SAMMAMISH
PLATEAU WATER AND SEWER DISTRICT
WATER SHORTAGE
RESPONSE PLAN
FOR DEMAND
REDUCTION DURING
EMERGENCY,
OPERATIONAL, AND DROUGHT SITUATIONS
JANUARY 2001
ADOPTED
RESOLUTION NO. 2725
SAMMAMISH PLATEAU WATER AND SEWER DISTRICT
WATER SHORTAGE
RESPONSE PLAN
FOR DEMAND REDUCTION DURING
EMERGENCY, OPERATIONAL, AND DROUGHT SITUATIONS
JANUARY 2001
SECTION ONE:
The Water Shortage Response Plan (WSRP) provides systematic responses and methods to reduce customer water demand due to a water supply shortage from an emergency, drought event, or operational situation.
The objective of the WSRP is to establish actions and procedures for evaluating supply options and managing water demand during a water supply shortage. It is intended for use during infrequent and unusual events, and is not a substitute for the development of water supply projects and conservation programs. The WSRP establishes strategies in advance of actual conditions. The District is prepared to maintain essential public health and safety, and minimize adverse impacts to residents and businesses, should a water shortage event occur.
PLAN DEVELOPMENT
Development of this WSRP drew heavily from information contained in the Water Shortage Contingency Plans of Seattle Public Utilities and the City of Redmond. These water providers developed plans in response to the 1992 regional water supply shortage, to establish strategies prior to the next regional water shortage situation.
The District also created a "Water Conservation Task Force" to:
Examine water supply and demand issues,
Develop criteria for implementation of the WSRP,
Develop water use reduction goals, and
Develop water use reduction methods.
When a water shortage situation is identified, the Board of Commissioners will direct the Task Force to implement the WSRP.
The WSRP provides approaches that can be tailored to specific water shortages. The responses become more aggressive as conditions become progressively more serious. These responses are presented in 4 stages, Advisory, Voluntary, Mandatory and Rationing.
In the "Advisory" stage, customers are informed as early as meaningful data is available that water supply and demand conditions may result in a less than normal supply of water. If the supply and demand situation foreseen at the advisory stage develops the WSRP moves to the "Voluntary" stage, which relies on the voluntary cooperation and support of customers to meet water use reduction goals. Water users are given the opportunity to contribute their "share" of water savings to achieve a District-wide goal of reduced consumption. If the Voluntary measures have not or are not able to provide the necessary reduction in water use the WSRP moves to the "Mandatory" stage. The "Rationing" stage is used when extraordinary levels of reduction are required to ensure the demand does not exceed the supply, and that public health and safely are not compromised.
A menu of water use reduction measures have been developed for each WSRP Stage. Actions to respond to the specific water shortage situation can be tailored through choices within the menus. More severe Stages build on previous Stages. Objectives and actions from less severe Stages should all be considered for implementation with a more severe Stage. During a water shortage situation the Task Force will provide a recommendation for specific implementation of the WSRP to the General Manager and Board of Commissioners.
There are issues associated with implementing the WSRP that are relevant to all four Stages. These matters should be considered prior to implementation of the WSRP and when changing WSRP Stages.
v Each water shortage situation will be unique. The WSRP cannot anticipate every possible scenario and predict all supply and demand management actions that may be necessary. The WSRP establishes a range of supply and demand management actions in advance of the situation and defines the mechanisms by which decisions can be made and communicated during the event.
v Communication is the key to providing Customers with the information necessary to implement and achieve water use reductions during a water shortage situation. Providing a clear and consistent message throughout each situation requiring implementation of the WSRP should be made a priority. Contact through signage and direct mail should be considered in addition to radio, TV and print media.
v The media can play an important role during such an event by communicating the nature and significance of such an event and that actions are being taken to manage the situation. It may become important to appoint a specific person, such as the General Manager, to receive all media requests for information. The scope and severity of an event may also affect the role the media is willing to take in broadcasting information.
v Customers prefer to be provided an opportunity to meet water use reduction goals through voluntary compliance measures. The decision to enact mandatory restrictions is less controversial if it is evident to the public that a voluntary approach has not sufficiently reduced the demand.
v During each WSRP Stage, customers are asked to curtail certain water uses in order to reduce demand. This may result in hardships for some customers. Cooperation with the curtailment actions is more likely if the public perceives the actions to be fairly distributed.
