Increasing attention has been brought to the issue of sustainability of the freshwater sources for the Metro Atlanta due to rapid urban growth and the significant surge in freshwater demand. The utilization of shallow groundwater in downtown Atlanta will promote more sustainable use of water resources by decreasing reliance on water supplied by the City of Atlanta sourced from the Chattahoochee River.

This research evaluated the sustainability of shallow groundwater on the Georgia State University (GSU) downtown campus, explicitly for non-potable use, particularly landscape irrigation. Aquifer testing (slug tests and Specific Capacity testing) indicate flow rates of up to 2 gpm are attainable in the immediate area of the GSU monitoring well network and could provide a sustainable source of water for irrigation. Geophysical investigations also inform a shallow groundwater potential boundary demarcating the areas more suitable for shallow, sustainable wells from those less so.