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Attachment C Possible Drought Response Measures

Drought declaration triggers a number of program responses. Conservation efforts which are on-going will receive additional emphasis. Measures which are not pursued during normal water supply times because they are not cost effective will be re-evaluated. Drought conditions alter the cost/benefit equation.

Because the drought plan provides for incremental response as conditions warrant, responses at each step will be slightly different. Generally, measures placed in effect at lower response levels will remain in effect at more stringent response levels, and additional measures or actions added. Some actions that are voluntary at lower levels of response become mandatory at higher levels. It is not, however, incumbent on the Water Services Director to implement lower steps before higher ones -- and their more restrictive action items --become effective. If the director judges the situation to warrant it, he can declare a higher level of drought response at any time. All measures contained in the plan for lower levels of response automatically come into play at that point. For example, if the director declares a Stage Three situation as the first response to a shortage, all Stage One and Stage Two measures also apply at that time.

Following are the four stages and some of the demand reduction measures that may be instituted at each stage. This list is not definitive, and other items may be added, as appropriate.

Stage One - Water Alert
The water alert triggers an intensive public education and information program to assist all customers impacted by the shortage to help them understand the state of the water shortage condition and the need for voluntary action.

City of Phoenix staff will direct their resources to enforcement of all existing city ordinances that influence water use or misuse. City departments will be charged with the responsibility of monitoring their own water use and curtailing unnecessary or wasteful use. Departments may be required to report such conservation actions to the Water Services Director. Water Services Department staff will assist departments in their efficiency efforts.

WATER USE	ELEMENTS OF WATER ALERT ACTIONS
Essential Uses:	Fire fighting and medical uses -- no restrictions. Hydrant flushing to a water truck for reuse.
Water Services Department:	Mandatory system conservation.
Other City Departments:	Mandatory implementation of individual department drought response plans for five percent reduction in water use.
Residential:	Voluntary reduction of use by compliance with schedule designated by the Water Services Department; intensified plumbing retrofit; and other reductions generated through education and awareness.
Commercial:	Voluntary reduction of use by compliance with designated irrigation schedule, retrofit, employee awareness and water use planning.
Industrial:	Voluntary reduction of use by compliance with designated irrigation schedule, retrofit, employee awareness, and water use planning.
Landscape Irrigation Existing Installations:	Voluntary reduction of use by compliance with designated irrigation schedule, retrofit, employee awareness, and water use planning.
Landscape Irrigation New Installations:	Voluntary installation of low water use plant materials and drip irrigation systems. Avoid all water waste.
Golf Courses:	Voluntary compliance for private courses to irrigate at 50 percent of base evapotranspiration (ET.) Public golf courses, mandatory compliance to designated golf course irrigation schedule designated by the Water Services Department. Avoid all water waste. (Exception for golf courses, public and private, which are watered 100% with reuse water.)
Swimming Pools:	Voluntary compliance. Filling permitted for new and existing facilities. Backwashing permitted onto landscaping or into sewer clean-out valve. Draining only permitted into water truck for useful disposal. Makeup water permitted for existing facilities. Avoid all water waste.
Aesthetics (Fountains, Water Features):	Voluntary compliance to turn-off, drain and not refill existing features. No new fountains or features will be approved which are exterior to the site. Water features using treated wastewater or reuse water are exempt, but must be clearly posted as such. Avoid all water waste.
Other Outdoor Uses:	Allowing water to run-off into a street, alley, right-of-way, gutter or drain, or failure to repair a controllable leak is prohibited. These are perception issues. These actions are defined as "waste." Hoses should not be used to clean hard surfaced areas except to alleviate health or fire hazards. Hoses used for washing vehicles of any kind, or any other uses, must have positive shut off valves. Water Services will solicit assistance from the Police Department and the City Prosecutor to cite and pursue repeat violators under existing Water in Streets ordinance.
Vegetable Gardens:	Voluntarily limit irrigation to evening hours.
Construction:	Construction meters and hydrant meters will continue to be issued, but may be subject to some limitations on time of day use for backfill and dust control should be limited.
Plant Nurseries:	Commercial plant nurseries and similarly situated establishments are exempt from designated irrigation restrictions, but are expected to voluntarily curtail all nonessential water use. Nurseries will be asked to feature and promote low water use plants.
Flood Irrigation:	Water waste is prohibited. Voluntary compliance to a re-evaluation of the water requirement is encouraged. City staff will work with SRP to achieve reductions in water run and avoid water waste. Ordinance regarding water discharge to street will be enforced.

