Report to the Governor and the State Legislature Regarding the Progress of the Delaware Water Supply Coordinating Council
Date
2000-05-31
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The Water Supply Coordinating Council has made positive progress toward securing additional water supplies in Northern New Castle County. Due to surplus precipitation, water conditions in the streams and aquifers are in the normal range and are significantly better at this time than during the corresponding period one year ago. The Artesian Water Company is working on plans to drill new wells and employ aquifer storage and recovery technology in the coastal plain aquifers north of the C&D Canal. The City of Newark is continuing with plans to build a new reservoir, to build a new water treatment plant at its south wellfield, and to utilize Hoopes Reservoir releases this summer, if necessary, to improve the reliability of its White Clay Creek intake. The City of Wilmington has a reliable water supply and is self sufficient to meet peak demands in its system under current regulatory conditions. The City is moving forward to conduct a dam safety inspection of Hoopes Reservoir. The City has also developed a draft Water Supply Operating Plan to access storage in its Hoopes Reservoir. United Water Delaware is working to secure additional interconnections from other water purveyors, evaluate new reservoir options near its Stanton facilities, and implement a chloride monitoring plan which will prevent elevated salt levels in drinking water during drought. Several of these water supply
options have been implemented and are now available to meet peak demands should an extended dry period occur this summer.
Of statewide significance, Senate Bill 370 was introduced on May 18, 2000 which would transfer the authority for awarding water supply service areas from the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) to the Public Service Commission (PSC).