To ensure that the Walhalla Water Department 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 complement the Walhalla Water Department's ability to respond to drought conditions and to enforce the related regulations (Article III).
Administrating a drought plan requires the skills needed to undertake a comprehensive public information program and the judgment 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 the Walhalla Water Department is the Utilities Director, P.O. Box 1099, Walhalla, SC 29691, 638-4343.
The Walhalla Water Department is located in the West Drought Response Management Area of South Carolina. The system serves approximately 6,300 customers in the greater Walhalla area. The system consists of a raw water intake on Coneross Creek with three 25 HP vertical turbine raw water pumps rated at 1.5 MGD each; a 3.0 MGD water treatment plant. Finished water pumping consists of three 150 HP vertical turbine pumps rated at 2 MGD each. A 300,000 gallon clear well, two elevated storage tanks (one tank 500,000 gallons, one tank 250,000 gallons), two ground storage tanks (both at 200,000 gallons) and two pumping stations. The water supply sources available to the system are: Coneross Creek (Poor Farm Reservoir) and Negro Fork Creek. The SCDHEC total permitted capacity of the water system operated by Walhalla Water Department is 3,000,000 gallons per day.
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 Walhalla Water Department has developed triggers for use during drought or demand water shortages that describe when specific phases of the drought response regulations (Article III) are implemented. The system triggers are as follows:
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 Walhalla Water Department identifies the following agreements that are in place to facilitate the implementation of this plan: The Walhalla Water Department has an emergency water agreement with the City of Seneca.
A.
Before the occurrence of a water supply shortage and the need to implement the emergency provisions of the regulations (Article III), 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 Walhalla Water Department has taken the following actions:
(1)
Identification of all major water users of the system (top 10%, include wholesale customers): Town of West Union (wholesale customer), City of Westminster (wholesale customer), Schlumberger, Timken, Piedmont Home Textile Corporation, Avondale, Head/Lee Plant Nursery, Law Enforcement Center, Walhalla High School.
(2)
Identification of those users with whom there are conservation agreements: At this time the City of Walhalla has no conservation agreement.
B.
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. Description of utility's efforts to develop an effective drought-related public education program: In times of drought, the City of Walhalla Water Department runs ads in the local newspaper and on local radio and television advising customers of the severity of the problem and the conservation measures needed.
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.
A.
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 Walhalla is currently looking for a site to build a larger water treatment plant to meet the demand for higher consumption needs.
B.
Describe other system improvements the utility should consider to prepare for future droughts and increasing water demands: Due to the 7q10 stream flow at our water intake, it is not possible to expand our existing water plant without a large raw water line and pumping station from Lake Keowee.