Stage Two - Water Warning
Upon declaration by the Water Services Director of a stage two water warning elements of stage two water warning may become mandatory and will be enforced. Such elements may include mandatory curtailments of water for certain types of non-essential use and water billing surcharges for certain types of uses, or for all uses of water.

If and when the Water Services Director becomes aware of any water misuse, the director has authority to take action, including installation of flow reduction devices, rationing, or other mandatory measures up to and including disconnection of service. The director also has the authority to take other enforcement actions as necessary to assure compliance with the required water use reduction. Procedures for doing so are detailed in the drought plan under "Stage Two."

The Water Services Director is authorized to terminate a stage two water warning when water allotments, deliveries, storage, or distribution system conditions are determined to be sufficient to meet consumption demand without mandatory use reduction.

WATER USE	ELEMENTS OF WATER WARNING ACTIONS
Essential Uses:	Same as stage one.
Water Services Department:	Same as stage one, plus maximization of available groundwater and other emergency supplies. Intensive public education programs. A surcharge may be imposed on all water use, or on only certain uses of water. Expansion of leak detection and repair program and mandatory operational conservation by department personnel.
City Departments:	Stage two implementation of department-specific drought plan which results in mandatory ten percent water use reduction.
Residential:	Voluntary reduction of use with a goal of ten percent. Reduction in voluntary outdoor water use restrictions including every third day watering. Residential plumbing retrofit program may begin distribution of replacement low-consumption toilets to replace older models.
Commercial:	Voluntary site-specific reduction of use by ten percent includes reduction achieved in voluntary outdoor water use restrictions, every third day watering, and plumbing retrofit. Restaurants asked to serve water to customers only on request, display table tents or public notice.
Industrial:	Motivate voluntary reduction of use by ten percent. Includes reduction achieved in voluntary outdoor water use restrictions, every third day watering and plumbing retrofit. Cooling tower blow-down water should be reused to the greatest extent possible.
Landscape Irrigation Existing Installation:	Same as stage one.
Landscape Irrigation New Installation:	Same as stage one.
Golf Course:	Same as stage one.
Swimming Pools:	Same as stage one.
Aesthetics (Fountains, Water Features):	Mandatory turn off and no refill to existing fountains or features which are exterior to the site.
Other Outdoor Uses:	Waste prohibited. Washing of hard surfaces prohibited except washing to alleviate health or fire hazards. Washing personal and commercial vehicles limited to assigned irrigation day with hand-held hose with a positive shut-off valve, bucket or commercial washers. Police asked to step up enforcement of existing Water In Streets ordinance.
Vegetable Gardens:	Same as stage one.
Construction:	Same as stage one.
Plant Nurseries:	Same as stage one.
Flood Irrigation:	Same as stage one.

Stage Three - Water Emergency
The Water Services Director may declare a stage three water emergency when a supply insufficiency has occurred, and stage two water use reduction measures, inter-service area water transfers, water withdrawals from city wells, and other feasible water supply augmentation measures will be insufficient to meet water demands in the service area without further restrictions.

As with previous stages, the director may designate the entire water services area served by the City of Phoenix, or a portion or portions of the service area as affected, in the event the shortage is not system-wide.

Upon implementation by the Water Services Director or designated representative, mandatory water use reduction programs will be implemented and the appropriate surcharge or surcharges will be recalculated and applied to meet the increased regulation and enforcement expenses.

