A hard copy of the plan can be obtained at the District Office. |
||
PINE CREEK CANYON DOMESTIC WATER IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN |
||
| Prepared by | ||
| Drought Plan Sub-Committee Pine Creek Canyon Domestic Water Improvement District (the District) November 2004 |
||
| Acknowledgements | ||
This Drought Plan was researched and drafted by a sub-committee of the Pine Creek Canyon Domestic Water Improvement District (herein called the District). Sub-committee members were Bruce Parke, Sandy Velotta and Del Walth. Final Board approval and adoption was granted on November 27,2004. The primary elements of this plan were obtained from the drought plan of the city of Peoria, Arizona. That plan was based on elements of the plans of Phoenix and San Diego. The drought plan sub-committee wishes to acknowledge and thank the City of Peoria for its assistance in the preparation of this document. Additionally, the Drought Contingency Plan provides for mechanisms to implement strategies contained in Governor Janet Napolitano's Governor's Drought Task Force report (October 1, 2004). Document review was obtained in several ways. Technical review was performed by hydrologist, Dr. Paul Manera, P.E. Legal review was performed by the office of the Gila County Attorney. Public comment was obtained by a specially convened Water Board meeting on October 9, 2004. |
||
| I. Introduction | ||
| The Drought Contingency Plan aims to prudently plan for sustainability of water resources within the District. This plan adds procedures and strategies for when the District's supplies may not be able to meet demand. A Drought Contingency Plan is yet another resource the District can use should a meteorological drought last for several years. The Plan provides ways for District customers to aid in water demand reduction when a water supply drought occurs. | ||
| A. Population Impact | ||
| Drought conditions may quickly impact the District because of the geologic structure of the area. Based upon conclusions by Dr. Paul Manera, P.E., precipitation generally recharges the Supai formation and underlying Redwall limestone along the Mogollon Rim, then the groundwater flows down and under Pine until it reaches the generally east-west trending fault which passes through Pine. The ground water flow then follows the fault which dips sharply to the south. Consequently, ground water is present north of the fault at relatively shallow depths and is much deeper south of the fault.
During years of normal or above normal precipitation, the ground water levels remain relatively constant. However, when below normal precipitation occurs, recharge is greatly reduced and the water levels in the northern portion of Pine begin to decline. Withdrawal of ground water for residential units exacerbates the decline in the ground water levels. The threat of drought to the people results in extensive media attention and scrutiny of drought plans and responses. |
||
| B. Economy | ||
| A drought plan establishes the criterion for action and in doing so can ensure the least possible impact on the District customers. The responsibility of a water District in a semi-arid climate must show that it has a plan to deal with the effects of drought to be able to continue to maintain the sustainability of the District water resources. | ||
| C. Equity | ||
| Not all uses of water are the same. Some uses, such as reserves for fire suppression, and domestic use will have to take priority over less universally beneficial applications of the available resource, such as landscape irrigation. | ||
| D. Preparedness | ||
| A Drought Plan gives District leaders the opportunity to react quickly and implement appropriate restrictions early, while making allowances to suit every situations specific needs. | ||
| E. Response to Citizens | ||
| The District wants be sensitive to the needs of its customers and wants to be sure that potential future business interest and residential customers have the opportunity to respond in the same manner when drought conditions arise | ||
| II. Definitions | ||
| A. Drought | ||
| Drought is a long period of abnormally low precipitation (rain or snow), especially one that adversely affects growing or living conditions. Drought can be caused by seasonal or multi-year weather conditions, a curtailment of delivery because of water quantity or quality problems, a supply deficiency due to water supply system structural failure, or any of a number of natural or man-made situations. | ||
| B. Supply Insufficiency | ||
| Supply insufficiency occurs when water available in an area is not sufficient to meet immediate unrestricted demand. While drought is usually systemic and regional in nature and of indeterminable length, a supply insufficiency may be system-wide or very localized, can be of relatively short duration, and may be caused by unforeseen increases in water demand or failure of a localized part of the storage or delivery system to provide a sufficient unrestricted supply of water. | ||
| C. Demand Reductions | ||
