WIXLIB

DROUGHT RESPONSE PLANSStaffing, Response Plansand FundingWater Supply andDemand ManagementCommunicationand PartnershipsCase Studiesand VideosUtilities should have a drought response planthat establishes drought stages, designatesreadily identifiable drought triggers, setsreduction goals, describes water use restric tions and outlines enforcement provisions.In many states, drought response plans arerequired. Develop or review your existing plan. Arethe conservation measures, demand re strictions and response actions adequateto respond to current drought condi tions? Is the plan flexible enough to giveyour utility and its governing body theability to declare a specific drought stageif unforeseen conditions occur? If not, youwill need to revise your plan. Check with local and state governmentofficials, as well as your wholesale waterproviders. Do they have an existingdrought response plan you can leverage,or do they have requirements for utilitydrought response plans?Use Worksheet 2 to help updateor develop your droughtresponse plan.The following key topics should be included in your drought response plan: Drought Stages and Triggers. Drought stages define actions required to respondduring various phases of drought severity. For example, Stage 1 could be to limit out door water use. Triggers are indicators that activate the drought stages. A trigger could bedefined as reservoir or groundwater well levels dropping a number of feet within a certaintime period or to a specific water level. Water Use Reduction Goals. Reduction goals can be expressed as percentagereductions from “normal” use or as reductions of a specific quantity in acre-feet ormillion gallons per day (MGD).– Have a clear understanding of what “normal” use is and update this definition atleast every 5 years.– Monitor water use frequently to see if reduction goals are being met and adjustthe plan as necessary. You may want to read meters of key customers or large waterusers more frequently to track their usage and ability to meet reduction goals duringthe drought. Water Use Restrictions. Restrictions are often designed to first reduce or eliminatenonessential uses such as outdoor watering, followed by more severe restrictions,as necessary.– Some utilities establish a per-person or per-household allocation (gallons permonth), allowing customers to determine how they want to reduce their use to meetthe allocation. Consider adding customer variance or appeal provisions for specialcircumstances.– Understand what your utility can achieve from certain water restrictions. If outdoorwater use has gone down over the last decade, the potential savings from outdoorwater use restrictions will need to be reduced from previous projections.– There is usually a time lag of a few months from when mandatory restrictionsare announced and when customers actually reduce their water use. Factor thisinto your plan. Enforcement Provisions. Drought restrictions can be enforced through educationalwarnings, code enforcement citations, police tickets, fines, fees, surcharges and waterservice disconnections.– Verify enforcement procedures with legal staff, as some states may have statutorylimits on allowed methods.Page 7Drought Response and Recovery: A Basic Guide for Water UtilitiesResourcesPreviousNext

BEST PRACTICE: Establish a droughtresponse plan that includes trigger levelsStaffing, Response Plansand Fundingand water use reduction measures. De velop a clear but flexible plan, includingspecific reduction goals and restrictionsto address current and anticipated con ditions. Do not wait for an emergencyWater Supply andDemand Managementto occur before you develop a plan. City of Russell, Kansas. During 8of the last 12 years, Russell declaredStage 3 or 4 of drought management.Communicationand PartnershipsHaving a drought response plan thatclearly defines drought triggers andresponse actions for four droughtstages helps their customers beprepared and enables them to takeCase Studiesand VideosPage 8After the Drought: Revise your drought response planbased on lessons learned, consideringthe following:– Did the drought stages, triggersand demand reduction measuresachieve the anticipated results?– Were the demand reductionmeasures too prescriptive, or didthey not provide enough directionto customers? Incorporate drought resilience plansor projects into multiyear capitalimprovement plans and budgets. Conduct a debrief with utility staffand partners shortly after the droughtto discuss the effectiveness of andimprovements to response activities.actions quickly when drought occurs.Drought Response and Recovery: A Basic Guide for Water UtilitiesResourcesPreviousNext

