---
title: O.C.G.A. § 12-5-201. Definitions.
collection: code
id: 12-5-201
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 12-5-201 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/12-5-201
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/12-5-201.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/12-5-201/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t12-(v10)-2021-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=67595359_0#page=519
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/code/12-5.md
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index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES / WATER RESOURCES / WELLS AND DRINKING WATER / WATER SYSTEM INTERCONNECTION, REDUNDANCY, AND RELIABILITY
---

# O.C.G.A. § 12-5-201. Definitions.

As used in this part, the term:

(1) ‘‘Authority’’ means the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority created by Code Section 50-23-3.

(2) ‘‘District’’ means the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District created by Code Section 12-5-572.

(3) ‘‘Emergency plan’’ means the written emergency water supply plan developed as provided in Code Section 12-5-202.

(4) ‘‘Essential water needs’’ means the minimum amount of water needed for residential and commercial means for food processing, drinking, toilet flushing, fire fighting, hospital use, and critical asset use and a portion of the system’s unaccounted for water.

(5) ‘‘Qualified system’’ means any public water system owned and operated by a city, county, or water authority in the district.

## History

Code 1981, § 12-5-201, enacted by Ga. L. 2010, p. 204, § 2/SB 380.

## Code Commission Notes

Pursuant to Code Section 28-9-5, in 2010, ‘‘the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority’’ was substituted for ‘‘the Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority’’ in paragraph (1).