Demand reductions are all measures taken by a water District to reduce the use of potable water in response to drought or supply insufficiency conditions. While a number of water conservation measures may be implemented or accelerated during drought, not all water conservation is a response to drought and not all demand reduction measures are factors in a comprehensive water conservation program. Conservation, by its very nature, should be a normal component of a well-run water District that seeks to maintain a reliable water resource. It should be an on-going practical application of good citizenship in the community. Demand reduction includes measures, which would restrict water further than a normal conservation minded semi-arid lifestyle. Conservation programs are usually voluntary and are driven by a desire of the District to extend the existing water supply, reduce the costs of finding and delivering additional water, and minimize the damage to the natural ecosystem caused by removing groundwater. For customers, conservation efforts can decrease overall household operating expenses. For both the District and customers, conservation activities are exercises in responsible behavior. Water demand reduction during a drought may incorporate both voluntary measures and mandatory ones, such as curtailment of landscape water use and, in extreme cases, rationing of available supplies. Many of the organizational demand management responses to a drought condition, including conservation measures, are appropriate for responding to a short-duration supply insufficiency. Generally, responses to a systemic failure will be more rapid and may omit intermediate steps normally associated with an incremental drought response plan. From areas which have experienced drought, it is evident that drought is not a constant or totally predictable condition in occurrence or duration. Rather, there are levels of drought and levels of drought impact, and therefore: levels of demand reduction response. |
||
| D. Potable Water | ||
| Potable water is water suitable or safe for drinking. Water is considered safe to drink if it meets or exceeds all of the federal, state, and local standards that are legally enforceable. | ||
| E. Effluent | ||
| Effluent is an outflow from a sewer or sewage system; reclaimed wastewater. Effluent that is reused is treated to a quality suitable for non-potable applications such as landscape irrigation, decorative water features, and non-food crops. Such water remains effluent until it acquires the characteristics of groundwater or surface water. | ||
| F. Ornamental Fountain | ||
| An ornamental fountain is any fountain that is solely or partially used for decorative purposes. | ||
| G. Household Graywater | ||
| Household graywater is any potable water that passes through a residential shower, bathtub, bathroom sink, or washing machine, i.e. contains no fecal coliform. | ||
| H. Household Blackwater | ||
| Household blackwater is any potable water that passes through, but not limited to, a residential toilet, kitchen sink, dishwasher, or workshop sink, i.e. usually contains fecal coliform. | ||
| III. Purpose and Objectives | ||
| Provide for sustainability of district water resources | ||
| Aid in citizen and economic security | ||
| Determine water supply drought stages | ||
| Provide authority and enforcement | ||
| Establish flexibility and preparedness for leaders and customers | ||
| Establish the difference between the water conservation lifestyle and demand reduction drought response | ||
| IV. Goals | ||
| To protect public health and safety | ||
| To provide sufficient water to meet the District customers' needs | ||
| To share the impacts and hardships caused by drought equitably and in proportion to the magnitude of the drought | ||
| To provide competent implementation of demand reduction measures | ||
| To provide options for updating or changing the Drought Plan | ||
| To enforce water District policy so that drought related water reduction goals will be met | ||
| V. Demand Management Options | ||
| A. Public Education for Voluntary Reduction | ||
| The goal of a good public education program is to generate an appropriate level of public awareness that results in the desired participation. These programs stress long-term management solutions, general awareness of water issues, and the recognition that Portal IV is a semi-arid community with a limited supply of water. A demand reduction response in this category would provide for heightened awareness of drought and behavior modification to conserve water above and beyond our normal public outreach. | ||
| B. Increase Public Education Programs | ||
| Once citizens are convinced of the need to save water, residential retrofit is one of the most practical and effective approaches in providing them with "how-to" information on altering their water use habits. At the same time, it provides them with the technology to save water with the least impact on their lifestyle. The greatest water savings can be achieved by combining the use of conservation devices with behavioral changes since these two actions tend to reinforce each other. | ||
| Future programs should focus on in-home leak repair, installation of interior plumbing isolation/shut-off valves, and promotion of other water-using appliances such as water efficient washing machines, landscape timers, hot water recirculation systems, and recovery of graywater/storm water for landscape irrigation. Programs to encourage conservation should be actively promoted in partnership with the Portal IV Home Owners Association and their architectural review committee. | ||
| C. District Use Restrictions | ||
| There is no faster way to undermine the effectiveness of a water demand reduction program than to allow flagrant and visible water waste in District jurisdiction. The public sector strategy for controlling District use is to at a minimum strictly follow restrictions requested of consumers. The amount of District water use is relatively small. Restrictions are not expected to produce a large volume of savings. However, it is essential that steps be taken to establish the District as a leader in the drought effort, not merely a regulator of others' use of water. | ||
| D. Outdoor Use Restrictions and Bans | ||
| Outdoor water use is a significant portion of everyday consumption in the District. Water consumption increases as much as 500 percent from March through October due to seasonal heat and cooling needs, and to a prolonged growing season in the semi-arid environment. Drought certainly would have much more severe impact during these months, making restrictions and outright bans on outdoor water use of great impact. | ||
