Indiana Water Shortage Plan/
Annex 2001/Great Lakes Compact

Briefing Paper

Background:

The Indiana Water Shortage Task force is comprised of 10 members from a variety of key users, experts and stakeholders. AWWA member Bill Etzler (Aqua Indiana, Inc.) represents public water supply utilities. The task force is meeting to:

• Prepare water withdrawal status report
• Establish procedures in the event of a water shortage
• Recommend policy on baseline flow for in-stream uses and water conservation
• Encourage local government to establish water-use priorities during drought and publicize need for conservation and drought-preparedness

Requirements of the Indiana Water Shortage Plan will be tied to any measures put in place by the state related to Annex 2001. Governor Daniels has said that any measures put in place for the Great Lakes will apply to the entire state, making this an issue of interest for all utilities.

Action: This will likely not be presented as legislation until 2008. The EQSC will continue to review and discuss; please be aware of this issue and that the decisions made in the Great Lakes Compact will almost certainly have long-lasting effects on Indiana’s water utilities. Please advise your legislators that AWWA is the authoritative drinking water resources, so they can rely on you for information on the subject.

For more information:

Great Lakes Commission site, Great Lakes Basin Compact

DNR web site for all things water availability related

Indiana’s Water Shortage Plan