Current through Register Vol. XLI, No. 43, October 25, 2024
Section 64-3-16 - Source Water Protection Plan Submission Schedules and Watershed Descriptions16.1. The commissioner may organize the public water utilities required to submit Source Water Protection Plans (SWPP) under this rule by watersheds. Grouping the public water utilities in this manner will enhance protection of the public water supply by looking at the potential sources of significant contamination (PSSC) across the entire watershed to protect all downstream uses of water from any contamination occurring upstream.16.2. To better manage the state's streams, the state is divided into 32 HUC-8 watersheds by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection. Those streams are further consolidated into one of five hydrologic regions (Regions 1 - 5). All source water streams that provide intakes for public water utilities are assigned to one of the five regions for purposes of collecting and reviewing the SWPP submitted by public water utilities in each watershed.16.3. The watershed designations are as follows: 16.3.1. Region 1 Watershed - Contains the Upper Ohio North, Upper Ohio South, Middle Ohio North, Middle Ohio South and Little Kanawha HUC-8 watersheds.16.3.2. Region 2 Watershed - Contains the Dunkard, Monongahela, West Fork, Tygart Valley, Cheat and Youghiogheny HUC-8 watersheds.16.3.3. Region 3 Watershed -Contains the North Branch Potomac, South Branch Potomac, Cacapon, Shenandoah Hardy, Potomac Direct Drains and Shenandoah Jefferson HUC-8 watersheds.16.3.4. Region 4 Watershed - Contains the Lower Kanawha, Upper Kanawha, Elk, Gauley, Greenbrier, Coal, Lower New, Upper New, and James HUC-8 watersheds.16.3.5. Region 5 Watershed - Contains the Lower Ohio, Lower Guyandotte, Upper Guyandotte, Big Sandy, Twelvepole and Tug Fork HUC-8 watersheds.16.4. All public water utilities in the Region 1 Watershed are required to submit their SWPP update to the bureau no later than March 1, 2020, and every three years thereafter.16.5. All public water utilities in the Region 2 Watershed are required to submit their SWPP update to the bureau no later than October 1, 2020, and every three years thereafter.16.6. All public water utilities in the Region 3 Watershed are required to submit their SWPP update to the bureau no later than May 1, 2021, and every three years thereafter.16.7. All public water utilities in the Region 4 Watershed are required to submit their SWPP update to the bureau no later than December 1, 2021, and every three years thereafter.16.8. All public water utilities in the Region 5 Watershed, and any public water utilities from the other watersheds that have not previously submitted their SWPP, are required to submit their new or updated SWPP to the bureau no later than July 1, 2022, and every three years thereafter.16.9. The grouping of public water utilities required to submit SWPP to the bureau into regional watersheds is proposed for the efficiency and convenience of the water utilities and the residents served by them. Nothing in this rule prohibits a public water system from submitting its SWPP to the bureau at any time prior to the due date noted above.