WSRP Implementation
Factors
When a water shortage situation is identified, the Task Force will be assembled to consider whether the WSRP should be implemented, and at what Stage implementation should start. A variety of factors would form the basis of these decisions, including the following:
· Groundwater rights status for that particular year.
· Available groundwater supply and operational condition of District wells.
· Current aquifer levels.
· The rate of decline in aquifer levels, compared with the normal operating levels.
· Surface water situations in proximity to District wells.
· Amount of time required to implement a supply enhancement measure.
· Weather conditions as derived from short- and long-term weather forecasts and modeling by the National Weather Service.
· Trends and seasonal forecasts for the system's daily water demands.
· The estimated margin of safety provided by the demand reduction compared with the level of risk assumed if no action is taken.
· Amount of time required to implement a water use reduction measure.
· Media availability.
· Ease of customer understanding of water use reduction measure.
· Customer response.
· Magnitude of expected savings provided by a water use reduction measure.
· The value of lost water sales revenue compared with the increased margin of reliability.
· Consultation with the District's Board of Commissioners and elected officials and staff of other local government agencies.
· The length of time a WSRP stage would be in place. (This determination should avoid implementation followed quickly by termination, and then potential re-implementation of the WSRP. This is to avoid confusion and to enhance the customer’s confidence in the Board’s decision.)
· Required time lags to shift administrative gears and institute measures
· Ultimate cost to the District customers, both residential and commercial.
· Equity in demand reduction between customer classes.
· Current events.
Water shortage emergencies could be caused by damage to major infrastructure that could affect water supply, storage or distribution to customers’ homes and businesses. Response to this type of emergency includes reestablishing water for basic domestic uses as well as fire protection. The Sammamish Plateau Water and Sewer District Emergency Response Plan should be referred to during any water supply shortage emergency. The Emergency Response Plan includes procedures to be followed during an emergency situation to reestablish the systems operation.
Emergencies are characterized by urgency and may initially require quick and immediate responses. The initial response may have a lack of preparation time to implement meaningful water use reduction strategies. Once an assessment has been made on the length of time necessary to restore normal service, the response strategy may change. Emergencies may require major curtailment actions by customers in a short period of time. Emergencies may be also be localized, requiring water use reductions in a small geographic area.
Flexibility is the key to designing an emergency strategy.
Droughts are naturally occurring but unpredictable weather events of varying frequency, duration and severity. Available regional data indicate that a low probability of a multiple year drought exists. This data includes weather records collected for the past century, tree ring analysis, and soil sampling.
The Sammamish Plateau Water and Sewer District is served by a groundwater system. The District’s distribution system is divided into two hydraulically distinct zones: the Plateau Zone, located south of the Redmond/Fall City Road, and the Cascade View Zone, located north of the Redmond/Fall City Road. The Plateau Zone is supplied by eleven wells. The Cascade View Zone is supplied by three wells. For management of water system operations, the District assumes annual recharge of the aquifers tapped by District wells normally occurs. Unusual weather events can affect this recharge cycle and cause shortages. Because the District wells tap multiple aquifers at varying depths it is unlikely that all District wells will be equally affected by a drought event.
Development on the Sammamish Plateau has led to increase in both the amount of impervious surfaces throughout the areas served by the District and the demand for water service. Impervious surfaces may direct surface water to storm drains, and eventually into streams, rivers and lakes, instead of percolating through the soil and recharging aquifers. As development and impervious areas increase, the impacts of reduced rainfall during a drought event will be accentuated. During summer peak season demand, particularly in a dry year, demands increase more leading to increased pumping of the supply wells and lower aquifer levels.