| Effective restrictions include time-of-day watering and odd/even landscape watering restrictions based on house numbering, or a combination of the two. In some drought-stricken communities complete bans on all outdoor water use have been implemented. The potential loss of costly landscaping, and the impact to quality-of-life make complete bans an extreme measure. | ||
| Outdoor use restrictions help to reduce peak demand in the water treatment system, and improve water service pressure on maximum need days. The negative side of outdoor water use restrictions is that effectiveness diminishes over time, and enforcement is difficult and expensive. Peer pressure and citizen reports can help with enforcement, however, this can also have a negative "rat on your neighbor" effect. | ||
| In spite of enforcement difficulties, outdoor water use restrictions must be considered because of their potential benefits for early implementation and the water savings that can be derived. Implementation would require the commitment of resources to monitor violators and enforce restrictions. An appeal process is also necessary. | ||
| E. Pricing Policies | ||
| An important concern created by a drought situation is the negative impact on revenues as a result of successful demand reduction. Such drops in revenue come at a time when operational expenses tend to increase. The establishment of financial systems to allow for fines, surcharges, or other measures are designed to support programs such as extensive public education. | ||
| Charges for water consumption have significant influence on the amount of water consumed. If the drought condition continues to the point that voluntary conservation is not sufficient, the District would be forced to use alternative means to reduce water use during the critical period. The usual response in communities all across the country has been some form of rationing. There are various rationing plans to consider. | ||
| The surcharge amount would be determined at a drought stage based on the cost of services to implement water saving programs or acquisition costs necessary to meet reasonable water delivery demands. In a Water Emergency, the surcharge may be raised above revenue requirements specifically as a strong disincentive for use, until demand matches supply. | ||
| F. Moratorium on New Water Connections | ||
| Curtailing water demand by curtailing growth is a controversial option, but one that must be considered should the drought situation require extreme measures. If water supply status deteriorates and existing customers become impacted, it is inequitable to expect existing customers to make painful cuts in water use while new users are being added. This is a difficult issue since new users represent economic growth, both for the water District and Portal IV as a whole. | ||
| G. Physical Rationing and Mandatory Reductions | ||
| Sometimes a drought surcharge is used to ration water use economically. Price rationing, offers the consumer more flexibility in quality-of-life issues and has less impact on the revenue stream of the District which has normal or higher-than-normal operational expenses during a drought. | ||
| Key elements of a successful rationing program are that: (1) the resources and the hardships are shared as equitably as possible, and (2) that customers are kept informed about the status of the shortage. However, allocation disagreements are to be expected and procedures to handle valid exceptions and variances need to be part of the rationing program. Pertinent information regarding water use and supply must be published and disseminated on a timely basis to continually reaffirm customer commitment. | ||
| Physical rationing programs are generally patterned after one of these basic allocation plans: percentage reduction and specific use bans. To better demonstrate the difficulty and expense which would be created by choosing to implement physical rationing for a utility the size of the District the various physical rationing plans are defined: | ||
| A percentage reduction assigns customers a consumption reduction goal, depending on total system water use, as a percentage of the consumption level used in a similar billing period during a normal season. Specific use bans are a rationing alternative; however, they do not increase or change the billing calculations. Instead they are imposed primarily through public education and enforcement. Specific use bans, such as landscape watering only every other day, and prohibition on use of water features can be effective. Bans generate awareness and prioritizing of water use and they establish a sense of equity in the community. | ||
| VI. Water Use Restriction Stage Descriptions | ||
| A. Stage One - Water Watch - Voluntary | ||
| Stage One invokes voluntary compliance demand reduction measures. The trigger is invoked in this stage when the static water level in the District's Production Well 1 declines below 250 feet below the collar elevation of the well or when deemed necessary by the District. | ||
| B. Stage Two - Water Alert | ||
| Stage Two invokes during periods when the probability exists that the Water District will not be able to meet all of the water demands of its customers and the static water level in the District's Production Well 1 declines below 275 feet below the collar elevation of the well or when deemed necessary by the District. | ||
| C. Stage Three - Water Warning | ||
| Stage Three invokes during periods when the probability exists that the Water District will not be able to meet all of the water demands of its customers and the static water level in the District's Production Well 1 declines below 300 feet below the collar elevation of the well or when deemed necessary by the District. | ||
