Water Conservation and Drought Planning Jennifer Allis Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Water Availability Division Resource Protection Team

A strategy or combination of strategies for temporary and potentially recurring water supply shortages and other water supply emergencies. Drought Contingency Plans (DCP)

 Retail Public Water Suppliers  Wholesale Public Water Suppliers  Irrigation Districts Rules and requirements for Drought Contingency Plans are governed by 30 TAC Chapter , and Who is required to have a DCP?

DCP Plan Elements  Public Involvement  Ongoing Education  Notification Procedures  Triggering Criteria  Response Stages  Quantified targets  Management measures  Variances  Enforcement & Adoption of the DCP

Communication with Customers  Public Involvement  Ongoing Education  Coordination with your Regional Water Planning Group (RWPG)

Examples of Public Education  Radio and television public service announcements  Newspaper articles and announcements  Press releases and media alerts  Bill inserts or notification letters  Drought Website  Distribution of fact sheets, brochures, and pamphlets  Public meetings and hearings

Triggering Criteria  Description of the information to be monitored by the water supplier  Specific criteria for the initiation and termination of drought response stages  Explanation of the rationale or basis

Examples of Triggers  Supply Trigger for Surface Water - may be based on lake level or percent of storage capacity or streamflow level  Supply Trigger for Groundwater - may be based on aquifer level  Demand Trigger may be based on demand during specific time period or inability to recover/maintain water storage supply for time period.  Emergency Trigger would be a system outage, equipment failure, contamination, or other emergency.

Response Stages  The DCP shall include emergency responses for each drought stage  Water Supply Reductions- Water Systems  Water Demand Reductions- Water customers

Specific, Quantified Targets   The drought contingency plan must include specific, quantified targets for water use reductions to be achieved during periods of water shortage and drought.

Management Measures The Drought Contingency Plan must include the specific water supply or water demand management measures to be implemented during each stage of the plan including, but not limited to, the following: 1. Curtailment of non-essential water use 2. Utilization of alternative water sources and/or alternative delivery mechanisms

Examples of Measures for Irrigation   Limitations on watering with an irrigation system, sprinkler or soaker hose   Restrictions on hand watering with a hand- held hose, drip irrigation, bucket or watering can   Use of variances or restrictions on watering new landscapes   Prohibition of all outdoor irrigation of vegetation including lawns

Variances The drought contingency plan must include procedures for granting variances to the plan.

Enforcement & Adoption The drought contingency plan must include procedures for the enforcement of mandatory water use restrictions, including specification of penalties (e.g., fines, water rate surcharges, discontinuation of service) for violations of such restrictions.

Pro rata curtailment of water deliveries and water contract extensions must comply with Texas Water Code § Additional requirements for Wholesale DCPs

Allocation and Surcharges  In the event that water shortage conditions exist, may establish water allocation plan, with limitations based on persons per household.  During period when pro rata allocation is in effect, may establish surcharges for excess water diversion and/or delivery.

Water Conservation Plans (WCP)  Water Conservation - everyday practices or techniques intended to reduce water consumption, reduce loss or waste of water, improve the efficiency in the use of water and increase recycling & reuse so that a water supply is available for future use.

Who is required to have a WCP?   Non-irrigation (municipal and industrial) water rights holders of 1,000 acre-feet or more and   Irrigation water rights holders of 10,000 acre-feet or more   Implementation reports are required to be submitted with a WCP

30 TAC Chapter 288   Rules and requirements for Water Conservation Plans are governed by 30 TAC Chapter 288.2, 288.3, and 288.5

Municipal WCP Elements   Utility Profile   Record Management (Retail use only)   5 & 10 year goals for water savings   Meter calibration and replacement   Water loss accounting   Public education program   Non-promotional water rates   Implementation and Enforcement   Coordination with your RWPG

Utility Profile   population and customer data   water use data in gallons per capita per day (GPCD)   water supply system data   wastewater system data

Retail: Record Management Sector based reporting  Residential includes: single & multi - family units  Commercial  Institutional  Industrial  Agricultural  Wholesale

Specific, quantified five-year and ten-year targets Retail goals for water loss programs goals for municipal use (GPCD) Wholesale target goals for municipal use (GCPD) maximum acceptable unaccounted-for water the basis for the development of these goals

Deliveries of Water Retail program for universal metering of both customer and public uses of water, for meter testing and repair, and for periodic meter replacement measures to determine and control unaccounted-for uses of water

Deliveries of Water Wholesale a monitoring and record management program for determining water deliveries, sales, and losses a program of metering, leak detection and repair for the wholesaler's water storage, delivery, and distribution system

Additional Retail Requirements   a program of continuing public education and information regarding water conservation   a water rate structure which is not "promotional"

Additional Wholesale Requirement  c  Every water supply contract entered into or renewed as well as contract extensions must include that each successive wholesaler implement a water conservation plan or water conservation measures

Means for implementation and enforcement The means of implementation and enforcement of the plan shall be evidenced by:  A copy of the ordinance, resolution, or tariff indicating the official adoption

Coordination with RWPG  Documentation of coordination with the regional water planning groups for the service area of the Retail or Wholesale water supplier in order to ensure consistency with the appropriate approved regional water plans.

Best Management Practices (BMPs) Water Conservation BMP Guide  Voluntary list of management practices that water users may implement in addition to the required components of TCEQ Rules in Chapter 288.  Broken out by sector, including Agriculture, Commercial and Institutional, Industrial, Municipal and Wholesale.

BMP Examples - Municipal   System Water Audit and Water Loss   Water Conservation Pricing   Prohibition on Wasting Water   Residential Toilet Replacement Programs, Rebates for Water- Efficient Wash Machines and Fixtures   School Education and Public Information

Examples of Measures   Home water audit to identify leaks   Rebate to install low-water landscape plants   Requirement for residential and commercial builders to install drought-tolerant turf grass for newly constructed homes or businesses   Free Irrigation Consultation for residential and/or Irrigation Design Rebate for commercial entities   Cooling tower water audit program

BMP Examples - Wholesale   Customer Contract Requirements to Develop and Implement Water Conservation and Drought Contingency Plans   Technical Assistance and Outreach

Water Conservation = all the time Drought Contingency = when necessary Drought Contingency vs. Water Conservation

Reminders  DCPs should be revised as often as necessary especially as your triggers change over time.  Reminder: May 1, 2019 is the deadline to submit DCPs, WCPs & implementation reports to TCEQ.

Contact & Website Jennifer Allis Water Availability Division (512) water_rights/conserve.html