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City of Auburn
Comprehensive Water Plan
APPENDIX U
WATER SHORTAGE CONTINGENCY PLAN
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AUBURN WATER UTILITY
WATER SHORTAGE CONTINGENCY PLAN
(WSCP)
SUPPLEMENT TO THE AUBURN
COMPREHENSIVE WATER PLAN
July 2009
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section 1 3
Introduction 3
Section 2 Phased Curtailment Plan 3
Stage I. Anticipated Water Shortage 4
Stage II. Serious Water Shortage 4
Stage III. Critical Water Shortage 6
Stage IV. Emergency Water Shortage 9
Stage V. Regional Disaster 10
Attachments
A. Contact List
B. Enforcement Procedural Check List
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AUBURN WATER UTILITY
WATER SHORTAGE CONTINGENCY PLAN
SECTION 1
Introduction
The City of Auburn adopted Ordinance 5787 on August 4, 2003, enacting Auburn City
Code (ACC), Chapter 13.14 titled “Water Shortage Emergency Response Regulations”
in response to a water shortage in the Lakeland Hills Water Service Area. ACC 13.14
gives the Mayor the authority to declare various stages of water emergencies and to
implement water conservation measures.
The objective of this Water Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP) is to establish actions
and procedures for implementing ACC 13.14 during impending or actual water
shortages. The plan will help Auburn maintain levels of service essential for public health
and safety, minimize adverse impacts on economic activity, and protect our customer’s
lifestyle. This plan addresses both progressive situations, such as those that are
weather-related, and more drastic and immediate situations such as facility emergencies
(e.g., a pipeline break).
SECTION 2
Phased Curtailment Plan
This plan provides five stages of response. The first three stages are intended for
response to seasonal or long-term supply shortages. The fourth stage will be used in
response to a sudden loss of distribution capability, such as a pipeline break or well
failure. The fifth stage is to be implemented in response to regional emergencies. The
five stages include a variety of communications, internal operations, and supply and
demand management strategies as appropriate, and are characterized as follows:
Stage I. Anticipated Water Shortage. Internal preparations – If a shortage
appears imminent, the City will conduct public education regarding the benefits
and necessity of water curtailment.
Stage II. Serious Water Shortage. Voluntary curtailment – During this stage,
the City will recommend specific voluntary curtailment actions for both residential
and commercial customers.
Stage III. Critical Water Shortage. Limited outdoor restrictions – If the
Voluntary Stage does not result in the reduction needed, the City may prohibit or
limit certain activities. This stage would be accompanied by an enforcement plan,
which could include fines for repeated violation.
Stage IV. Emergency Water Shortage. Mandatory outdoor restrictions and
indoor curtailment – In the event that immediate curtailment is required to
maintain supply for human consumption, medical uses, sanitation and fire
protection, the City may prohibit all non-essential uses.
Stage V. Regional Disaster. Water rationing – In the event of a regional
disaster or water shortage, the City may require rationing water by Auburn’s
customers.
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Stage I. Anticipated Water Shortage.
Objectives
To prepare the City, relevant agencies and water users for potential water
shortage thereby allowing all parties adequate planning and coordination time.
To undertake supply management actions that forestall or minimize the need
later for more stringent demand or supply management actions.
Triggers
Declining source levels and/or increased demand, and no indication of trend reversal in
the immediate future.
Public Message
“Potential exists for lower than normal supply; conditions may return to normal or, later
on, we may need to reduce consumption. We’ll keep you informed.”
Anticipated Water Shortage Stage Actions
Coordinate tracking of supply and demand conditions by Auburn staff.
Stage II. Serious Water Shortage. Voluntary Stage.
Objectives
To maintain or reduce demand to meet target consumption levels by customers
through voluntary actions.
To forestall or minimize need later for more stringent demand or supply
management actions.
To minimize the disruption to customers’ lives and businesses while meeting
target consumption goals.
To maintain the highest water quality standards throughout the shortage.
Triggers
1. Decreasing static or pumping levels at our sources.
2. Source water levels are significantly below historical “normals” for the current time of
year, and historic use patterns indicate that expected demands may not be met if this
trend continues or worsens.
Public Message
“We are relying on the support and cooperation of all water users to stretch the available
water supply. Demand needs to be reduced by ___%. Customers are responsible for
determining how they will meet that goal. If everyone cooperates, we may avoid
imposing more stringent restrictions.”
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Serious Water Shortage Stage Actions
Staff will meet frequently to re-evaluate the situation based on current and projected
supply conditions and the season, and determine the appropriate actions and strategies.
They will determine target consumption goals to be achieved on a voluntary basis, which
may be revised as necessary.
