North Carolina § 143-355 - 8. Regional water supply planning organizations.

§ 143-355. 8. Regional water supply planning organizations.

One or more water systems may establish a water supply planning organization to plan for and coordinate water resource supply and demand on a regional basis. A water supply planning organization may include representatives of local government water systems, water authorities, nongovernmental water systems, and registered water withdrawers. A regional water supply planning organization may do any of the following: Identify sources of raw water supply for regional systems. Identify areas suitable for the development of new regional water sources. Identify opportunities for purchase and sale of water between water systems to meet regional water supply needs. Prepare joint water supply plans. Enter into agreements with the Department for technical assistance in identifying practical alternatives to meet regional water supply needs pursuant to G.S. 143-355.7 or to provide studies in support of a proposed regional water supply project. Support cooperative arrangements between water systems for purchase and sale of water by providing technical assistance and voluntary mediation of disputes concerning water supply. Nothing in this section shall be construed to alter the requirements for obtaining a certificate for an interbasin transfer. History (2011-374, s. 1.2.) Editor's Note. - The preamble to Session Laws 2011-374 provides: "Whereas, S.L. 2007-518 directed the Environmental Review Commission to study the allocation of surface water resources and their availability and maintenance in the State; and "Whereas, pursuant to this directive, the Environmental Review Commission commissioned a study and report on water allocation issues and policy options; and "Whereas, the resulting water allocation report included a recommendation that the State create an expedited regulatory process for the construction of new water supply reservoirs; and "Whereas, the resulting water allocation report found that certain areas of the State, including the Piedmont, are expected to experience significant population growth over the next 30 years and do not have adequate water supplies to support the expected growth; Now, therefore," Session Laws 2011-374, ss. 3.4, 3.5, provide: "3.4. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources shall provide statewide outreach and technical assistance as needed regarding water efficiency, which shall include the development of best management practices for community water efficiency and conservation. These best management practices shall address at least all of the following practices: "(1) Integrating water efficiency and conservation into water supply plans. "(2) Conducting regular water audits to identify revenue and nonrevenue water and water losses. "(3) Adopting water loss abatement programs. "(4) Metering and submetering of existing multiunit residential, commercial, and industrial complexes. "(5) Retrofitting fixtures, equipment, and irrigation systems to make them more water efficient. "(6) Landscaping in a manner that conserves water use and is regionally appropriate. "(7) Employing water reuse practices that include harvesting rainwater and using grey water. "(8) Pricing water to achieve comprehensive conservation and adopting full-cost accounting in line with the recommendation approved by the State Water Infrastructure Commission in November 2010. "3.5. Nothing in Sections 3.1 through 3.4 of this act shall be construed to authorize the adoption of rules to implement those sections. Nothing in Sections 3.1 through 3.4 of this act shall be construed or implemented in a way so as to negatively impact economic development." §§ 143-356, 143-357: Repealed by Session Laws 1983, c. 222, ss. 1, 2.