( Marietta, Ga. — Dec. 6, 2007) Residents and businesses have helped Cobb County reduce its water use by 10 percent compared to the same time last year, officials said Thursday.

Cobb reduced its water usage to an average of 74.45 million gallons per day ending November, meeting requirements set by Gov. Sonny Purdue in reaction to the ongoing drought, according to the Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority.

Officials cite changes in customers habits through outreach and education with helping make the crucial impact on the county’s use.

“Once the community realized what needed to be done they did it,” Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority General Manager Glenn Page said. “This was a really tall order for the citizens in Cobb but they responded well.”

Educational efforts by the Cobb County Water System have encouraged residents and businesses to adopt basic methods for reduced use, including checking for leaks and not automatically serving water at restaurants.

“Cobb County citizens are being more conscious about their water use and that is the first key to water conservation,” Cobb County Water System Water Conservation Coordinator Kathy Nguyen said. “Just simple things like turning off the tap while brushing their teeth, and taking shorter showers add up. Cobb citizens have adopted a lot of efficient behaviors and we have to keep it up.”

The Cobb Board of Commissioners continues to push for lower water use with the recent adoption of a rebate program that assists homeowners that replace their old toilets with new low-flow models.

The rebate program has spent more than $42,000 to help replace 662 toilets since it started in October, officials said. Another 30 claims are being processed.

The county per capita water use went from 127 gallons in November 2006 to just 96 gallons in November this year, according to figures released by the Cobb County Water System.