Based on the consumption goal, some or all of the following actions will be taken:
Communication Actions
Staff communicates the nature and scope of voluntary measures and strategy to
Mayor, Council and wholesale customers.
Evaluate whether targeted consumption levels and supply conditions warrant a
rate surcharge to reinforce voluntary actions and/or to recover revenue losses.
Prepare appropriate legislation regarding emergency surcharges, if required.
Initiate major public information, media and advertising campaign: o Promote consumption goals for typical households, and a percentage
reduction goal for commercial customers. o Develop and implement a marketing plan, potentially including paid
advertising, to 1) keep customers informed about supply and demand
conditions, 2) reinforce desired customer actions; recommend customer
actions to reduce demand, and 3) depending on conditions, remind
customers that if goals are not achieved, restrictions may be necessary.
o Identify what potential next steps will be used to reduce demand including
timing, what type of restrictions and/or surcharges will be imposed. o Include water quality information in public information so that if flushing is
necessary, the public understands that it is essential for water quality
maintenance.
Publicize water supply conditions on the City web page, update regularly. Ensure
the information provided covers the needs of all key interests: the public, news
media and purveyors.
Contact largest customers (including wholesale customers) (refer to Attachment
A) to request percentage reduction. Contact City employees and other public
agencies to inform them of conditions and request their cooperation.
Contact nurseries and landscape contractors to inform them of conditions and
request their cooperation.
Establish regular communication mechanism to keep City employees, especially
utility account representatives, up to date on goals, conditions, and actions.
Initiate remaining planning and preparation for Stage III.
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Auburn Internal Operating Actions
Intensify data collection actions and monitoring of weather forecasts.
Intensify supply side management techniques to optimize existing sources.
Asses current water main flushing and reservoir cleaning activities to determine
whether they should be accelerated for completion prior to the peak season or
postponed to conserve supply.
Assess water quality in reservoirs and distribution system to target for correction
areas that may be predicted to experience severe degradation with reduced
consumption.
Increase water quality monitoring actions.
Communicate flushing and reservoir cleaning policy to wholesale customers.
Review current wholesale customer agreements in regards to curtailment
actions.
Implement staffing reassignments as needed, and plan staging changes, which
may be needed for the Stage III, Including staff to enforce mandatory restrictions.
Supply and Demand Management Actions
Restrict hydrant meter assembly permits to essential purposes.
Activate any existing interties to increase supply availability.
Request that Fire Department limit training exercises that use water.
Request that City departments eliminate washing fleet vehicles unless recycling
car washes are used.
Request that City of Auburn spray parks reduce hours of operation.
Request that hosing sidewalks, driveways, parking lots, etc. be limited to
situations that require it for public health and safety.
Have Auburn field personnel “tag” observed obvious water waste such as hoses
without shutoff nozzles, irrigation overspray, etc. with notice that informs
customer about the supply conditions and need to reduce consumption.
Evaluate ability to accelerate or enhance or expand long-term curtailment
programs; implement as appropriate.
Request that wholesale customers who have alternative sources use them.
Stage III. Critical Water Shortage. Limited outdoor restrictions.
Objectives
To achieve targeted consumption reduction goals by restricting defined water
uses.
To ensure that adequate water supply will be available during the duration of the
situation to protect public health and safety.
To minimize the disruption to customers’ lives and businesses while meeting
target consumption goals.
To maintain the highest water quality standards throughout the shortage.
To promote equity among customers by establishing clear restrictions that affect
all customers.
Triggers
The Mayor may approve progression to this stage if goals established in Stage II are not
met and additional action is needed.
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Public Message
“It is necessary to impose mandatory restrictions to reduce demand because the
voluntary approach has not resulted in the necessary savings. We are continuing to rely
on the support and cooperation of the public to comply with these restrictions but need
the certainty and predictability of restricting certain water uses in order to ensure that
throughout the duration of this shortage an adequate supply of water is maintained for
public health and safety.”
Critical Water Shortage Stage Actions
Communication Actions
The Director recommends to the Mayor to move to Stage III and other
appropriate actions.
The Council adopts legislation on emergency surcharges, if needed.
The public is informed about the nature and scope of the mandatory restrictions
through a press conference, paid advertising and other means, including direct
mail. The enforcement mechanisms, rate surcharges, target consumption goals,
projections for how long restrictions will be in place and the reasons for imposing
restrictions will also be identified, as will the possible consequences if goals are
not met.
Any exemptions from restrictions will be clearly identified.
In communicating mandatory restrictions to the public, a clear distinction will be
made between lawn/turf watering and watering gardens and ornamental
plantings. The type and amount of watering allowed will be clearly defined.
