Iowa Administrative Code › Agency 567 - Environmental Protection Commission › Title II - Air Quality › Division C › Chapter 52 - Criteria and Conditions for Authorizing Withdrawal, Diversion and Storage of Water › Rule 567-52.9 - Water Conservation

Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 3, July 24, 2024
(1)
General.
The purpose of water conservation requirements is to
				  preserve the availability of water which is withdrawn for use, as opposed to
				  protected flow provisions in rules
				  567-523.
				  (455B),
				  567-524.
				  (455B), and
				  567-528.
				  (455B) which preserve in stream flows.
Each permit granted after July 1, 1986, including any
					 permit granted to a community public water supply, will include conditions
					 requiring routine (day-to-day) conservation practices and requiring emergency
					 conservation practices after notification by the department. Existing permits
					 may be modified to include conservation conditions pursuant to
					 52.7(1)
"d"
if deemed necessary by the department.
Only general provisions for routine conservation will be
					 included in a permit, unless water is to be withdrawn from a protected water
					 source designated in 567-Chapter 53 which has specific requirements for routine
					 conservation. Permit conditions requiring routine conservation are primarily
					 intended to raise awareness of water usage, develop a preparedness for periods
					 of water shortages, and minimize waste of water.
General conditions involving emergency conservation will
					 be included in all permits. Specific emergency conservation conditions may be
					 included in a water use permit pursuant to subrule 52.9(2). If specific
					 emergency conservation permit conditions are required, they will be based on a
					 water conservation plan developed by the permittee or applicant, in accordance
					 with subrule 52.9(3), and approved by the department.
The purpose of emergency conservation is to minimize
					 consumptive use of water from a source experiencing a temporary shortage.
					 Emergency conservation restrictions will be imposed only when water shortages
					 are imminent or actually exist, in accordance with rule 567-52.10 (455B).
					 Long-term water shortages may be dealt with in the protected source rules,
					 567-Chapter 53.
(2)
Applicability of emergency
				  conservation.
Specific emergency conservation requirements may be made
				  a condition of a water withdrawal permit if the proposed or permitted
				  withdrawal could result in a significant consumptive use of water from a source
				  which is likely to experience a short-term shortage.
Specific emergency conservation requirements will not
					 normally be included in a water use permit under any of the following
					 conditions:
a. The proposed or
				  existing permitted water use involves a consumptive use of less than 25,000
				  gallons per day from any water source during periods of substantial water
				  shortage.
b. The proposed or
				  permitted use is subject to protected stream flow conditions pursuant to rules
				  567-523.
				  (455B),
				  567-524.
				  (455B), and
				  567-528.
				  (455B).
c. The water source for the
				  proposed or permitted use is from a surface water impoundment or purchased
				  storage owned by the applicant or permittee.
d. The proposed or permitted use is unable to
				  conserve water without substantially disrupting or ceasing an essential
				  activity which requires water, such as operating a steam electric generating
				  plant, watering livestock, or operating a commercial laundry.
e. The proposed or permitted withdrawal is
				  from a source of water which is not likely to experience a substantial
				  short-term water shortage including, but not limited to, the Missouri and
				  Mississippi Rivers and adjacent alluvial aquifers, the Jordan Sandstone
				  Aquifer, and the Iowa Great Lakes.
f. The source of water is or will be utilized
				  by only the permitted or proposed water user and withdrawal from the source for
				  the permitted or proposed use has no potential for affecting other water
				  uses.