A summer of sustained higher than normal temperatures and following a winter of lower than normal precipitation can contribute to considerable aquifer drawdown, which affects both water quantity and quality. Although drawdown around the wells can become a problem, the District's groundwater aquifers generally act as storage reservoirs. Drought events lasting one or two years usually impact the District less than other purveyors that rely on a surface water supply.
An Operation Situation requiring implementation of the WSRP can occur when a critical link in the District’s system is not available for service. The inability to operate a portion of the water system at full capacity may result in a situation where there is a need to achieve a significant water use reduction, but over a limited period of time. The critical link could be a storage tank, well, booster pump, treatment system, telemetry system or transmission facility.
As demand within the District increases the flexibility of the system decreases. The ability to shift operations between wells decreases as all wells become required to operate at or near their capacity. The storage needed within each pressure zone also gets closer to the systems design capacity making it more difficult to schedule necessary maintenance. In other words, as the District grows the wells, booster pumps, transmission mains and storage tanks will be operating at or near their capacity. In this situation it will become more difficult to adjust operations for maintenance and required replacements.
However by comparing operation and maintenance schedules for each year with anticipated demands these water shortages can often be identified in advance. This advance notice can be used to implement the WSRP in a controlled, systematic manner.
There are important differences between long-term conservation programs and reducing water use during a WSRP situation. During a WSRP actions are designed to quickly reduce water use, are relatively short-lived, and usually involve some tradeoffs or hardships for customers. Conservation programs are long-term programs, structured to encourage customers to reduce water waste and increase water efficiency in a manner that can be sustained. The focus of the public message and information strategy is different for each program. The long-term conservation message of encouraging an environmental ethic and saving money shifts during water supply shortage situations to a more personal message such as, "If everyone cuts back, we will have enough water for your essential needs." However, conservation methods included in the Conservation program may be promoted as part of the strategies employed during a water supply shortage situation.
SECTION TWO:
ADVISORY STAGE
Objectives:
· To prepare the District and water customers of a potential water shortage, thereby allowing all parties adequate time for planning and coordination.
· To undertake supply management actions that forestall or minimize the need later for more stringent demand or supply management actions.
Triggers:
There are a variety of conditions that may cause concern about water availability and signal a potential water shortage. Conditions that would trigger the Advisory Stage include:
· Total aquifer supply storage is not projected to be at standard operating capacity as of June 1, due to low aquifer levels.
· Total aquifer supply storage is significantly below historical "normals" for the current time of year, and data indicates that expected demands may not be met if this trend worsens or continues.
· Weather conditions over the previous winter(s) have been particularly dry with lower than normal rainfall quantities.
· Operational situations are predicted that may affect the District’s ability to provide water service at a level necessary to meet projected demands.
The Advisory may be withdrawn when water supply conditions return to a normal situation.
Public Message:
"The potential exists for lower than normal water supply. Customers may be asked to reduce consumption unless conditions return to normal. We will keep you informed."
Or
“The potential exists for operational situations that would make it difficult for the demand to be met at all times. Customers may be asked to reduce consumption until the situation is corrected. We'll keep you informed."
Internal Operating
Actions:
1. The District's Water Conservation Task Force will meet to evaluate conditions, determine actions and make task assignments.
2. Intensify communication with all staff members, particularly Water team members.
3. Intensify data collection actions for well pumping records, tank level records, monitoring aquifer levels and weather conditions.
4. Assess current water main flushing activities to determine whether they should be accelerated to be completed prior to the peak season, or reduced to conserve supply.
5. Assess water quality in aquifers and distribution system to target areas that may experience severe degradation with reduced consumption.