WATER USE ACTIONS	ELEMENTS OF WATER EMERGENCY
Essential Uses:	Same as stage one.
Water Serviced Department:	Same as stage two: Water Warning implementation, plus increased surcharges to meet escalated drought expenses and to motivate increased conservation. Surcharges may be uniform or selective in nature, in keeping with the drought ordinance.
City Departments:	Mandatory ten percent decrease in water consumption.
Residential:	Mandatory restriction on lawn and garden watering. Limit watering to the hours of 8:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., every third day. Increased emphasis on retrofit of all plumbing fixtures, and voluntary changes in water use behavior.
Commercial:	Mandatory restriction of outdoor water use. Mandatory re-evaluation of all water use processes to gain maximum resource efficiency. Continue employee awareness. May ask for voluntary shut down of some operations. Restaurants are required to withhold water service to tables, except upon request from diners.
Industrial:	Mandatory restriction of outdoor water use, as in residential and commercial. Mandatory re-evaluation of all water use processes to gain maximum resource efficiency. Continue employee awareness. May ask for voluntary shut down of some operations.
Landscape Irrigation:	Mandatory restriction on lawn watering, appropriate hours and frequency of watering would be established by the Water Services Department. New installation would be discouraged during drought.
Swimming Pools:	Filling of any new or existing pool or addition of make-up water would be prohibited unless a pool cover is in place, or installed, to retard evaporation. Draining would be made to landscaping, to the sewer clean-out valve or a water truck for useful disposal.
Aesthetics (Fountains, Water Features):	Draining and refilling water features, regardless of water source or location would be prohibited, except by permit, and except those using treated wastewater or non-potable water, and such use is posted. (Permitted features would be regulatory holding areas principally used for large turf irrigation.)
Other Outdoor Uses:	Same as stage two. Personal and commercial vehicles would only be washed at a commercial facility. All water waste would be avoided.
Vegetable Gardens:	Same as stage two.
Construction:	A water service connection for new construction would be approved only if ultra-low flow fixtures and appliances are used for indoor plumbing which are significantly more restrictive than current plumbing code. Landscape must be low water use plant materials, and have a secondary water supply, such as reuse water or gray water. Construction water for consolidation of backfill, dust control, or other uses would be reviewed by the Water Services Department on an individual basis. New fire hydrant use for construction water would be prohibited. Existing permitees shall be subject to random audit and time of day restrictions. Violations of restrictions shall result in loss of permit and possible fines.
Plant Nurseries:	Same as stage two.
Flood Irrigation:	Same as stage two.

Stage Four - Water Crisis
The Water Services Director shall declare stage four water crisis when stage three emergency supply and use reduction programs are insufficient to meet water demand.

Such a declaration, again, may designate the entire water services area served by the City of Phoenix, or a portion or portions of the service area as affected, in the event the shortage is not system-wide. In addition to any other remedy available, the director is authorized to set water prices in the form of a surcharge, or surcharges, adjusted to reduce demand to match available supplies. Stage four programs will be terminated when supplies return to stage three levels.

WATER USE	ELEMENTS OF WATER CRISIS ACTIONS
Essential Uses:	Same as stage one. Uses subject to review, re-evaluation of criticality.
Water Serviced Department:	Implementation of all measures, plus increased surcharges to meet escalating drought expenses and to police increased restrictions. Surcharges may be uniform or selective in nature, in keeping with the drought ordinance.
City Departments:	Mandatory 20 percent decrease in water consumption. Departments subject to water use auditing; loss of connection for violations.
Residential:	Mandatory restriction on lawn and garden watering. Limit watering to the hours of 8:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., every third day. Water waste subject to fines and/or delivery restriction or disconnection.
Commercial:	Mandatory restriction of outdoor water use. May ask for voluntary shut down of some operations. May require and enforce shutdowns or limit hours of use.
Industrial:	Mandatory restriction of outdoor water use, as in residential and commercial. Mandatory re-evaluation of all water use processes and/or exemptions to gain maximum resource efficiency. May ask for voluntary shut down of some operations. May require and enforce shutdowns or limit hours of use.
Landscape Irrigation:	Mandatory restriction on lawn watering, appropriate hours and frequency of watering would be established by the Water Services Department. New landscape installation would be banned.
Swimming Pools:	Filling of any new or existing pool would be prohibited. Addition of make-up water would be prohibited. Draining must be made to landscaping, to the sewer clean-out valve, or a water truck for useful disposal.
Aesthetics (Fountains, Water Features):	Draining and refilling water features, regardless of water source or location would be prohibited. Exception for those using treated wastewater or non-potable water, and such use is posted. (Permitted features would be regulatory holding areas principally used for large turf irrigation.)
Other Outdoor Uses:	Same as stage two. Personal and commercial vehicles would only be washed at a commercial facility. All water waste would be avoided.
Vegetable Gardens:	Same as stage two.
Construction:	A water service connection for new construction would not be approved. Only reuse water or gray water could be used. Signs relating source of water must be strategically placed to gain maximum public exposure. Fire hydrant use for construction water would be prohibited.
Plant Nurseries:	Same as stage two.
Flood Irrigation:	Same as stage two.