(A) Introduction. To ensure that City of Dillon adequately manages its water system during drought-related conditions, an organized plan is necessary for system operation and reliability, proper communications, effective coordination and ultimate allocation of water use. Prior planning will compliment the City of Dillon ability to respond to drought conditions and to enforce the related ordinance.
(B) Designation of Water System Drought Response Representative. Administrating a drought plan requires the skills needed to undertake a comprehensive public information program and the judgement required to deal with equity issues arising from enforcement of a mandatory program. Someone who has these skills will be selected by the water system to manage the water system's program and serve as the principal contact for the news media as the water system's Drought Response Representative. The drought response representative for City of Dillon is Glen Wagner, City Manager, PO Box 431, Dillon, SC 29536, Phone# 843-774-0040.
(C) Description of Water System Layout, Water Sources, Capacities and Yields. The City of Dillon is located in the Pee Dee Drought Response Management Area of South Carolina. The system serves 3,358 customers (residential-2,593, commercial-765) in and around the Dillon city limits. The system consists of four (4) wells and treatment sites with back-up generators, three (3) elevated storage tanks with a total capacity of six hundred and twenty five thousand (625,000) gallons, three (3) ground storage reservoirs with a total capacity of four hundred and thirty thousand (430,000) gallons, and water line sizes ranging from two (2) inches to sixteen (16) inches in diameter. The current SCDHEC maximum total permitted capacity is 2.304 mgd, which is based on all four (4) wells pumping sixteen (16) hours per day. The water supply sources available to the system are the Black Creek and Middendorf aquifers.
(D) Identification of Water System Specific Drought or Water Shortage Indicators. Operators of every water system must develop historical trends that are valuable indicators of a system's ability to meet demand when demand begins to outpace supply. The City of Dillon has developed triggers for use during drought or demand water shortages that describe when specific phases of the Drought Response Ordinance are implemented. The system triggers are as follows:
(1) Moderate Drought Phase.
Average daily use greater than 1.4 mgd for thirty (30) consecutive days
(2) Severe Drought Phase.
Average daily use greater than 1.6 mgd for fourteen (14) consecutive days
(3) Extreme Drought Phase.
Average daily use greater than 1.8 mgd for seven (7) consecutive days
(E) Cooperative Agreements and Alternative Water Supply Sources. Successful drought management requires a comprehensive program by the water utility. In many situations administrative agreements are required with other agencies to fully implement the Plan. Agreements with other water purveyors may be necessary for alternative water supply sources. Other agreements that strengthen conservation efforts by large users may be necessary. The City of Dillon identifies the following agreements that are in place to facilitate the implementation of this Plan: Trico Water Company is tied into the City of Dillon water system at two (2) different locations and could be used as a possible alternative source of water in the event of an emergency water shortage. Agreements that are being negotiated or considered with other entities are: NONE.
(F) Description of Pre-Drought Planning Efforts. Before the occurrence of a water supply shortage and the need to implement the emergency provisions of the ordinance, it is important that certain pre-response measures be taken with the aim of conserving the system's source water, as well as the water distributed to the customer. In regards to the conservation measures listed below, the City of Dillon has taken the following actions:
(1) Identification of all major water users of the system: Dillon Yarn, Perdue Hatchery, Vesuvius, Wix, Mohawk, Davids of Dillon, Saint Eugene Hospital.
(2) Identification of those users with whom there are conservation agreements: NONE. The City of Dillon already has an existing ordinance which covers all of these drought conditions. This new ordinance will replace the existing ordinance.
(3) A vigorous public education program is critical for achieving substantial water use reductions. An effective public outreach program will keep the public informed about the water supply situation, what actions will mitigate drought emergency problems, and how well the public is doing in terms of meeting the program goals. Keeping the public involved, informed, and participating in the decision-making process is key to implementing an effective Drought Management Plan. Provide a description of your utility's efforts to develop an effective drought-related public education program: The City of Dillon attempts to educate its users about the necessity of water conservation through its annual Consumer Confidence Report. The local newspaper, as well as any other available means of the media, will be used as deemed necessary in the event of drought conditions.
(G) Description of Capital Planning and Investment for System Reliability and Demand Forecasting. Water utilities routinely find that capital improvements to the system strongly enhance their ability to get through times of drought. It is important that every water utility aggressively plan and build for future needs. The utility must continue to provide for system operation flexibility, improved pumping and storage capacity and new technologies to meet the demands of tomorrow. Describe the utility's capital improvement program and how past efforts have enhanced your system's ability to meet demand during drought conditions: The City of Dillon is in the final permitting stages of a new seven hundred (700) gpm well with treatment, a five hundred thousand (500,000) gallon elevated storage tank, and over six thousand (6,000) feet of water mains to tie new well to existing water system. This will also help increase pressure throughout the entire system.
(Am. Ord. 03-17, passed 8-11-2003)