TRAINING AND EXERCISING ONDROUGHT RESPONSEStaffing, Response Plansand FundingWater Supply andDemand ManagementCommunicationand PartnershipsBEST PRACTICE: “Practice the drought”with key staff in the utility or with exter nal stakeholders to uncover the opera Train all staff on drought impacts andresponse procedures by holding table top exercises or walking through droughtresponse plans and procedures. Provide up to-date information to office and customerservice staff as well as operators. Invite rep resentatives of the following entities to theexercises: nearby utilities, large water users,fire departments, emergency operationscoordinators and other partners that will havea significant role in the drought response.Local emergency managers can help utilitiesdevelop and facilitate tabletop exercises.tional difficulties and details associatedwith drought contingency strategiesbefore the next crisis begins. (Corix)1 Spicewood Beach WaterSystem, Texas. The utility’s droughtresponse plan included trucking waterin as a back-up water supply. Duringthe 2011 – 2012 drought, however, theyhad difficulty finding potable wa ter-certified trucks and hauling routeswith roads rated for the trucks’ filledAfter the Drought:Schedule an annual tabletop exerciseto practice different drought scenarios.Potential topics include: Requirements for hauling potablewater, including availability of tankertrucks, hauling routes, truck disinfec tion, maintenance and operationalprocedures for introducing water intothe system. Identifying additional water sourcesor operational changes to expandwater supplies. Procedures for communicating withcustomers and large water users.weight. They learned the importanceof having a “Plan B,” and the utilityplans to conduct regular emergen Case Studiesand Videoscy preparedness exercises with keypersonnel. Tuolumne Utilities District, California.The District routinely participates infocused emergency response tabletopexercises with other local, county andstate agencies. Each exercise focusesFOR MORE INFORMATION ONEXERCISES, VISIT: U.S. EPA’s Tabletop Exercise Tool forWater Systems: Emergency Preparedness,Response, and Climate Resiliency U.S. EPA’s Workshop Planner for ClimateChange and Extreme Events Adaptationon a different scenario so participantscan develop solutions for specificproblems.1Page 9Drought Response and Recovery: A Basic Guide for Water UtilitiesCorix is an investor-owned water company that purchased theSpicewood Beach Water System from the Lower Colorado RiverAuthority in 2014.ResourcesPreviousNext

FUNDING AND FINANCINGCONSIDERATIONSStaffing, Response Plansand FundingWater Supply andDemand ManagementCommunicationand PartnershipsUtility budgets can be significantly impactedduring drought due to declining revenuesfrom reduced water use and increasingcosts of operations and drought responseactivities. These financial impacts can con tinue for an extended period of time, evenafter the drought has ended.At the start of your drought response,estimate these losses and increasedexpenses for budget planning, so youcan maintain critical services.Consider the following funding sources to help recover revenue and offset losses: Conservation rate structure. Tiered or base-excess use rates that are higher for greatervolumes of water used encourage water conservation. Engage with large water usersand community representatives before changing a rate structure to prepare customersfor new rates. You may want to consider a rate structure design that recovers most ofyour utility’s fixed costs in the base rate, while still ensuring that the rates are affordablefor all customers. Emergency pricing or surcharge. This includes usage rates that can be applied asconsumption increases, or rates that can be increased as the drought worsens. Workwith your state to see if this type of charge is possible and what the approval processwould be. In some states, these approvals can take months. Dedicated conservation or drought response fund. This includes a “set-aside” fundfor conservation efforts or as a reserve fund for revenue stability during drought. Dedicated sales tax. A portion of sales tax revenue could be applied to drought responseand resilience activities. Work with your state to see if this is possible for your city.Use Worksheet 3 to put togetheran overall work plan and timelinefor drought response activities.Case Studiesand VideosBEST PRACTICE: Partner with local andregional entities to leverage availablestate and federal funds to reduce the im pacts of rate increases on your customers. (Corix) Spicewood Beach WaterSystem, Texas. The utility worked with State funding. This category includes available funds for emergency response, waterplanning, conservation, economic development or innovative technology. Check withyour local, county or state officials to see if these funds are available and to help you withaccessing them. Coordinate with officials to see if the governor can declare an emergen cy to access emergency response funds or request resources or other assistance. Federal funding. This includes grant or loan programs from federal agencies, includingEPA’s State Revolving Fund, Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA’s) HazardMitigation or Public Assistance Programs, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s RuralDevelopment Loan & Grant Program. Check agency websites or with local officials foreligibility requirements and applications. Other assistance. Mutual aid programs (such as WARN) or water sector associations, such asthe National Rural Water Association, could provide in-kind services to help with:their county judge and state officials– Repairs, such as to line breaks due to shifting dry ground.to fund water supply projects. The– Resource loans for personnel (such as extra operators) or equipment (such asgenerators, pumps, water hauling trucks or portable treatment plants).county was awarded a 350,000grant by the Texas Department ofAgriculture, which made disaster reliefUtilities may be able to find local training opportunities on general financialmanagement and rate setting to learn how to build reserves.funds available for drought projects.Page 10Drought Response and Recovery: A Basic Guide for Water UtilitiesResourcesPreviousNext

