As Georgians face a second consecutive summer of little rain and hot temperatures, a host of state agencies are looking into alternative water sources to ensure that no one goes thirsty.

One idea is to convert flood-control reservoirs into sources of drinking water.

The Carroll County Board of Commissioners last week heard a presentation by members of the Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission on what it would take to convert four county reservoirs, or watersheds, into public water sources.

The GSWCC, with the help of an independent engineering firm, has already identified 160 watersheds that have the potential to be usable sites. Of the 160, the GSWCC narrowed the possibilities down to the 20 highest water-producing sites, four of which are in Carroll County. The sites chosen in the county are all part of the Little Tallapoosa River.

The study is encouraging, said Commissioner Vicki Anderson, as it suggests that there are options for expanding the county’s water prospects.

“I look at this study as an opportunity for us to consider this information to help support our future water needs,” Anderson said. “Any additional water can help us in times of drought, that’s for sure. Really, we’re looking at this drought that may go away but our need for water is never going to go away, and we need to be proactive to prevent a crisis.”

The study projected the county population to swell by more than 100 percent by 2030 and by 350 percent by 2057.

With the countywide population continuing to rise, the GSWCC report projected future water needs through the year 2057. In 2010, it is estimated that the county will need 15 million gallons of water per day. Twenty years after that, the county is believed to need 24 MGD.

Even if those numbers are not exact, they illustrate an obvious truth, said Matt Windom, director of the Carroll County Water Authority.

“Whether it’s 45 MGDs in 2057 or 55 MGDs in 2057, we’re going to need more water than we have now,” Windom said.

The county has a current capacity of 23 MGD.

Estimated yields of the four watersheds in the county ranged from .9 to 9.9 MGD, with three of the four producing more than 5.5 MGD. If completely drained, the study said each of the three largest watersheds could be replenished in four or five years.

Ultimately, Windom said, the study is encouraging both because it opens the possibility for future development of alternative water sources as well as suggesting that the federal government might be willing to fund certain water-related projects.

“I know that the engineering firm that did the work is a reputable firm, and I feel comfortable about the information that’s being presented,” he said. “I was encouraged by the suggestion of potential funding through the federal government. In the past, reservoirs we built were funded by bonds that were issued.”

Such a large-scale project is at least several years down the road, though the water authority’s plan to name a site for an additional reservoir in the county is little more than 60 days away. The additional reservoir will hold between 5 billion and 12 billion gallons.