Update on DRBC Source Water Protection Efforts EPA Region 3 All States Meeting Wilmington DE June 4-6, 2013 Jessica Rittler Sanchez

DRBC Efforts Conservation: Water Loss Accounting Allocation Management: SEPA GWPA Long Range Planning: – Sustainable Water Future 2060 – USGS WaterSMART Upper-basin protection efforts

History of DRBC Water Conservation 1986: Source & Service Metering 1987: Leak Detection & Repair (UFW) 1988: Conservation Plumbing Standards 1992: Water Conservation Pricing : Water Loss Accountability (WMAC) : Outreach / Voluntary Implementation 2012: First year for new audit format 2013: First reports due

Water Service area in the Delaware River Basin Approx. 21% of Basin in PWS service area 80% of basin residents (6.7 million customers) Approx. 750 systems 2 nd largest water use sector Total PWS withdrawals in-basin: 875 MGD Estimated loss: 150 MGD

IWA/AWWA Water Audit Components Water Imported Own Sources Total System Input ( allow for known errors ) Total System Input (allow for known errors) Water Supplied Water Exported Water Supplied Water Exported Water Losses Authorized Consumption Water Losses Authorized Consumption Real Losses Apparent Losses Unbilled Authorized Consumption Billed Authorized Consumption Non- Revenue Water Revenue Water Leakage & Overflows at Storage Billed Unmetered Consumption Billed Metered Consumption Billed Water Exported Leakage on Service Lines Leakage on Mains Customer Metering Inaccuracies Unauthorized Consumption Unbilled Unmetered Consumption Unbilled Metered Consumption Systematic Data Handling Error Only 8 states, DRBC &Calgari Canada using AWWA methodology. DRBC covering basin until states adopt. PA PUC using but threshold is $, not mgd.

Preliminary Results 250 Audits expected (1/3 of 750 systems meet 100,000 gpd Rule threshold) 180 audits submitted (72%) 1 st year Report expected later this year

Groundwater Protection Ten PA sub-basins currently above 50% of withdrawal limit Two PA sub-basins above 75% of limits and considered potentially stressed GW use in both PA & NJ show reductions PRM & bayshore watersheds remain focus of DE & NJ management efforts

Sustainable Water Future 2060 Developing Work Plan Multi year effort Evaluating allocations vs use vs flow/availablity Coordinating with USGS WaterSMART – Downscaling climate change elements – Incorporating land use change modeling Growth node expansion, Forest loss,  ET

Upper-basin Protection Efforts Forest headwater protection: Working with Pinchot Institute for Conservation & Common Waters partnership Natural Gas Development – DRAFT rule – Novel approach: NGDP

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