(A) The objective of this chapter is to establish authority, policy and procedure by which the town waterworks will take the proper actions to manage water demand during a drought-related shortage. The chapter satisfies the requirements of the Drought Response Act of 2000 and has the goal of achieving the greatest public benefit from limited supplies of water needed for domestic water use, sanitation, and fire protection and of allocating water for other purposes in an equitable manner.
(B) This chapter outlines the actions to be taken for the conservation of water supplied by the town waterworks. These actions are directed both towards an overall reduction in water usage and the optimization of supply.
(C) To satisfy these goals, the town waterworks hereby adopts the following regulations and restrictions on the delivery and consumption of water. This chapter is hereby declared necessary for the protection of public health, safety and welfare and shall take effect upon its adoption by the town waterworks.
(D) If it becomes necessary to conserve water in its service area due to drought, the town waterworks is authorized to issue a proclamation that existing conditions prevent fulfillment of the usual water use demands. The proclamation is an attempt to prevent depleting the water supply to the extent that water use for human consumption, sanitation, fire protection, and other essential needs becomes endangered.
(E) Immediately upon issuance of such a proclamation, regulations and restrictions set forth under this chapter shall become effective and remain in effect until the water supply shortage has ended and the proclamation rescinded.
(F) Water uses that are regulated or prohibited under this chapter are considered to be non-essential and continuation of such uses during times of water supply shortages is deemed to constitute a waste of water, subjecting the offender(s) to penalties.
(G) The Drought Management Plan as outlined in this chapter is hereby approved.
(Ord. 03-05, passed 6-2-03)
Upon notification by the Drought Response Committee that a moderate drought condition is present and is expected to persist and/or upon determination by the town waterworks that a moderate water supply shortage exists based on trigger levels, the town waterworks will seek voluntary reductions from its customers in the use of water for all purposes and voluntary reductions on using water during certain peak water demand periods. Specifically, the goal during this phase is to achieve a reduction of 20% in residential water use and 15% in other water uses such as commercial, industrial, institutional and irrigation; and a reduction in overall water use of 15%. To accomplish this, the town waterworks will take the following actions.
(A) Issue a proclamation to be released to local media, town waterworks customers and to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources Drought Information Center that moderate drought conditions are present.
(B) Provide written notification to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources Drought Information Center and routinely publish in a newspaper of general circulation in the service area of the water system the voluntary conservation measures that the customers are requested to follow during moderate drought conditions, including:
(1) Reduce residential water use to 65 gallons per person per day and a maximum of 200 gallons per household per day;
(2) Eliminate the washing down of sidewalks, walkways, driveways, parking lots, tennis courts and other hard surfaced areas;
(3) Eliminate the washing down of buildings for purposes other than immediate fire protection;
(4) Eliminate the flushing of gutters;
(5) Eliminate the domestic washing of motorbikes, boats, cars, and the like;
(6) Eliminate the use of water to maintain fountains, reflection ponds and decorative water bodies for aesthetic or scenic purposes, except where necessary to support aquatic life;
(7) Reduce watering lawns, plants, trees, gardens, shrubbery and flora on private or public
property to the minimum necessary. Encourage outdoor watering to be done during off-peak hours;
(8) Reduce the amount of water obtained from fire hydrants for construction purposes, fire drills or for any purpose other than firefighting or flushing necessary to maintain water quality; and
(9) Limit normal water use by commercial and individual customers including, but not limited to, the following:
(a) Stop serving water in addition to another beverage routinely in restaurants;
(b) Stop maintaining water levels in scenic and recreational ponds and lakes, except for the minimum amount required to support aquatic life;
(c) Cease water service to customers who have been given a ten-day notice to repair one or more leaks and have failed to do so.
(C) Intensify maintenance efforts to identify and correct water leaks in the distribution system.
(D) Cease to install new irrigation taps on the water system.
(E) Continue to encourage and educate customers to comply with voluntary water conservation.
(Ord. 03-05, passed 6-2-03)
Upon notification by the Drought Response Committee that a severe drought condition is present and is expected to persist and/or upon determination by the town waterworks that a severe water supply shortage exists, the town waterworks will seek voluntary reduction in the use of water for all purposes and mandatory restrictions on non-essential usage and restrictions on times when certain water usage is allowed. Specifically, the goal during this phase is to achieve a reduction of 25% in residential water use, 20% in all other water use categories, and a reduction in overall water use of 20%. To accomplish these goals, the town waterworks will take the following actions.
(A) Issue a proclamation to be released to the local media, town waterworks customers and to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources Drought Information Center that severe drought conditions are present.
(B) Provide written notification to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources Drought Information Center and routinely publish in a newspaper of general circulation in the service area of the water system the voluntary conservation measures and mandatory restrictions to be placed on the use of water supplied by the utility, including:
(1) Voluntary reduction of residential water use by the utility’s customers to 55 gallons per day per person and a maximum of 170 gallons per household or REU per day.
(2) Control landscape irrigation by the utility’s customers by staggering watering times.
(3) Mandatory restrictions on the use of water supplied by the utility for activities including:
(a) Eliminate the washing down of sidewalks, walkways, driveways, parking lots, tennis courts and other hard surfaced areas;
(b) Eliminate the washing down of buildings for purposes other than immediate fire protection;
(c) Eliminate the flushing of gutters;
(d) Eliminate domestic washing of motorbikes, boats, cars, and the like;
(e) Eliminate the use of water to maintain fountains, reflection ponds and decorative water bodies for aesthetic or scenic purposes, except where necessary to support aquatic life;
(f) Eliminate filling or maintaining public or private swimming pools;
(g) Eliminate obtaining water from fire hydrants for construction purposes, fire drills or any purpose other than fire-fighting or flushing necessary to maintain water quality.
(4) Limit use of water by commercial and individual customers including, but not limited to, the following:
(a) Stop serving water in addition to another beverage routinely in restaurants;
(b) Stop maintaining water levels in scenic and recreational ponds and lakes, except for the minimum amount required to support aquatic life;
(c) Limit irrigating golf courses and any portion of its grounds;
(d) Cease water service to customers who have been given a ten-day notice to repair one or more leaks and have failed to do so; and
(e) Limit expanding commercial nursery facilities, placing new irrigated agricultural land in production or planting or landscaping when required by site design review process.
(C) Intensify maintenance efforts to identify and correct water leaks in the distribution system.
(D) Continue to cease installation of new irrigation taps on the water system.
(E) Publicize widely the penalties to be imposed for violations of mandatory restrictions and the procedures to be followed if a variance in the restrictions is requested.
(F) Expand the use of education and public relations efforts and emphasize the penalties associated with violating the mandatory restrictions.
(G) Provide written notification monthly to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources Drought Information Center regarding the success of the voluntary and mandatory restrictions.
(Ord. 03-05, passed 6-2-03)
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