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Water Shortage Response Plan
The City of Port Angeles has developed a Water Shortage Response Plan to help manage water use during times when water is in short supply. A short supply of water might occur during periods of seasonal drought, or if something unexpected affects the City's water system infrastructure, such as a major transmission pipeline break or treatment plant shutdown.
The City's Water Shortage Response Plan implements Port Angeles Municipal Code Ch. 14.36.
This plan provides five stages of response based on increasing severity to deal with seasonal droughts and infrastructure failure.
STAGE 1: INTERNAL PREPARATIONS
Water Shortage is Anticipated
When a water shortage is anticipated, but not imminent, the City Manager declares a Stage 1 Water Shortage. This action alerts City departments that a public promotion campaign of above normal conservation measures may be necessary in the near future. The situation will be reviewed on a day-by-day basis.
What are the City's objectives?
The City aims to prepare its departments for a potential water shortage, thereby allowing all parties adequate planning and coordination time.
What are the triggers for this stage?
There are a variety of weather and other conditions that may cause concern about water availability and the potential water storage. The City will enter this stage if supply conditions and supply forecasts raise significant concerns about the utility’s ability to meet supply needs later in the year.
What happens?
- The City initiates planning and preparation for voluntary conservation actions, including communicating to departments and wholesale customers.
- The City increases its data collection and monitors weather forecasts.
- The City assesses water quality in its reservoirs and distribution system, as well as current water main flushing and reservoir cleaning activities.
STAGE 2: VOLUNTARY CONSERVATION
Water Shortage is Serious
When immediate voluntary reductions in consumption are necessary, the City Manager will declare a Stage II Water Shortage.
What are the City's objectives?
- Continue internal communications, and initiate communication with other public agencies, allowing all parties time for adequate planning and coordination.
- Take necessary supply management actions to optimize available supply.
- Maintain the Washington State quality drinking water standards.
What are the triggers for this stage?
This "Voluntary Conservation" stage is reviewed based on an assessment of the following factors:
- Supply conditions have not improved, or have worsened;
- Demand levels need to be reduced given supply conditions; and
- Flows in the Elwha River have been 400 cubic feet per second (cfs) or less for three consecutive days for seasonal drought.
What happens?
This stage relies on voluntary conservation. A campaign will begin to educate the public on voluntary water conservation measures and prepare customers for possible increased water restrictions in the future. Some recommended voluntary conservation actions include:
- Installing low-flow showerheads and faucets (available for free upon request at City Hall).
- Reducing frequency and volume of lawn watering, and limiting watering to early morning or evenings.
- Collecting a rebating for installing water-efficient toilets, rain barrels, watering timers, and soil moisture meters.
- Reducing car washing frequency.
- Operating dishwashers and clothes washers only when full.
The City will continue actions listed under Stage I Internal Preparations, including the monitoring of drinking water quality.
STAGE 3: OUTDOOR RESTRICTIONS
Water Shortage is Critical
When water supplies are critically impacted and the demand must be reduced, the City Council declares a Stage 3 Water Shortage.
What are the City's objectives?
- Achieve target consumption reduction goals by restricting defined water uses. This includes filling all reservoirs to their maximum allowable capacity on a daily basis.
- Ensure that adequate water supply is available for the duration of the situation to protect public health and safety, and to balance the need for stream flow requirements for instream resources, including fish habitat.
- Minimize the disruption to customer’s lives and businesses while meeting target consumption goals.
- Maintain the Washington State quality drinking water standards.
- Promote equity among customers by establishing clear restrictions that affect all.
What are the triggers?
This “Outdoor Restriction Stage” will be implemented if supply conditions have not improved, or the level of the demand needs to be further reduced.
What happens?
- Odd-Even voluntary sprinkling restrictions are implemented.
- Intensive public information is necessary to stabilize the water shortage without becoming an emergency.
- The City continues the actions listed under Stage I, including the monitoring drinking water quality to ensure the water supply and demand management strategies will not result in unacceptable drinking water quality.
STAGE 4: MANDATORY OUTDOOR RESTRICTIONS AND INDOOR CONSERVATION
Water Shortage is an Emergency
When emergency conditions exist and the maximum reduction of water consumption is immediately required, the City Council declares a Stage 4 Water Shortage. This stage could be implemented due to infrastructure failure or extremely low river water levels.
What are the City's objectives?
- Achieve target consumption reduction goals by restricting defined water uses.
- Ensure that adequate water supply is available for the duration of the situation to protect public health and safety, and to balance the need for stream flow requirements for instream resources, including fish habitat.
- Maintain the Washington State quality drinking water standards.
- Promote equity among customers by establishing clear restrictions that affect all.
What are the triggers?
The “Mandatory Outdoor Restrictions and Indoor Conservation Stage” will be implemented if supply conditions have not improved, or the level of demand needs to be further reduced.
What happens?
- Only essential water uses are allowed.
- Lawn watering and car washing are not allowed.
- A water patrol may be instituted to patrol neighborhoods between the critical hours of 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. for violators. Notices will be issued to correct violations. Water irrigation meters will be shut off as authorized.
- The City will continue the actions listed under the previous stages, including the monitoring drinking water quality to ensure the water supply and demand management strategies will not result in unacceptable drinking water quality.
STAGE 5: WATER RATIONING
Water Shortage is a Regional Disaster or Infrastructure Failure
The City Council declares an Extreme Water Shortage and implements water rationing (Stage 5). Emergency water distribution may be necessary for customers without water. The City and other public agencies recognize that a critical water situation exists and that, without additional actions, a shortage of water for public health and safety is imminent. This Stage is reserved for a failure of the water system. Decision required on whether to open the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) for information dissemination and message control.
What are the City's objectives?
Strive to meet the water use goals established for this stage, recognizing that customers’ lives and businesses may be significantly impacted in order to achieve necessary water savings.
What are the triggers for this stage?
A major water system failure has occurred, the water savings needed to ensure sufficient water is available for public health and safety, are not being achieved, or conditions have worsened, therefore, immediate and more stringent measures are needed.
What happens?
- Water is to be used for health and emergency purposes only. The public will be advised to prepare for emergency rationing of water.
- The City will continue actions listed in prior stages, including the monitoring of drinking water quality and maintaining of Washington State quality drinking water standards.