A “Customer Hotline” will be set up to report violations of restrictions.
Customers with private wells that are conducting activities prohibited by the City
will be urged to install signs to let the public know that private well water is being
used.
Communication actions from Stages I and II will be continued and expanded
upon as needed.
Auburn Internal Operating Actions
Continue appropriate actions from Stages I and II.
Evaluate options for using seasonal sources of supply.
Finalize and implement procedures for exemptions from restrictions and/or
emergency surcharges.
Finalize and implement enforcement procedures for restrictions including highly
visible “Water Watchers.” (See Attachment B)
Increase water quality monitoring actions at storage reservoirs.
Supply and Demand Management Actions
The City will consider current supply and demand conditions before recommending
restrictions. The specific restrictions imposed during Stage III would be determined
based on the season of the year, targeted demand levels, and other considerations
previously mentioned. Variations of the specific restrictions may be applied based on
water supply conditions. For example, lawn and landscape irrigation restrictions may
simply consist of time of day restrictions; or, if conditions warrant, lawn watering could be
restricted to certain times of day and allowed only once a week. If supply conditions
continue to deteriorate, lawn and landscape irrigation may be banned. Newly installed
lawns may be exempted from this ban if the procedures listed below are followed. The
City may also consider temporarily reducing water supply to wholesale customers.
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POSSIBLE RESTRICTIONS
Watering Restrictions
The following are several possible approaches to watering restrictions.
The nature of the restrictions used will depend on the situation, and may change
as severity of the situation changes.
Prohibit all watering during the warmest hours of the day, for example between
10:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., (see exemption below).
Limit all watering to specific number of days per week or per month.
This choice will depend on target consumption goals, the time of year and the
extent to which watering is occurring, and how much demands have already
decreased.
Other Restrictions
Prohibit use of any ornamental fountain using drinking water for operation or
make-up.
Close City of Auburn spray park(s).
Prohibit car washing except at commercial car wash facilities that recycle water.
Rescind hydrant permits.
Prohibit washing of sidewalks, streets, decks or driveways except as necessary
for public health and safety.
Limit washing of buildings to situations that require it as part of scheduled
building rehabilitation project (e.g., painting or staining).
Prohibit water waste including untended hoses without shut-off nozzles, obvious
leaks and water running to waste such as gutter flooding and sprinklers/irrigation
whose spray pattern unnecessarily and significantly hits impervious areas.
Exemptions from Water Use Restrictions
Lawn watering ban exemption- The City may exempt newly installed lawns from a
watering ban. Those wishing to request this exemption would need to contact the Public
Works Director in writing and request a variance. The Public Works Director would
consider the size of lawn and type of watering system to quantify the amount of water to
be used under this exemption and to spot check for compliance.
The procedures relating to the exemption and the requirements of the exemption would
be clearly outlined at the time of the ban. The following procedures are subject to
change:
Each person requesting a variance would be mailed a packet stating the
requirements.
Once the requirements are met, an authorization packet would be mailed to the
customer including a sign to be posted indicating that utility requirements are
being complied with.
New lawns must be properly installed, meaning that two inches of organic soil
amendment, such as composted yard waste, is cultivated into the top six inches
of existing soil, at a minimum.
New lawns must be watered according to guidelines to be provided in the packet
mentioned above.
For purposes of this exemption, “new lawn” refers to a lawn newly installed
during the current year only. Over seeded or otherwise renovated lawns would
not be exempt.
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In the event that the shortage continues to worsen, this exemption would be
revoked. It would also be revoked on a case-by-case basis if the rules stated
above are not followed, or in the case of a water system emergency.
Monitoring and enforcement are at the discretion of the utility. The existence of an
exemption to a watering ban would be announced early in the response process, for
example, when the Stage II is invoked.
Other Exemptions –
For purposes of dust control, water may be applied to construction areas or other areas
needing to comply with air quality requirements. Ball fields and playfields may be
watered at the minimum rate necessary for dust control and safety purposes. The City
will exempt customers with special medical needs such as home dialysis from any
emergency surcharge provided individual customers notify the utility of such a need.
Water Supply Actions
If not already implemented, activate interties and any other alternative sources of supply.
Stage IV. Emergency Water Shortage. Mandatory outdoor restrictions and indoor
curtailment.
Objectives
To maximize consumption reduction by restricting defined water uses.
To ensure that adequate water supply will be available during the duration of the
emergency situation to protect public health and safety.
To minimize the disruption to customer’s lives and businesses while meeting
target consumption goals.
To maintain the highest water quality standards throughout the shortage.
