Transcript Slide 1

Assisting Water Suppliers
In Dealing With The Drought
June 3, 2008
Lee Keck, Environmental Manager
Tennessee Division of Water Supply
Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation
The 2007 Drought
Reflects The State’s Broader
Perspective on the Drought
• Source related emphasis
• Includes agriculture, PWSs, industry, the
environment and their interrelationships
• Coordination of agencies
• Assisting users within each user group in
dealing with drought
Droughts In Tennessee’s Past
• 1940-41 Drought – Impacted Agricultural and SelfSupplied Users
• 1952-54 Drought – Impacted Agricultural and SelfSupplied Users and Smaller Water Systems
• 1984-88 Drought – Smaller Water Systems on Less
Reliable Sources (Springs, Small Streams)
Responses
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Creation of Utility Districts
Farm pond assistance
Interconnections among water systems
Reliance on larger, more reliable sources
Development of Drought Management Plans
• The Future: Regional Planning
Interim State Drought Management
Plan
In January 1987 the Office of Water Management released
an Interim Plan which delimited the basic roles of State,
Federal and local agencies in dealing with drought. The
State is using that document to guide responses to the
current drought. It is available at URL:
http://state.tn.us/environment/dws/DWprogram.shtml
TVA-USGS-USWS-NC-VA
GA-AL-TN Drought Management Team
• TDEC participates in this on-going team effort
to monitor stream flows, reservoir levels, wellspring yields and demand-side information for
the multi-state Tennessee Valley area.
TEMA Drought Task Force
A weekly meeting with:
National Weather Service
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
US Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE)
Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA)
Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) – Divisions
of Water Supply and Water Pollution Control
Tennessee Department of Agriculture (DOA) – Division of Forestry, Market
Development and Regulatory Services
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA)
Tennessee Association of Utility Districts (TAUD)
Interim State Drought Management Plan
Drought Responses
The State Drought Task Force updates others
regarding drought impacts:
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Public Water Systems
Navigation and Power Production
Wildfires
Agricultural Impacts (livestock, hay, etc.)
In-stream flow requirements - aquatic habitat
and waste assimilation
• Weather Forecasts
DROUGHT 2007 TASK FORCE
SITUATION REPORT
http://www.tnema.org/
Dealing With The Media
Issues DWS and PWSs addressed in 2007:
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Systems with Pressure, Taste and Odor Issues
Systems Impacted by Drought and their Status
Vulnerable Systems – Sources and Inadequate Infrastructure
Systems Requiring Water Conservation or Restrictions
PWS Authority to Require Conservation
Areas with Private Wells and Springs Impacted by Drought
Line Extension Requests
Impacts to Aquatic Life due to PWS withdrawals
Livestock watering from PWSs
PWS Intake Problems
Systems have called the DWS due to
problems with intake structure designs
and locations
 Declining Impoundment levels
 Flows (away from structures)
 Conflicts with up-stream users
Unpermitted Withdrawals and
Large Withdrawals Affecting PWSs
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Golf Courses
Nurseries
Athletic Fields
Farmers
There are State Rules designed to protect Public Water Systems
• 1200-5-1-.34 (5) – Source Water Protection (i.e. Heavy Pumping)
• 1200-5-8-.05 - Water Withdrawal Registration Requirement
• 1200-4-7-.01-.10 - ARAP (Aquatic Resource Alteration Permit)
Notify the DWS of any source conflicts
Assistance to Industry
Fearing cutbacks by municipal and utility
districts
 Industries have requested assistance in
finding alternative and supplemental sources
 Re-schedule production or cut-back
production
Customer Moratoriums
and Service Discontinuation
• T.C.A. 68-221-711(9) prohibits terminating
customers without 60 days notice
• PWSs should implement moratoriums on new
connections and impose mandatory
restrictions first
Livestock Watering
Their problems can become your problems
Many Chicken Operations, Cattle Farmers and
Dairies whose springs, streams and wells have
gone dry (or rely on limited sources) and are
also customers of a PWS…
 Accounting for increased water use demand
 Often despite public conservation demands
Alternatives?
Cont.
• Work with local and state officials to assist
livestock owners with finding alternative
sources. Involve County Agriculture programs.
• Encourage owners to market livestock and/or
alter production (i.e. bird rotations and animal
density)
• Terminate service and Contractual
Agreements (non-potable uses)
Diminishing Supplies
 Monitor Sources
 Manage Reservoirs & Stream Flows (where
possible. Modify Operating Guidelines.)
 Implement Management Plans
1200-5-1-.18(2) requires systems to report
the failure to comply, failure of equipment,
loss of service or any other situation which
presents an endangerment
Systems without Water
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Mutual Aid
Tanker Trucks (not a good solution)
Interconnection – Emergency Contracts
Local Emergency Management Agency
Assistance
• Backup Sources
• Bottled Water
Adding a Supply
or Providing Additional Treatment
 Water Wells
 Springs
 Lakes
 Streams
1200-5-1-.05 – Requires plans to be
submitted and approved by the DWS.
Line Breaks and Meter Replacement
• Old Meters are often inaccurate. PWSs are
actively replacing them.
• Leaks – 2007 “Leak Bill” focuses on this issue
from a financial perspective
• Line Breaks – a 12-inch main can result in
millions of gallons loss – Replace vulnerable
areas of pipe.
Private Wells and Springs
Fish Springs & Little Milligan , Sunbright area
Plateau & Middle TN – isolated farms and
families
• Line extensions
• Licensed Well Drillers
• Refer to LEMAs for assistance
Water Conservation Plans
• DWS is providing considerable technical
assistance to PWSs in developing Drought and
Water Conservation Plans
• Local Drought Management Guide for Public
Water Systems
• http://state.tn.us/environment/dws/DWprogram.shtml
Local Drought Management Guide
A PWS’ Checklist:
1. Drought Management Planning Process
(Process, Goals, Adoption, Pre-Event Actions)
2. Assess vulnerability and risks (Source, Storage,
Infrastructure, Uses, Priorities, Other Risks)
3. Public Involvement (Expectations and “buy-in”)
4. Establish Management Phases and Trigger Points
Local Drought Management Guide
(continued)
5. Work with others (TEMA, neighboring systems)
6. Implement Plan (adopt Rates, Ordinance, etc.)
7. Be prepared to respond to the media
Use the media to communicate with
customers
Deal clearly and fairly with issues
8. Monitor Situation (Revise –Update Plan)
Don’t Be Caught
Living In The Past