Virginia Law

A. Each local government within the regional planning area shall provide projections of future water demand to assist in the development of the regional water supply plan. A regional water supply plan shall include projections of future water demand for each local government within the regional planning area in accordance with this section. Population in aggregate and disaggregate formulations should be estimated according to information from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Economic Analysis, the Virginia Employment Commission, or other accepted source of population information, including local or regional sources. Demand projection methodologies should be consistent with those outlined by the department consistent with 9VAC25-780-60. Sources of information and methodologies used in projecting future water demand shall be documented.

B. A regional water supply plan shall estimate water demand within the planning area for 30 years into the future.

C. A regional water supply plan shall include an estimated future water use projected at the beginning of each decade (2010, 2020, 2030, etc.) within the planning period.

D. A regional water supply plan shall include the following projections for community water systems:

1. An estimate of population within the planning area served by each community water system;

2. A map depicting the service area of each existing or proposed community water system;

3. Estimated water demand for each existing or proposed community water system on both an annual average and peak monthly basis;

4. Estimated water demand for each existing or proposed community water system disaggregated into categories of use appropriate for the system. Typical categories may include:

a. Residential use;

b. Commercial institutional and light industrial (CIL) use;

c. Heavy industrial use;

d. Military water use;

e. Water used in water production processes;

f. Unaccounted for losses;

g. Sales to other community water systems and the names of such systems;

h. Subtotals of the categories listed in this subsection for all community water systems; or

i. Projected water demands with and without water conservation pursuant to 9VAC25-780-110 C; and

5. Total projected water demand for all existing or proposed community water systems disaggregated into the categories used in subdivision 4 of this subsection.

E. A regional water supply plan shall include a projection of water demand within the regional planning area on an annual average basis for each existing and any proposed self-supplied nonagricultural user of more than 300,000 gallons in any month of surface water and groundwater.

F. A regional water supply plan shall include a projection of the amount of water use on an annual average basis for each existing and any projected self-supplied agricultural user of more than 300,000 gallons in any month of surface water and groundwater.

G. A regional water supply plan shall include a projection of the number of self-supplied users of less than 300,000 gallons in any month of groundwater and a projection of the amount of water used on an annual average basis.

H. Each local government within the regional planning area shall assist in the development of the regional water supply plan by determining the adequacy of existing water sources to meet current and projected demand by preparing a clear statement of need that is derived from an evaluation of the information required by 9VAC25-780-70 through 9VAC25-780-110. The statement of need shall contain, at a minimum, a determination of whether the existing sources are adequate to meet current and projected demands. If the determination is that existing sources are inadequate to meet current or projected demands during the planning period, each local government shall identify a reasonable range of potential alternative sources of supply to address the shortfall in demand. The list of alternatives shall include:

1. Potential water savings from water demand management actions, including an estimated volume for each action; and

2. Potential sources for new or alternative supplies, including an estimated volume from each source.

I. If any local government in the regional planning area determines that one or more existing sources within its jurisdiction is inadequate to meet projected demands during the planning period, or the regional strategies proposed in 9VAC25-780-125 include the development of new or alternative water sources, the regional water supply plan shall include an alternatives analysis with the following elements:

1. A statement of need that addresses the location, magnitude, and timing of the projected shortfall in demand within the regional planning area;

2. Identification of a reasonable range of alternatives that potentially may satisfy the stated need, including all alternatives identified by a local government under subsection H of this section, and, as appropriate, other (i) water savings from water demand management actions, including an estimated volume for each action; (ii) sources for new water supplies, such as wells, reservoirs, impoundments and stream intakes, or aquifers, and an estimated volume from each source; (iii) nontraditional means of increasing supplies, such as interconnection, desalination, recycling, and reuse; and (iv) cross-jurisdictional regional approaches for shared development of new sources or expanding existing sources;

3. For each alternative to which it applies, a statement of any potential water availability issues identified by the board in the most recent review of the regional water supply plan or the State Water Resources and Supply Plan in accordance with 9VAC25-780-140 G, for each potential new source that any future water project will need to consider in its development; and

4. An assessment of whether the identified alternatives are (i) available and practicable in terms of cost, logistics, and existing technology; (ii) avoid and minimize the need for water to the extent practicable; and (iii) are sufficient to satisfy the need alone or in combination with other short-term or long-term alternatives.

J. A regional water supply plan shall consider, if available, any cumulative demand, use conflict, or in-stream flow information identified by the board in the most recent review of the regional water supply plan or most recent version of the State Water Resources and Supply Plan pursuant to 9VAC25-780-140 G.

K. A regional water supply plan shall explain how the projected needs of domestic consumption, in-stream uses, and economic development have been accounted for in the demand projection for the planning period.