To promote equity among customers by establishing clear restrictions that affect
all customers.
Triggers
The Mayor may approve implementation of this stage in the event of a sudden disruption
within the City’s water system, or to a source of supply, which prevents the City from
providing the usual level of service to our customers.
Public Message
“Due to failure (break) in the water supply system (or source), it is necessary to impose
mandatory restrictions to reduce water use. We are requesting the support and
cooperation of our customers (within this defined geographic area) to immediately
reduce their use of water in order to ensure that, throughout the duration of this
emergency, an adequate supply of water is maintained for public health and safety.”
Emergency Water Shortage Stage Actions
Communication Actions
The director recommends to the Mayor to move to Stage IV and other
appropriate actions.
The public is informed about the nature and scope of the emergency and
mandatory restrictions through a press conference, door hangers, paid
advertising and other means, including direct mail.
Any exemptions from restrictions will be clearly identified.
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Auburn Internal Operating Actions
Assess options for supplying emergency water to affected customers.
Monitor water quality as required.
Supply and Demand Management Actions
The City will consider current supply and demand conditions before recommending
restrictions. The specific restrictions imposed during Stage IV would be determined
based on water supply conditions and the expected duration of the emergency situation.
POSSIBLE RESTRICTIONS
Watering Restrictions
The following are several possible approaches to water use restrictions.
Prohibit all lawn watering and other outdoor water uses.
Promote indoor curtailment.
Other Restrictions
Prohibit hydrant permit withdrawals from within the affected water service area.
Exemptions from Water Use Restrictions
The Public Works Director will exempt customers with special medical needs such as
home dialysis from any emergency surcharge provided individual customers notify the
utility of such a need.
Water Supply Actions
If not already implemented, activate interties and any other alternative sources of supply.
Stage V. Regional Disaster. Water rationing.
Introduction
Although many of the demand reduction measures employed would be similar to those
used during a progressive, weather-related shortage, short term emergencies are unique
because of a lack of preparation time and the urgency of immediate, large-scale demand
reductions. Each emergency scenario is different, but most of them require major
curtailment actions by customers.
Also, unlike drought, some emergencies would be localized, requiring demand reduction
for only a limited geographic area.
There are several criteria by which to decide which demand management measures are
appropriate to initially reduce demand during an emergency:
Timing: can the measure(s) or action(s) deliver the necessary water savings in
the necessary timeframe, i.e., are immediate savings needed or can the system
support a gradual reduction in demand.
Magnitude of savings: will the measure produce enough savings to make a
meaningful difference i.e., reduce demand to the level the impaired water system
can handle.
Season: does the action make any impact at the time of year that the emergency
occurs, i.e., banning lawn watering will have little impact in November.
Costs: How severe are the cost implications of the measure to the customer,
including local business and industry.
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Supply and Demand Management During Emergencies
No single strategy can be created which will meet the needs of the department for all
emergency scenarios. The criteria listed above create a framework for decision making.
Emergencies initially require quick and immediate response. Once an assessment is
made as to how long it will take to restore the system, the immediate response strategy
may change if it appears that the repair process will be lengthy. The strategy for most
emergencies can be narrowed to measures having the most immediate impact on water
supply and consumption. All needed and available back up supplies would be activated
during an emergency: interties, well-fields, off-loading wholesale customers who have
other sources, etc.
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Attachment A
Auburn Water Shortage Contingency Plan
CONTACT LIST
A working list of contacts for easy reference in case of a drought or emergency should
be developed and regularly updated by the Water Utility Engineer in consultation with
others in the Department. In addition to the communication elements contained in the
WSCP, the following will be contacted directly in the event of a drought or emergency to
inform them and ask for their support and cooperation in reducing demand.
Customers
List of large irrigators, including those using alternate sources.
List of large commercial and industrial customers.
City of Auburn Contacts
Department Directors
Other public agencies with high visibility water use
Business Groups
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Attachment B
Auburn Water Shortage Contingency Plan
Enforcement Procedural Check List
MANDATORY RESTRICTIONS
Determine number of warnings before surcharges applied
Self-duplicating “Notice of Violation” forms printed; one to record violation with
billing
Staff with customer service and communication experience assigned to “Water
Watch”
Establish procedure for “Water Watchers” to record warnings and penalties on
customer accounts
Establish “hotline” for customers to report violations
Vehicles for “Water Watch” made available; vehicles that are signed as “Water
Watchers” will increase visibility and effectiveness of enforcement
High priority routes established, e.g. areas with large lawns
All field and customer service staff provided “fact sheets”, Question and Answer
sheets; briefed on restrictions, enforcement procedures; field staff trained on
tagging obvious violations