Malcolm Pirnie REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION of GREATER BIRMINGHAM WATER RESOURCE ASSESSMENT Blount, Chilton, Jefferson, St. Clair, Shelby, Walker November 2004

Malcolm Pirnie PURPOSE “To develop long-term strategic plans for the use of the waters of the state by conducting and participating in water resource studies…”

Malcolm Pirnie REPORT CONTENTS Historical review of demands and projected needs Assessment of groundwater and surface water supplies Inventory of public water systems Findings and recommendations

Malcolm Pirnie HISTORICAL REVIEW - Population Growth , ,031,412   Jefferson County growth relatively slow since 1960’s St. Clair and Shelby among fastest growing counties in Alabama in 1980’s & 1990’s

Malcolm Pirnie HISTORICAL REVIEW – Population Projections (CBER*) ,031, ,283,560   0.98% linear growth rate About 10,000 persons per year *Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Alabama

Malcolm Pirnie AVERAGE DAILY WATER DEMAND PROJECTIONS Year Domestic MGD Commercial MGD Industrial MGD Total MGD

Malcolm Pirnie FUTURE WATER USE SCENARIOS (MGD) Low population growth High population growth Low pop. & per capita use High pop. & per capita use Low pop./p.c./industrial High pop./p.c./industrial

Malcolm Pirnie SURFACE WATER Competing Uses –Drinking Water –Power Generation –Industrial usage –Irrigation –Navigation –Recreation –Habitat protection –Wastewater assimilation –Environmental regulations

Malcolm Pirnie GROUNDWATER Continued pressure on groundwater resources More difficult to find adequate producing wells Increasingly, poor water quality requires physical or chemical treatment Lack of current information

Malcolm Pirnie 2050 RESIDENTIAL/COMMERCIAL DEMAND BY COUNTY * ResidentialCommercialR+C Blount Chilton Jefferson St. Clair Shelby Walker Totals * Does not include industrial

Malcolm Pirnie COUNTY WATER SYSTEM SURVEYS SystemsData Collected Blount10 Contact info Chilton5 Water sources Jefferson11 % surface/groundwater St. Clair15 Service population Shelby15 Water usage Walker14 Supply capacity Treatment/storage Planning

Malcolm Pirnie TOTAL WATER USAGE 2003 CountyService Population Current Water Usage (avg. daily) (MGD) Current Supply Capacity (MGD) Blount45, Chilton35, Jefferson818, Shelby147, St. Clair50, Walker62, RPCGB Total1,158, * Data in this table compiled from survey

Malcolm Pirnie DAILY USAGE AVERAGE DAILY USAGE 100 gpd residential per capita 74 gpd commercial for 44% population MAXIMUM DAILY USAGE 150% of average daily usage Average max day of the year

Malcolm Pirnie RPCGB TOTAL PROJECTIONS Average Daily Max Daily Supply MGD

Malcolm Pirnie

CURRENTLY PLANNED TREATED SUPPLY Based on the survey, planned source water adequate to reach average daily demand Planned treatment capacity inadequate for max daily demand, recommended 15% additional capacity for supply (~410 mgd) No way to compare individual plans to regional need Mis-alignment of local planning with regional need Avg. DailyMax DailySupply

Malcolm Pirnie Findings Understanding of and manage for out-of-region water demands Need more regional approach to planning Need for integrated management of water uses for the region Need to establish priorities for competing uses Need Statewide and Regional water policy

Malcolm Pirnie RECOMMENDATIONS Clarify regulatory issues Emergency drought response planning More detailed evaluation of groundwater reliability Assess ways to integrate infrastructure planning Concerted, coordinated program among major suppliers