Conservation Measures
Direct users to adopt the following conservation measures:
Indoor Residential Use:
Conservation for voluntary and mandatory conservation phases
• Use dishwashers only when they are full. Washing dishes by hand (don’t let the tap run!) Saves about 25 gallons
• Adjust water level on clothes washing machines, if possible. Use full loads only, if not adjustable.
• Turn off faucets while brushing teeth and the like. Saves about five gallons per day.
• Reduce water used per flush by installing toilet tank displacement inserts. A plastic jug filled with water may often be used as an alternative. DO NOT USE BRICKS - they disintegrate when soaked and the resulting grit hinders closing of the flap valve.
• Do not use the toilet as a trash can.
• Use sink and tub stoppers to avoid wasting water.
• Keep a bottle of chilled water in the refrigerator for drinking.
• Find and fix leaks in faucets and water-using appliances. Faucets can usually be fixed cheaply and quickly by replacing washers.
• Adapt plumbing with flow-restricting or other water-saving devices. These are usually inexpensive and easy to install.
• Learn to read your water meter so you can judge how much water you use and what difference conservation makes.
• Take shorter showers and shallow-baths. Saves about 25 gallons.
• Reduce the number of toilet flushes per day. Each flush uses about five gallons (two to three if you have water saving toilets).
• Don’t use a garbage disposal.
• Use non-phosphate detergent and save laundry water for lawns and plants.
Conservation for emergency conservation or rationing phase (in addition to measures listed above)
• Turn off shower while soaping up.
• Use disposable eating utensils.
Outdoor Residential Use
Conservation for normal conditions and voluntary conservation phase lawns
• Water before 10:00 a.m. to prevent evaporation which occurs during the hottest part of the day. Morning is better than evening, when the dampness encourages growth of fungus.
• Water only when lawn shows signs of wilt. Grass that springs back when stepped on does not need water.
• Water thoroughly, not frequently: long enough to soak roots. A light sprinkling evaporates quickly and encourages shallow root systems. Water slowly to avoid runoff.
• Don’t let the sprinkler run any longer than necessary. In an hour, 600 gallons can be wasted.
• Allow maximum of one inch of water per week on your lawn. To measure, place cake tins outside to collect rain and water from sprinklers.
• Use pistol-grip nozzles on hoses to avoid waste when watering flowers and shrubs.
• Aerate lawns by punching holes five inches apart. This allows water to reach roots rather than run off surfaces.
• Position sprinklers to water the lawn, not the pavement.
• Avoid watering on windy days when the wind not only blows water off target, but also causes excess evaporation.
• Keep sprinkler heads clean to prevent uneven watering.
• Adjust hose to simulate a gentle rain. Sprinklers that produce a fine mist waste water through.
• Know how to turn off an automatic sprinkler system in case of rain.
• Use an alarm clock or stove timer to remind you to shut off sprinklers that don’t have timers.
Vegetables and flower gardens
• Water deeply, slowly and weekly. Most vegetables require moisture to a depth of six to eight inches.
• Keep soil loose so water can penetrate easily.
• Keep weeds out to reduce competition for water.
• Put the water where you want it and avoid evaporation by using soil-soakers or slow-running hoses, not sprinklers.
Trees and shrubs
• Water deeply using a soil-soaker or drip-irrigation.
• Water only when needed. Check the depth of soil dryness by digging with a trowel.
• Mulch to reduce evaporation. A 2" to 3" layer of wood chips, pine needles, grass clippings or straw keeps the soil cool in summer.
• Dig troughs around plants to catch and retain water.
• Water trees growing in full sun more often than those in shade.
• Do not use sprinklers. Apply water directly at base.
• Do not fertilize during the summer. Fertilizing increases a plant’s need for water.
• Postpone planting until fall or spring when there is generally less need for water.
• Install trickle-drip irrigation systems close to the roots of your plants. By dripping water slowly, the system doesn’t spray water in to the air. Use soil probes for large trees.
• Water when cloudy, at night, or even when a light rain is falling.
Outdoor Residential Use
Conservation for voluntary conservation phase (in addition to measures listed above)
• Do not allow children to play with hose or sprinklers.
• Limit car washing.