6. Develop a list of critical water uses and users.
7. Initiate planning and preparation for Voluntary stage actions. Evaluate the ability, resources, and plans to move into the Voluntary stage and begin preparatory measures
Communication
Actions:
1. Brief the Board of Commissioners and all District staff members.
2. Intensify the ongoing local print media education effort regarding the water system, particularly the relationship between supply and demand. Provide current data to local newspapers. Media lists can be found in the District's Emergency Response Plan.
3. Provide status report to entities with special interests, public agencies, including the Cities of Sammamish and Issaquah, Northeast Sammamish Sewer and Water District, Eastside Fire and Rescue, the Lake Washington and Issaquah School Districts, King County Parks Department, King County DDES and large commercial customers.
4. Prepare and distribute public information materials explaining the WSRP Stages and expected ranges of actions. Depending on time available to disseminate information this may include newsletter or other bill insert, or direct mail.
5. Prepare "Questions and Answers" for customers, including developers, that may be planning new landscaping. This information should include time of day and seasonal considerations.
6. Post updated status reports on the District's website.
7. Develop and monitor a "Water Use Reduction Hotline" for customers to receive information about WSRP stages and tips for water conservation.
8. Post signs at entrances to areas served by the District. Signs would promote conservation and could include information supporting the use of a lawn-watering calendar.
SECTION THREE:
VOLUNTARY STAGE
Objectives:
· To inform the District water customers of a water shortage, and the need to reduce water use and eliminate water waste.
· To reduce water use to meet consumption goals through voluntary customer actions.
· To forestall or minimize the need for more stringent demand or supply management actions.
· To minimize the disruption to customers while meeting consumption goals.
· To maintain the highest water quality standards throughout the shortage.
Triggers:
The Voluntary Stage is implemented when one or more of the following factors apply:
· The limited water supply conditions identified in the Advisory Stage have developed.
· Operation situations exist that will limit the Districts ability to provide water supply.
· Water use demand projections indicate a systematic response to reducing the demand is required.
Public Message:
"We are relying on the support and cooperation of all water users to reduce consumption and stretch the water available. Demand needs to be reduced by _____ percent, approximately _____ gallons per household per day. Customers are responsible for determining how they will meet that goal. Water waste is not acceptable. If everyone cooperates more stringent restrictions may be avoided." [Blanks are to be filled based on each particular situation.]
Internal Operating
Actions:
1. Continue actions listed in Advisory Stage.
2. Water Team to prepare weekly reports for the Task Force on supply conditions and consumption levels.
3. Task Force will consider the current and projected supply conditions and the seasonal demand and set consumption goals, which may be revised as necessary.
4. Eliminate all operating system water uses, such as pipeline flushing, where determined to be non-essential to maintain water quality.
5. Restrict hydrant permits to essential purposes, including recall of hydrant permits previously issued. This should include contacting each registered hydrant user.
6. Eliminate washing of District fleet vehicles except by recycling car washes.
7. Limit hosing of sidewalks, driveways, parking lots, etc. at District facilities to situations where it is necessary for public health and safety.
8. Limit landscape watering around District office and water established plants only when necessary. Water early in the morning to reduce evapotranspiration rate.
9. Activate any existing emergency interties to increase emergency supply availability.
10. Increase water quality monitoring actions.
11. Task Force and District managers will evaluate whether target consumption levels and supply conditions warrant a rate surcharge to reinforce voluntary actions and/or to recover revenue losses. District staff will work through the General Manager to make a recommendation to the Board of Commissioners.
12. Initiate remaining planning and preparation for the Mandatory Stage.
Communication
Actions:
1. Water Conservation Task Force will establish systematic communications with Board of Commissioners, including the suggested nature and scope of the voluntary measures and strategies.
2. Provide status reports to entities with special interests, public agencies including the Cities of Issaquah and Sammamish, Northeast Sammamish Sewer and Water District, Eastside Fire and Rescue, the Lake Washington and Issaquah School Districts, King County Parks Department, King County DDES and large commercial customers.
