How Much Water Does It Take?

Sunday Solutions — Sept. 22, 2024

Good morning! It’s been a busy week, and there’s plenty to chew on. We’ve finally got some answers to popular, big water questions and a new look at how Liberty County is trying to balance the need for jobs with the challenge of new density. We’re also giving you the first listen to our new podcast. And, we’re encouraging constructive conversation practice and nice game of fetch to send you into the week ahead.

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EXPLAINER: ENVIRONMENT

How much water?

As the Bryan County Hyundai Metaplant gets closer to producing its first electric vehicle, common questions across the area are these: How much water does it take to build a car? How much water does it take to run a giant car plant? The permitting says the main plant needs 4 million gallons per day and an overall 6.625 million for the project. The Current’s environment reporter Mary Landers spent months trying to get a handle on how the usage breaks down. It’s not as easy as it looks.

And, if you’re wondering how Hyundai will rank as a user of aquifer water, we’ve got that, too, with a list of entities to compare.

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NEWS: GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT

Liberty deals with growth

Last week, Liberty County officials dealt with its quick growth in different ways. Reporter Robin Kemp describes how the Liberty Development Authority is marshaling state grants to help land two manufacturers that will bring about 250 jobs. Kemp also writes about the price tag for Liberty County to officially take over Midway fire protection as the county continues to add more housing and density while fighting its own fire challenges of lack of equipment, fire hydrants and water capacity.

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Winner yet?

Shots and SG Mark are on a roll, but you have a chance to slow them down. Here’s this week’s news quiz to test your news knowledge with a few short questions related to stories we published in recent weeks. Below you’ll find our leaderboard with the top scores from the previous week, and the overall leaderboard, which tracks scores over time.

We reset the scores on the overall leaderboard last week. We will continue to track scores and update the leaderboard each week.

Make sure you compete every week and leave your nickname below for a chance to win an exclusive prize from The Current!

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NEWS

Updates from the week

• Judge hears arguments on validity of Sapelo referendum: More than 600 McIntosh County residents have voted in the effort to overturn a commission vote to rezone the Hogg Hummock area of Sapelo. The county’s lawsuit against its own magistrate judge who approved the vote was in court Friday. From The Current’s Mary Landers.
• Brunswick daycare closes permanently after state investigation finds 11 rule violations: A children’s care center won’t reopen after owners decide to not appeal license revocation. From The Current’s Jabari Gibbs.
• GA Supreme Court skeptical in appeal by man convicted of killing 3 in Savannah car chase: An attorney argued that Jerry Chambers didn’t know he was fleeing police when he hit and killed a pedestrian and 2 passengers when the SUV he was driving hit a light pole. From The Current’s Jake Shore.

Statewide

• Abortion bans have delayed emergency medical care. In Georgia, experts say this mother’s death was preventable: At least two women in Georgia died after they couldn’t access legal abortions and timely medical care, ProPublica has found.  The otherwise healthy 28-year-old medical assistant, who had her sights set on nursing school, should not have died, an official state committee recently concluded. Tasked with examining pregnancy-related deaths to improve maternal health, the experts, including 10 doctors, deemed hers “preventable” and said the hospital’s delay in performing the critical procedure had a “large” impact on her fatal outcome. ProPublica reports on the people caught in confusion and fear from the state’s “heartbeat” abortion ban. From ProPublica.
• Georgia board’s Trump loyalists OK rule to require ballot hand counts despite warnings by state AG: The state board continues to make new rules for the upcoming Nov. 5 election even after legal advisors say its overstepping its authority and county elections officials say it’s too late to implement a rule this stringent. From Georgia Recorder.

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Get out: Start a conversation

In this time fraught with tense divides of politics and philosophies, constructive conversations can make a difference and build relationships across those fissures. The Mediation Center of the Coastal Empire sponsors opportunities to practice those conversations at its third annual Peace in the Park celebration at Savannah’s Daffin Park today from 1 to 4 p.m. It’s free with art, music and activities for kids along with Courageous Conversation Circles. It’s a chance to learn more about how building stronger community ties can counter violence, become conflict-resilient and encourage unity across your neighborhood.

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EDITORS CHOICE: EXPLAINER

☕ Your second cup: Go fetch

We take pride in finding thoughtful journalism to navigate your time and decisions each day. But, now and then we all need a break. This story still meets the criteria: Thoughtful research on a daily question for many and encourages us to think beyond the obvious. Researchers say both cats and dogs play fetch, and males are most likely to do it. There’s more, but we’re hoping you’ll read it and get inspired to get outside and play.

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