| D. Stage Four - Water Emergency | ||
| Stage Four invokes when a major failure occurs in any portion of the supply or distribution system within the Water District, whether of a temporary or permanent nature or when the static water level in the District's Production Well 1 declines below 310 feet below he collar elevation of the well or when deemed necessary by the District. | ||
| VII. Water Use Restriction Plan by Water Use Category | ||
| A. Stage One - Water Watch - Voluntary | ||
| Goal: The goal of the Stage One voluntary restriction is to cause a demand reduction of water supplies by 5%. | ||
| B. Stage Two - Water Alert | ||
| Goal: The goal of the Stage Two water alert is to cause a demand reduction of water supplies by10%. | ||
| Restrictions in Stage Two are now mandatory | ||
| • Outdoor water use from 8pm to 6am only; watering allowed on dates coordinating with your address. Even numbered addresses may water on even numbered days of the month. Odd numbered addresses may water on odd numbered day of the month. For places where there is no discernable address, the even date schedule shall apply (District property, HOA common areas, multi-family tracts and commercial tracts). | ||
| • Automobile washing only with a bucket and hose with shut off nozzle | ||
| • No wasting of water as defined by the District Board of Directors | ||
| • Turn off all non-greywater, non-effluent fountains unless part of an indoor cooling system; post that your fountain is either using greywater or effluent near the fountain. Drain fountains and do not refill. No new fountains approved. | ||
| • Sidewalks, driveways, parking areas, tennis courts, patios, or other similar paved surfaces may not be washed down with water. | ||
| •Cooling of outdoor areas with water or mist is prohibited | ||
| C. Stage Three - Water Warning | ||
| Goal: The goal of the Stage Three mandatory restriction is to cause a demand reduction of water supplies by 15%or more. | ||
| All of Stage Two restrictions apply with the following additions or modifications: | ||
| • Outdoor water use restricted to twice a week (Tuesday and Sunday). | ||
| • Drought surcharge will be introduced, amount will be a minimum of 125% or higher of base water rate. Surcharge will only apply to the volume of water used above a monthly target set by the District for each class of water user (residential, non-residential, etc.). | ||
| • Construction water use will be limited and water use and time only on approval by the District Manager as directed by the District Board of Directors. | ||
| • No new water meters issued until Stage Two or Stage One level declared | ||
| D. Stage Four - Water Emergency | ||
| Water demand shall further be reduced by methods determined by the District Board of Directors. | ||
| All of Stage Three restrictions apply with the following additions or modifications: | ||
| • No new water service permits will be issued. | ||
| • No new landscaping permitted. | ||
| • No trench compaction via water consolidation | ||
| E. Essential Use Exemptions | ||
| 1. Stage One - Water Watch - Voluntary and Stage Two - Water Alert |
||
| • Any use to maintain the health, welfare and safety of the District's customers are exempt from water use restrictions as determined by the District Board of Directors. | ||
| • Immediate fire or sanitation hazards shall be exempt from water washing restrictions of sidewalks, driveways, parking areas, etc. | ||
| • Construction restrictions apply only to projects that are not necessary to maintaining the health, safety and welfare of the public. | ||
| • Appeals can be made on a case by case basis to the water district Manager, with decision appeal to the District Board of Directors | ||
| 2. Stage Three - Water Warning | ||
| All exemptions in Stage Two apply. | ||
| 3. Stage Four - Water Emergency | ||
| All exemptions in Stage Three apply. | ||
| VIII. Mandatory Restriction Phase Implementation and Publication of Terms of Water Use | ||
| The District Manager shall monitor the projected supply and demand for water, by its customers, on a daily basis during periods of emergency or drought and shall recommend to the Board of Directors the extent of the conservation required through the implementation and/or termination of particular conservation stages to prudently plan and supply water to its customers. Thereafter, the Manager may order the implementation and/or termination of the appropriate phase of water conservation. The declaration of Stage One or higher shall be made by public announcement and shall be published a minimum of one (1) time for three (3) consecutive dates in a newspaper of general circulation Notification may be sent via U.S. Mail to all owners of record in the District and shall be placed in monthly water bills. Notice of Stage One or higher shall be placed on the District's website, (pccdwid.org). The District Manager shall cause informational signs to be placed at the entrance and exit to Portal 4 declaring a Water Watch or higher classification. . The stage designated shall become effective immediately upon announcement. | ||
| IX. Penalty | ||
| It shall be unlawful for any person, corporation or association to violate the provisions of this Drought Plan. Violations of these provisions shall be a misdemeanor subject to penalties provided in Gila County Municipal Code or pursue any administrative remedy provided in ARS 48-910. First violation will be subject to a written warning to the water customer. Second violation will be $100 fine. Third violation will result in a $250 fine. The fine will increase in $250 increments for each subsequent violation. In addition to any other remedies, water shall be discontinued or appropriately limited to any customer who willfully uses water in violation of any provision of the plan. | ||