"In a lot of respects, I think the opposition to the wells and the concern about the aquifer helped to spur the state to provide the funding and move that along," Pope said.
The program's website is now up and running, and is available for both Bryan and Bulloch county residents to report their wells, view the mitigation coverage area, and view the GSP's plans and related educational resources.
Mitigation criteria
As explained by Bryan County program manager Paul Teague, and as listed on the GSP website, wells that qualify for potential mitigation must follow these parameters:
Was drilled on or before April 1, 2025, or the date on which the first of the four proposed Bryan and Bulloch wells, is placed into operation, whichever occurred last;
Withdraw water from the Floridan aquifer;
Experienced significant impacts from well water level lowering caused by withdrawals from the proposed wells covered by the referenced Groundwater Use Permits;
For non-drinking agricultural wells -- those permitted by GA EPD on or before April 1, 2025, or the date on which the first of the four proposed Bryan and Bulloch wells is placed into operation, whichever occurred last;
Do not produce water for a public water supply; and
Meet the criteria for mitigation under the GSP's Rules and Policies.
The first well is set to be operational this July, with another two becoming operational sometime in 2026.
Pope stressed that the program will evolve and adapt as new issues arrive, and more advisory meetings are planned for the future.
"This program is something new in Georgia," Pope said, citing the existence of similar programs in Western U.S. states, where water scarcity is more acute.
"It's an evolving program. Whatever issues that we find as we're going through, administering the program, we're going to bring those issues to the committee."