The state will pay its new water lawyer $855 an hour. The Governor’s office said yesterday Seth Waxman is taking a ten percent cut from what he’s normally charged to handle Georgia’s long running legal dispute with Alabama and Florida over water rights.

Waxman is a former US solicitor general who was tapped to replace the former lawyer who had to withdraw because of a possible conflict of interest.

Per a federal judge’s decision earlier this summer, Atlanta is illegally taking water from Lake Lanier and has 3 years to get congressional approval.

Waxman is leading the appeal.

Tags: Lake Lanier, tri-state water dispute, Seth Waxman, Atlanta water, water lawyer, congressional ruling, water rights