• Be ready to catch rainfall that occurs. Place containers under drain, spouts.
• Use leftover household water if available.
• Consider delaying the seeding or sodding of new lawns.
• Determine the amount of water being used outdoors by comparing water bills for summer and winter.
Conservation for mandatory conservation phase (in addition to measures listed above)
• Vegetable gardens and food trees should be given minimal amounts of water on an individual basis only.
• Do not water lawns and inedible plants.
• Do not use sprinklers.
Most outdoor watering is prohibited under emergency conservation conditions.
Hospital and Health Care Facility Use
• Reduce laundry usage or services by changing the linens, and the like only when necessary to preserve the health of patients or residents.
• Use disposable food service items.
• Eliminate, postpone or reduce, as they may be appropriate, elective surgical procedures curing the period of emergency.
Industrial Use
• Identify and repair all leaky fixtures and water-using equipment. Give special attention to equipment connected directly to water lines, such as processing machines, steam-using machines, washing machines, water-cooled air conditioners and furnaces.
• Assure that valves and solenoids that control water flows are shut off completely when the water-using cycle is not engaged.
• Adjust water-using equipment to use the minimum amount of water required to achieve its stated purpose.
• Shorten rinse cycles for laundry machines as much as possible; implement lower water levels wherever possible.
• For processing, cooling and other uses, either re-use water or use water from sources that would not adversely affect public water supplies.
• Advise employees, students, patients, customers and other users not to flush toilets after every use. Install toilet tank displacement inserts; place flow restrictors in shower heads and faucets; close down automatic flushes overnight.
• Install automatic flushing valves to use as little water as possible or to cycle at longer intervals.
• Place water-saving posters and literature where employees, students, patients, customers and the like will have access to them.
• Check meters on a frequent basis to determine consumptive patterns.
• Review usage patterns to see where other savings can be made.
(Ord. O-2008-1, passed 1-3-2008)
WATER SHORTAGE RESPONSE PLAN
I. Authorization
The Town Manager shall enact the following water shortage response provisions whenever the trigger conditions outlined in Section IV are met. In his or her absence, the ORC will assume this role.
II. Notification
The following notification methods will be used to inform water system employees and customers of a water shortage declaration: employee e-mail announcements, notices at municipal buildings, notices in water bills. Required water shortage response measures will be communicated through PSA announcements on local radio and cable stations. Declaration of emergency water restrictions or water rationing will be communicated to all customers by telephone.
III. Levels of Response
Five levels of water shortage response are outlined in the table below. The five levels of water shortage response are: voluntary reductions, mandatory reductions I and II, emergency reductions, and water rationing. A detailed description of each response level and corresponding water reduction measures follow below.
Stage | Response | Description |
1 | Voluntary reductions | Water users are encouraged to reduce their water use and improve water use efficiency; however, no penalties apply for noncompliance. Water supply conditions indicate a potential for shortage. |
2 | Mandatory reductions I | Water users must abide required water use reduction and efficiency measures; penalties apply for noncompliance. Water supply conditions are significantly lower than the seasonal norm and water shortage conditions are expected to persist. |
3 | Mandatory reductions II | Same as in Stage 2 |
4 | Emergency reductions | Water supply conditions are substantially diminished and pose an imminent threat to human health or environmental integrity. |
5 | Water rationing | Water supply conditions are substantially diminished and remaining supplies must be allocated to preserve human health and environmental integrity. |
In Stage 1, voluntary reductions, all water users will be asked to reduce their normal water use by 5%. Customer education and outreach programs will encourage water conservation and efficiency measures including: irrigating landscapes a maximum of one-inch per week; preventing water waste, runoff and watering impervious surfaces; watering plants deeply to encourage root growth; washing only full loads in clothes and dishwashers; using spring-loaded nozzles on garden hoses; and identifying and repairing all water leaks.
In Stage 2, mandatory reductions, all customers are expected to reduce their water use by 10% in comparison to their previous month’s water bill in addition to continuing to encourage all voluntary reduction actions, the following restrictions apply: irrigation is limited to a half-inch per week between 8:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m.; outdoor use of drinking water for washing impervious surfaces is prohibited; and all testing and training purposes requiring drinking water (such as, fire protection) will be limited.