Staffing, Response Plansand FundingBEST PRACTICE: Implement a rateBEST PRACTICE: Supplement revenuestructure that will stabilize revenues tofrom water rates with other sourcescover your fixed costs, but has conserva of funding.tion pricing (tiered and seasonal rates)to send a pricing signal to help reducedemand. Explore the option of adoptingspecial drought rates.Water Supply andDemand ManagementCommunicationand Partnerships (Corix) Spicewood Beach Waterauthorizing the city to collect a halfcent sales tax dedicated to funding aproposed groundwater project thatwould supplement their surface watertiered rate approved by state regula supplies. The sales tax will increase intors to encourage water conservation.4 years by an additional half cent. Alliance for Water Efficiency’s“Financing Sustainable Water” Exit U.S. EPA’s Federal Funding for Utilities —Water/Wastewater — in National Disasters(Fed FUNDS) FEMA Climate Resilient MitigationActivities ExitThe base rate covered approximately80 percent of the utility’s fixed costs,the rest; this provided revenue stabil ity during the drought, when waterdemand was reduced. City of Hogansville, Georgia. The citypromotes conservation year roundthrough a tiered rate structure withhigher water rates assessed for highervolumes of use. This rate structurealso provided revenue stability forthe city as customers’ water demanddropped during the drought.Page 11residents passed a referendumSystem, Texas. The utility adopted awith the demand charges coveringCase Studiesand Videos City of Clinton, Oklahoma. ClintonFOR MORE DROUGHT FINANCINGINFORMATION, VISIT:Drought Response and Recovery: A Basic Guide for Water UtilitiesAfter the Drought: Revenue recovery can be difficult, aswater use may never come back topre-drought levels. Working with local,county and state officials may helpsecure funding and technical assistanceif you implement large projects tobuild longer-term drought resilience,such as new groundwater wells andinterconnections. Continue to engage with state officials toget approval for a surcharge (if required),so that you will be able to activateit if needed during future droughts.ResourcesPreviousNext

