Res 2014-048/2014 submittals to the Texas Water Development Board

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Drought Response Plan for the City of San Marcos, TX 1.0 Introduction Droughts and other uncontrollable circumstances can disrupt availability of water supplies from both ground and surface water sources. Higher consumer demands during drought periods place additional strain on already stressed water supplies. Limitations on the supply of either ground or surface water, or on facilities to pump, treat, store, or distribute water constitute an emergency demand management situation. The objectives of the City of San Marcos Drought Response Plan (the Plan) are to protect water supplies in order to protect human health, safety and welfare, and to minimize adverse impacts caused by drought and other uncontrollable water supply emergencies. The objectives will be achieved through implementation of both voluntary and mandatory demand management measures. The goal of demand management is to reduce non - essential water uses such as landscape irrigation, ornamental fountains and ponds, washing of motor vehicles and washing of impervious surfaces, in order to provide an uninterrupted supply of water for essential uses such as drinking, bathing, sanitation, and fire protection. The San Marcos Emergency Water Demand Management Plan was originally established in 1991 and was revised by the San Marcos City Council in 1994 and 1996. The Plan has been amended several times to provide consistency with guidelines established by applicable state entities including the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), Texas Water Development Board (TWDB), Edwards Aquifer Authority (EAA), and Region L Planning Group. Copies of the current Plan and any future revisions of the Plan will be forwarded to each of these entities. The Plan currently provides for year -round restrictions and four demand management stages, and includes the following elements: • Trigger conditions signaling the start of each drought response stage; • Reduction goals for each drought response stage; • Mandatory demand reduction measures for each stage; and 1