In Stage 3, mandatory reductions II, customers must continue actions from all previous stages and further reduce water use by 20% compared to their previous month’s water bill All non-essential uses of drinking water are banned and garden and landscape irrigation, must be reduced to the minimum amount necessary for survival. Additionally, in Stage 3, a drought surcharge of 1.5 times the normal water rate applies.
In Stage 4, emergency reductions, customers must continue all actions from previous stages and further reduce their water use by 25% compared to their previous month’s water bill. A ban on all use of drinking water except to protect public health and safety is implemented and drought surcharges increase to two times the normal water rate.
The goal of Stage 5, water rationing, is to provide drinking water to protect public health (such as, residences, residential health care facilities and correctional facilities). In Stage 5, all customers are only permitted to use water at the minimum required for public health protection. Firefighting is the only allowable outdoor water use and pickup locations for distributing potable water will be announced according to Walnut Cove’s Emergency Response Plan. Drought surcharges increase to five times the normal water rate.
IV. Triggers
Walnut Cove’s water source is groundwater. The following measurements of well pumping times and well levels in relationship to pump intake levels trigger entry into corresponding wafer restriction stages.
Stage | Well Operating Conditions |
1 | Pumping time >10 hours 20% reduction in seasonal normal distance from static water level and pump intake 20% increase pumping time for same output |
2 | Pumping time >12 hours 40% reduction in distance from static water level and pump intake 40% increase pumping time for same output |
3 | Pumping time >14 hours 60% reduction in distance from static water level and pump intake 60% increase pumping time for same output |
4 | Pumping time >20 hours 80% reduction in distance from static water level and pump intake |
5 | Water level at pump intake elevation |
Return to Normal
When water shortage conditions have abated and the situation is returning to normal, water conservation measures employed during each phase should be decreased in reverse order of implementation. Permanent measures directed toward long-term monitoring and conservation should be implemented or continued so that the community will be in a better position to prevent shortages and respond to recurring water shortage conditions.
V. Enforcement
The provisions of the water shortage response plan will be enforced by town personnel and local law enforcement. Violators may be reported to the town’s phone line. Citations are assessed according to the following schedule depending on the number of prior violations and current level of water shortage.
Water Shortage Level | First Violation | Second Violation | Third Violation |
Voluntary reductions | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Mandatory reductions (Stages 2 and 3) | Warning | $250 | Discontinuation of service |
Emergency reductions | $250 | Discontinuation of service | Discontinuation of service |
Water rationing | $500 | Discontinuation of service | Discontinuation of service |
Drought surcharge rates are effective in Stages 3, 4 and 5.
VI. Public Comment
All subsequent revisions to the draft plan will be published at is st 30 days prior to an adoption vote by Walnut Cove’s Town Commissioners.
VII. Variance Protocols
Applications for water use variance requests are available from the town hall. All applications must be submitted to the town hall for review by the Town Manager or his or her designee. A decision to approve or deny individual variance requests will be determined within two weeks of submittal after careful consideration of the following criteria: impact on water demand, expected duration, alternative source options, social and economic importance, purpose (such as, necessary use of drinking water) and the prevention of structural damage.
VIII. Effectiveness
The effectiveness of the Walnut Cove water shortage response plan will be determined by comparing the stated water conservation goals with observed water use reduction data. Other factors to be considered include frequency of plan activation, any problem periods without activation, total number of violation citations, desired reductions attained and evaluation of demand reductions compared to the previous years seasonal data.
IX. Revision
The water shortage response plan will be reviewed and revised as needed to adapt to new circumstances affecting water supply and demand, following implementation of emergency restrictions, and at a minimum of every five years in conjunction with the updating of our local water supply plan. Further, a water shortage response planning work group will review procedures following each emergency or rationing stage to recommend any necessary improvements to the plan to Walnut Cove’s Town Commissioners. The Town of Walnut Cove ORC is responsible for initiating all subsequent revisions. All subsequent revisions to the draft plan will be published at least 30 days prior to an adoption vote by Walnut Cove’s Town Commissioners.
(Ord. O-2008-1, passed 1-3-2008; Ord. O-2010-22, passed 11-4-2010)