WATER SUPPLY AND DEMAND MANAGEMENTStaffing, Response Plansand FundingClick on the video icon to go to the Drought Response and Recovery Project for Water Utilities: Case Studies Map to watch videos about utilitywater supply and demand actions.During a drought, management actionsfor water supply and water demand shouldoccur at the same time. Key actions includedetermining:Water Supply andDemand Management How much supply is available. How to improve system efficiency. Local or regional water supply agencies,conservancy districts, groundwatermanagement districts or river authorities. U.S. Geological Survey or reservoir own ers and operators such as the U.S. ArmyCorps of Engineers or U.S. Bureau ofReclamation. How to reduce customer demand.Communicationand PartnershipsCase Studiesand Videos How to identify additional water supplies,if needed.DETERMINE WATER SUPPLY AVAILABILITYUnderstanding the conditions and charac teristics of your water supplies is important,but it is critical during drought. During ex treme drought, your utility should increasemonitoring and look for changes every day.Start regularly monitoring water suppliesand production capabilities and developsupply projections. Inexpensive wellsounding equipment to monitor groundwa ter levels may be an option for systems withgroundwater sources. Monitoring weatherforecasts can help you understand how longyour water supply will last if the droughtpersists or worsens.The following local, regional, state and fed eral resources may track water supply con ditions and drought forecasts in your area: Neighboring water and power utilities. State water agencies.Page 12may require adjusting the treatment pro cess to meet drinking water regulations.You should also increase sampling indistribution and storage to check theage of finished water.BEST PRACTICE: Increase frequencyof water supply and well productionFor many utilities, accessing available waterbecomes a challenge. In this case, considerthe following measures:monitoring to detect changes in supplyavailability and forecast availability, ifdrought conditions persist or worsen. Constructing floating intake structuresin rivers or reservoirs. Tuolumne Utilities District, California. Installing temporary low-head dams toincrease water levels.Throughout the fall and spring, the Lowering a groundwater well pump.and snow surveys from national and Rehabilitating or deepening an existingwell.state sources, such as the National Adjusting well cycle time to allow forwater level recovery.istration, National Weather ServiceCheck with regulatory authorities to findout if you need a variance or permit toimplement any of these measures until thedrought emergency is over.Resources, to estimate available waterutility uses precipitation forecastsOceanic and Atmospheric Admin and California Department of Watersupply before peak summer use.Be sure to increase sampling of sourcewater during drought to continuouslymonitor water quality. Higher temperatures,low flows, changes in the watershed anddropping surface and groundwater levelscan change water chemistry. These changesDrought Response and Recovery: A Basic Guide for Water UtilitiesUse Worksheet 4 to estimateavailable water supply at yourutility. The worksheet can be usedfor surface water and groundwater.ResourcesPreviousNext

After the Drought:Staffing, Response Plansand FundingWater Supply andDemand Management Continue or increase monitoringactivities to maintain a full awarenessof the condition of your water supply. Develop a plan to implement projectsthat address your long-term needs soyour utility is more resilient to futuredroughts.FOR MORE ON DROUGHT FORECASTING:Communicationand Partnerships U.S. Drought Monitor Exit U.S. Seasonal Drought Outlook Exit Snow Telemetry (SNOTEL) Snow Survey& Water Supply Forecasting ExitCase Studiesand VideosPage 13Drought Response and Recovery: A Basic Guide for Water UtilitiesResourcesPreviousNext

IMPROVE SYSTEM EFFICIENCYStaffing, Response Plansand FundingWater Supply andDemand ManagementImplement measures to conserve waterwithin your treatment and distribution systemwithout affecting drinking water qualityor other operational or regulatory require ments. During a drought, it is important tomake improvements to your system firstto set the example for your customers.Measures could include: Exploring beneficial uses for flushed water,such as irrigation, construction, fire-fightingstorage or other non-drinking water uses. Recirculating backwash water to the headof your treatment plant. Aggressively finding and repairing leaks;consider including the following consider ations and actions in your leak detectionand repair program: Reducing pressure throughout all or part ofthe distribution system, while maintainingnecessary pressure for “high priority”users such as hospitals and firefighters.Communicationand PartnershipsCase Studiesand Videos Limiting main flushing as much aspossible, while still meeting all regulatoryrequirements.– Installing automated meter readingsystems that can provide real-timewater leak information.– Messaging, such as “Find It and FixIt,” to immediately repair a leak on thecustomer side of the meter.– Establishing a leak and minorplumbing repair program for lowincome households.– Encouraging self-policing by residentsto alert the utility of system leaks.BEST PRACTICE: Look for ways to manage your existing supplies through demandmanagement, or modify system operations to increase supplies.ideas to reduce ini

Drought Response and Recovery: A Basic Guide for Water Utilities Staing, Response Plans and Funding . Water Supply and Demand Management . Communication and Partnerships . Case Studies and Videos . OVERVIEW AND NAVIGATION (Continued) Page 4 . Once drought conditions have lessened, utilities can begin drought recovery activities