§ 46-15.3-5.1. Water supply systems management plans.
(a) All parties involved in the supply, transmission, and/or distribution of drinking
water shall prepare, maintain, and carry out a water supply system management plan
as described by this chapter. This requirement applies, without limitations, to:
(1) All municipalities subject to chapter 22.2 of title 45, the Comprehensive Planning and Land Use Regulation Act. The executive summary of
the water supply system management plan including the demand management goals and
plans for water conservation and efficient use of water, of any water supplier providing
service in any municipality, shall be incorporated in the services and facilities
element of the plan for that municipality required by § 45-22.2-6(6);
(2) All municipalities, municipal departments and agencies, districts, authorities or
other entities engaged in or authorized to engage in the supply, treatment, transmission,
or distribution of drinking water on a wholesale or retail basis, referred to herein
as "water suppliers,� which obtain, transport, purchase, or sell more than fifty million (50,000,000) gallons
of water per year.
(b) A water supply system management plan shall be prepared in the format, and shall address
each of the topics, listed in this section, to the extent that each is relevant to
the municipality or water supplier, the water source(s), the water system(s), and
the area served or eligible to be served. Notwithstanding any other provisions of
this chapter, water supply management plans shall be in conformity with all applicable
provisions of the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act [42 U.S.C. § 300f et seq.], chapter 13 of this title, Public Drinking Water Supply, and chapter 14
of this title, Contamination of Drinking Water, as administered by the department
of health. Any other topic of interest may be included.
(c) A water supply system management plan shall include, without limitation, the following
components:
(1) The water supply management component of the water supply system management plan shall
include, without limitation:
(i) A statement of the goals that the plan is designed to achieve, including, but not
limited to, goals for:
(A) Water resource protection;
(B) Demand management, which shall include goals as appropriate for managing peak and
seasonal use of water; and
(C) Supply development as necessary and with consideration of source water availability;
and
(D) System management, including system safety and reliability, infrastructure maintenance,
repair, and reduction of leakage.
(ii) A description of the water system(s) covered, including sources of water, the service
area, present and anticipated future users, and other important characteristics;
(iii) Data collection in a form that can be accepted directly into the Rhode Island Geographic
Information System;
(iv) Demand management measures that will achieve a high level of efficiency in the use
of a limited resource, through the application of metering of one hundred percent
(100%) of the water used; sanitary device retrofit; performance of and compliance
with water use audits for major industrial, commercial, institutional, governmental,
agricultural and other outdoor water users; education and information; and use of
appropriate fees, rates, and charges to influence use demand management measures shall
include such restrictions on use; as may be necessary to meet or exceed targets for
water use, including seasonal use, that are established by the water resources board;
and the water resources board is hereby expressly directed and authorized to establish
and maintain no later than July 31, 2010, by rule targets for water use and methods
for achieving the targets, which shall as appropriate take into account differing
conditions among watershed and water supply areas;
(v) System management measures to insure that the following elements are optimally operated
and maintained, including: leak detection and repair; meter installation and replacement;
and frequency of reading meters. Maintenance or reduction of leakage to stated goals
shall be considered an essential component of system management;
(vi) Supply management measures to insure present and future availability of drinking water
in adequate quantity and quality, including protection of the capacity and quality
of drinking water sources; retaining water sources for standby or future use that
are or can be improved to drinking water quality; reactivation of any water sources
not in use; interconnection of systems for ongoing, standby, or emergency use; supply
augmentation;
(vii) Emergency management, including risk assessment; responses to temporary or permanent
loss of supplies due to natural or manmade causes; extraordinary treatment processes;
interruptions in the delivery system; and contamination of water sources or delivery
systems;
(viii) The water supply system management plans of water suppliers shall document that coordination
has been accomplished with those plans of other suppliers in the vicinity and with
operators of wastewater treatment and disposal facilities serving all or part of the
same area or that a good faith effort to do so has been made. Plans shall be consistent
with applicable local comprehensive plans and shall be integrated into the water supply
plans of the municipality or municipalities in which the service area is or is planned
to be located. Conversely, the local comprehensive plans shall be consistent with
water supply plans;
(ix) Water supply system management plans shall designate the person or organization responsible
for taking each action, others who must participate, and the time period in which
each action is to be taken. The capital, operating, and maintenance cost (if any)
of each action shall be estimated and the anticipated source of funds shall be identified;
(x) Water suppliers subject to this chapter shall utilize methods to implement management
measures necessary to achieve the findings, intent, and objectives of this chapter.
The water supplier may be required to document the validity or effectiveness of any
management measure, implementation method, or other provision or action included in
its plan.
(2) The water quality protection component of the water supply system management plan
shall include, without limitations, those items enumerated in § 46-15.3-7.
(3) The leak detection and repair component of the water supply system management plan
shall include, without limitation:
(i) Methodology for leak detection;
(ii) Detailed program for the conducting of required repairs to the water supply system;
(iii) Impact assessment studies on the ability of the supplier to provide for peak demand
services;
(iv) A priority list of actions for implementing these management measures;
(v) Every supplier of public water encompassed under this section shall conduct periodic
leak detection consistent with stated goals for leakage, however no less frequently
than once every ten (10) years.