High and dry

Abstract

This report is a lesson in how to survive a drought when water is the lifeblood of your business. Georgia-Pacific's pulp mill on the Leaf River in Mississippi, USA faced shut-down in Jun 2000 after a drought substantially reduced water levels. River water level fell to the lowest ever recorded by the mill. Stringent water quality standards require the mill to operate within effluent limits regardless of water flow. Preparations made following an earlier drought focused the management team on spill prevention and wastewater colour management. The measures taken are detailed and the results shown in a series of six figures. Standards were maintained during 2000 and the mill management team are confident that they know how to keep the mill working in the face of future droughts.