Justice Dept. recommends no US Supreme Court case for GA ATLANTA, GA (WABE) - Governor Sonny Perdue is still hopeful the US Supreme Court will listen to his argument for cities and counties to have their own water contracts.

The Justice Department yesterday told the court there's no need for it to hear the case.

Perdue has appealed a lower court ruling against the water contract proposal. The idea is for cities and counties to have their own water contracts with the Army Corps of Engineers. The Corps manages Lake Lanier.

Perdue argues the contracts would guarantee water for municipalities thus making the governments more sustainable.

With its ruling, the lower court sided with Alabama and Florida. The states argue the plan could mean less water for them. Lanier is a massive manmade water source and the center of a long standing dispute between Georgia, Alabama and Florida.

The Justice Department told the Court the lower court was wrong in its ruling. But the federal agency also wrote the case is not US Supreme Court material.

In a statement, Perdue said he doesn't understand how the Justice Department can agree the lower court's ruling was wrong but then say the case doesn't warrant the Supreme Court's attention.

The Court has not said when it will decide on hearing the case. © Copyright 2012, WABE