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Water Use Reporting. Rural Water Association of Utah Water Rights Certification. Gary Brimley April 10, 2014. Overview. Water Use Reports = required (most systems) What’s in a water use report Where’s the data Why report How to report Examples. Water Use Reporting.
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Water Use Reporting Rural Water Association of Utah Water Rights Certification Gary Brimley April 10, 2014
Overview • Water Use Reports = required (most systems) • What’s in a water use report • Where’s the data • Why report • How to report • Examples
Water Use Reporting • Reporting is mandatory: • If required by Order of the State Engineer (73-5-8) • or • For community water systems (Division of Drinking Water – Utah Administrative Rule R309-105-15) • or • To obtain loans from Board of Water Resources
Community Water Systems • For Division of Drinking Water Purposes, "Community Water System" (CWS) means a public water system which serves at least 15 service connections used by year-round residents or regularly serves at least 25 year-round residents (UAC 309-110-4) • (Differentiate this with Water Right law 73-1-4) • CWS as defined by DDW must report status of projects, system demands, problems, projects (Division of Water Rights cooperates with DDW)
Order of the State Engineer • The State Engineer generally requires water use reports when use is non-conforming with established diversion duties (for example, uses other than irrigation, domestic, and livestock) • It is standard practice for the State Engineer to include Water Use Reporting as a condition of approval on public water supplier applications • Even if Reporting is not included as a condition of approval on an OSE, it is mandatory for all CWS
Contents of the Report • Storage Inventory (e.g. tanks) • Annual Breakdown of Water Use (e.g. residential, industrial, wholesale transfers out) • Monthly Breakdown of Source Supply (e.g. springs, wells, wholesale transfers in) • Secondary (Irrigation) System Information • Financial Information • Condition of System and Firefighting Capacity • Anticipated Projects
When is the water use data collected? • In January, an online survey logon ID and password are emailed, or a paper form is mailed. • The survey is asking for the monthly breakdown of water usage for the previous year. • Survey is due by March 1st. • A postcard reminder is mailed. • A late letter is mailed (if needed).
The Report Data is Used For… • Summarizing water usage in geographic areas • Showing which individual sources are in use • Proof of beneficial use for water rights • Division of Drinking Water purposes • Division of Water Resources purposes • USGS studies, assessing water supply • Preparation of basin water plans
How the Data is Collected • Water systems keep monthly data • The data is turned in in January via one of two options: online or by paper (mail) • An online logon ID and password are emailed • Or a paper form is mailed
Metering • Each source (e.g. spring, well) needs metering • This is the supply side • Metering of most customers is typical • This is the demand end • Metering each customer is not required • But unmetered water service must be estimated
Electronic Reporting • This method does not result in a paper record. The reporting data is stored and permanently archived only electronically. • When you click “Send Permanent Record,” the system emails the Water Use Reporting specialist (Dana Dredge) saying the data has been entered
Typical System Sources • (Not a comprehensive list) • Streams • Springs • Wells • Reservoir • Drain • Transfer in (wholesale, imported, purchased)
Online Report System Interface • Your Login ID and Key are in the email! • Watch the water units (i.e. right now the only options are acre-feet, barrels, gallons, thousands, and millions of gallons). • Hundreds of gallons is not currently an option. • Does that need to change? • Comment boxes are there for a reason • Estimate carefully when necessary
To be sure… • When entering data, watch the units! • Logging data through the year, watch the units! • (Systems report monthly data once a year – in January) • Estimate, when it’s impossible to read a meter • Make use of the little comment boxes to explain (open and good communication)! • Do give feedback via email to our Water Use Reporting program specialist, Dana Dredge. Then we’ll try to improve the system.
Contact the Report Program Specialist • If you have a problem identifying your sources or correlating them with what is provided on the report form • If some of your system sources are missing • If you’re not sure what is meant by some of the requested report items • If you have feedback – we really would like to improve the form and the program