House committee eyes tougher drought measures

RALEIGH - Cities with ample water supplies like Burlington could be required to sell some of their surplus water to neighboring towns during droughts under a bill being considered by a House committee.

The bill would allow the governor to declare a "water shortage emergency" if the secretary of environment and natural resources determines that because of lack of water in an area, the needs of human consumption, sanitation and public safety require emergency action.

Currently, the governor has the power to require cities to share water if a more serious health emergency is declared.

State Rep. Cary Allred, R-Alamance, said he thinks the requirement is unnecessary.

"I think it's Chicken Little; I think it's the sky is falling mentality," Allred said. "I would not want to force cities to do that."

Allred said that cities such as Burlington, Graham and Mebane should be able to decide for themselves whether to share water with other cities.

The supplying city would be able to charge the receiving system the retail rate for water plus any additional costs related to laying pipes and treating the water.

Such an emergency would be in effect for up to 30 days. However, the governor could declare successive emergencies upon recommendation by the secretary of environment and natural resources.

The House Environment and Natural Resources committee got its first look at the bill on Thursday. The committee took no action and plans to meet again next week to consider questions and complaints.

The bill also sets up more reporting requirements for governments and companies that operate water systems, a move that is aimed at giving drought monitors more accurate information on how water is being used.

It would allow local governments to limit the use of private groundwater wells for lawn and landscape irrigation as well as require people getting their water from water systems to have separate water meters for in-ground irrigation systems.

Water system authorities in areas with an extreme drought would be required to implement water conservation measures to achieve a 10 percent reduction in use. Areas in the more serious "exceptional" drought could be required to reduce water consumption by 20 percent.

The bill sponsor, Rep. Pryor Gibson, D-Anson, said it's important that lawmakers "have a grown-up discussion" about drought measures.

"I'm absolutely sure we've got to pass something that has some teeth in it," Gibson said.

Joseph Coletti, policy analyst at the conservative John Locke Foundation, said the proposal had shortcomings. He said that it focuses on rules rather than on allowing market forces to help propel conservation.

When cities use non-market forces, they often end up having to raise water prices anyway, he said.

"It erodes trust from the consumer perspective," Coletti said.