3. Coordinate with affected agencies regarding demand management actions, especially in the reduction of irrigation for parks and athletic fields.
4. Customer service personnel will "tag" observed obvious water waste such as hoses without shutoff nozzles, irrigating during the heat of the day, excessive water running into storm drains, etc. with green "Water Conservation Notice" door hangers. The door hangers inform the customer about the water waste and the need to conserve.
5. Conservation Coordinator will initiate a public information, media and advertising campaign:
· Issue press releases to local newspapers, television and radio stations.
· Publish a list of recommended actions for customers to take to reduce their water consumption in local newspapers, the District newsletter, and the District website.
· Send out a direct mailing to all District customers with a list of the recommended actions.
· Promote consumption goals for typical households, and a percentage reduction goal for commercial customers.
· Develop a marketing plan that: serves to keep customers informed about supply and demand conditions; recommends customer actions to reduce demand significantly; reinforces desired customer actions, and reminds customers that if goals are not achieved, mandatory restrictions may be necessary.
· Identify what potential next steps will be to reduce demand including timing, type of restrictions, and if surcharges should be imposed.
· Provide water quality information in public information, so that if flushing is necessary, the public understands that it is essential for water quality maintenance.
6. Post updated status reports on District website.
7. Promote the "Water Use Reduction Hotline" for customers to receive information about WSRP Stages and tips for water conservation.
8. Post signs at entrances to areas served by the District. Signs would promote conservation and could include information supporting the use of a lawn-watering calendar.
9. Identify customers with large irrigation accounts and promote use daily weather information, such as rainfall and evapotranspiration (ET) rates to minimize irrigation use.
10. Contact largest customers to request a percentage reduction.
11. Request Eastside Fire and Rescue to limit training exercises that use water.
CUSTOMER WATER USE REDUCTION
ACTIONS
Residential
Indoor:
·
Flush the toilet less often. Each flush uses 1.6 to 7 gallons of water, depending upon the age
of the toilet.
·
Dishwashers should be run only when there are full
loads of dishes. Each load uses 8 to 13
gallons.
·
Wash only full loads of laundry. Each load uses 15 to
40 gallons. Front loading washing machines use approximately 30 percent less
water than top loading models.
·
Keep a pitcher of cold drinking water in the refrigerator,
rather than running the faucet until the water gets cold.
·
Take shorter showers. Each minute of showering time
uses 2.5 to 5 gallons of water. Try to
limit showering time to five minutes.
·
Avoid letting the faucet run while shaving, brushing
teeth, or washing vegetables.
·
While waiting for hot water, use a container to catch
wasted tap water for use on plants.
Residential
Outdoors:
· Wash cars less often. Instead of using the hose, consider a commercial car wash that recycles water.
· Always use a shut-off nozzle when using the hose. Be sure there are no leaks in any hose fittings.
Commercial and
Residential Landscape:
· Water lawns and gardens only early in the morning or late in the evening to reduce water loss from evaporation.
· Consider letting established lawns go dormant until the shortage is over. Homes that normally water lawns will save from 25% to 50% by not watering lawns.
· Do not water lawns when it is raining. Learn how to change the program that controls your system in order to cut back on irrigation time. Turn off automated irrigation system clocks during rainy spells. Consider installing a rain sensor on automatic irrigation systems that will override the system during rainfall. Consider having an irrigation audit done to ensure that your system is using water efficiently.
· Eliminate outdoor water play, such as running through a sprinkler, plastic water slides, and wading/swimming pools that require frequent re-filling.
· Eliminate all hosing of sidewalks, driveways, and decks. Use a broom or a power blower instead.
· Water established plants only when necessary, testing the soil moisture levels in the root zone with your fingers. Two to four inches of mulch (such as compost or beauty bark) in your planting beds will help retain moisture.
· Create tree wells around trees to minimize runoff when watering.
Commercial:
· Set goals for reduced water use and inform managers and employees. Give businesses ideas for limiting water use and ask them for theirs.
·