What is a Water Shortage Contingency Plan?
Water Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP) is a strategic planning document that prepares a water supplier to respond to drought, water supply shortages, failures of the water distribution system, and other emergencies that could affect the availability of water.
California Water Code Section 1063 requires urban water suppliers to prepare and adopt a WSCP as part of their Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP). An urban water supplier is defined as a water agency serving more than 3,000 service connections or delivering more than 3,000 acre-feet of water annually.
Purissima Hills Water District currently serves approximately 2,201 service connections and is therefore not classified as an urban water supplier under the California Water Code.
However, the District is required to comply with Senate Bill (SB) 552, which requires small water suppliers serving 1,000 to 2,999 service connections to prepare and maintain an abridged Water Shortage Contingency Plan that includes specific drought planning elements.
Although only an abridged plan is required, Purissima Hills Water District has elected to prepare a comprehensive Water Shortage Contingency Plan that not only satisfies the requirements of SB 552 but also incorporates the additional planning elements required of urban water suppliers. This approach enhances the District's preparedness and resilience in responding to future water supply shortages and emergency conditions.
Purpose of the Water Shortage Contingency Plan
The WSCP outlines how the District will respond during actual or anticipated water shortage conditions. Water shortages can result from a variety of factors, including prolonged drought, population growth, climate change, infrastructure failures, regulatory actions, or other natural and human-caused emergencies. A water shortage occurs when the available water supply is insufficient to meet normal customer demand.
The WSCP serves as the District's operational guide for preparing for and responding to these events. By establishing predefined response actions, the plan enables the Board of Directors, District staff, and customers to respond proactively rather than reactively, helping to maintain reliable water service and minimize disruptions during water supply emergencies.