SB523: Bill Text

SB523,64,18 (t) "Straddling community" means any city, village, or town that is partly within the Great Lakes basin or partly within the watersheds of 2 of the Great Lakes and that is wholly within any county that lies partly or completely within the Great Lakes basin.

SB523,64,20 (w) "Water dependent natural resources" means the interacting components of land, water, and living organisms affected by the waters of the Great Lakes basin.

SB523,64,23 (wm) "Water loss" means the amount of water that is withheld from or not returned to the basin from which it is withdrawn as a result of an interbasin transfer or consumptive use or both.

SB523,64,25 (wr) "Water utility" means a public utility, as defined in s. 196.01 (5), that furnishes water.

SB523,65,3 (x) "Waters of the Great Lakes basin" means the Great Lakes and all streams, rivers, lakes, connecting channels, and other bodies of water, including tributary groundwater, within the Great Lakes basin.

SB523,65,4 (y) "Withdraw" means to take water from surface water or groundwater.

SB523,65,7 (z) "Withdrawal" means the taking of water from surface water or groundwater, including the taking of surface water or groundwater for the purpose of bottling the water.

SB523,65,11 (2) Determinations concerning applicability of requirements. (a) Use of surface water divide. For the purposes of this section, the surface water divide is used to determine whether a withdrawal or transfer of surface water or groundwater is from the Great Lakes basin.

SB523,65,15 (b) Transfers and withdrawals from more than one source. For the purposes of this section, the interbasin transfer or withdrawal of water from more than one source within the Great Lakes basin to supply a common distribution system is considered one interbasin transfer or withdrawal.

SB523,65,17 (c) Water loss. The department shall promulgate rules for determining the amount of water loss from consumptive uses.

SB523,65,20 (d) County boundaries. For the purposes of sub. (1) (d) and (t), a county's boundaries as of December 13, 2005, shall be used to determine whether a county lies partly within the Great Lakes basin.

SB523,66,3 (3) Statewide registration and reporting. (a) 1. Any person who, on the first day of the 36th month beginning after the effective date of this subdivision .... [revisor inserts date], or, for a withdrawal from the Great Lakes basin, on the compact's effective date if that is sooner, has a water supply system with the capacity to make a withdrawal from the waters of the state averaging 100,000 gallons per day or more in any 30-day period or is making any interbasin transfer shall register the withdrawal or interbasin transfer with the department by the deadline specified by the department by rule.

SB523,66,15 2. Any person who, after the first day of the 36th month beginning after the effective date of this subdivision .... [revisor inserts date], or, if the withdrawal is from the Great Lakes basin, on the compact's effective date if that is sooner, proposes to begin a withdrawal from the waters of the state using a water supply system that will have the capacity to withdraw an average of 100,000 gallons per day or more in any 30-day period, to increase the capacity of a water supply system that existed on the first day of the 36th month beginning after the effective date of this subdivision .... [revisor inserts date], or, if the withdrawal is from the Great Lakes basin, on the compact's effective date if that is sooner, so that it will have the capacity to withdraw an average of 100,000 gallons per day or more in any 30-day period, or to begin an interbasin transfer shall register the withdrawal or interbasin transfer with the department.

SB523,66,17 (b) A person to whom par. (a) applies shall register on a form prescribed by the department and provide all of the following information:

SB523,66,18 1. The name and address of the registrant and the date of registration.

SB523,66,19 2. The locations and sources of the withdrawal or interbasin transfer.

SB523,66,21 3. The daily capacity of the withdrawal or interbasin transfer and the daily capacity to withdraw or transfer from each source.

SB523,66,23 4. An estimate of the volume of the withdrawal or interbasin transfer in terms of gallons per day average in any 30-day period.

SB523,66,24 5. The uses made of the water.

SB523,66,25 6. The places at which the water is used.

SB523,67,1 7. The places at which any of the water is discharged.

SB523,67,2 8. Whether the water use is continuous or intermittent.

SB523,67,3 9. Whether the person holds a permit under s. 283.31.

SB523,67,4 10. Other information required by the department by rule.

SB523,67,6 (c) The department shall maintain a registry containing the information provided under par. (b).

SB523,67,9 (cm) The department may consider domestic security concerns when determining whether information regarding locations of withdrawals and interbasin transfers contained in the registry under par. (c) may be released to the public.

SB523,67,16 (e) 1. Each person who makes a withdrawal from the waters of the state that averages 100,000 gallons per day or more in any 30-day period or transfers from the Great Lakes basin any amount and who has registered the withdrawal or interbasin transfer under par. (a) shall annually report to the department the monthly volumes of withdrawal, whether the person ever withdraws at least 1,000,000 gallons per day for 30 consecutive days, and, if applicable, the volumes of interbasin transfer and, subject to par. (em), water loss from consumptive use.

SB523,67,20 2. In addition to the information required under subd. 1., the department may, by rule, create different reporting frequencies or require additional information from a person who registers a withdrawal, or interbasin transfer under par. (a) based upon the type or category of water use.

SB523,68,2 (em) 1. Except as provided in subd. 2., if a person to whom par. (e) 1. applies provides any of the water that the person withdraws to a public water supply system, the person who operates the public water supply system, rather than the person who withdraws the water, shall annually report to the department the volume of water loss from the consumptive use of the water provided to the public water supply system.

SB523,68,7 2. A person who operates a wastewater treatment system, rather than the person who withdraws the water or who operates a public water supply system, shall annually report to the department the volume of water loss from a consumptive use of water that occurs after the treatment of the wastewater by the person who operates the wastewater treatment system.

SB523,68,9 (f) The department may require additional information under par. (b) 10. or (e) 2. only if the information is necessary to effectuate this section.

SB523,68,13 (3e) Determining initial interbasin transfer amounts. (a) Before issuing an automatic approval under sub. (3m) for an interbasin transfer to a person operating a public water supply system, the department shall determine the initial interbasin transfer amount for the interbasin transfer under this subsection.

SB523,68,18 (b) The department shall determine the initial interbasin transfer amount under this subsection for a public water supply system to be the amount of water necessary to provide water for public water supply purposes in the area in at least part of which the public water supply system delivers water to customers before the compact's effective date that is all of the following:

SB523,68,19 1. Outside of the Great Lakes basin.

SB523,68,23 2. Within a sewer service territory that provides for return of wastewater to the Great Lakes basin and that is specified in the sewer service area provisions of an areawide water quality management plan under s. 283.83 approved by the department before December 31, 2007.

SB523,69,3 (c) The department shall use the population and related service projections in the sewer service area provisions described in par. (b) 2. in making the determination under par. (b).

SB523,69,16 (3m) Automatic approval for existing interbasin transfers. Before the compact's effective date, the department shall automatically issue an approval for an interbasin transfer that begins before the compact's effective date, to a person who operates a public water supply system that receives water from the interbasin transfer and that delivers water to customers in an area that is outside of the Great Lakes basin and that is within a sewer service territory that provides for return of wastewater to the Great Lakes basin as specified in the sewer service area provisions of an areawide water quality management plan under s. 283.83 approved by the department before December 31, 2007. The department may not issue an automatic approval before the interbasin transfer begins. In the automatic approval, the department shall specify an interbasin transfer amount equal to the amount determined under sub. (3e) and an interbasin transfer area that is the area described in sub. (3e) (b).

SB523,69,18 (4) New or increased interbasin transfers. (a) Prohibition. Beginning on the effective date of this paragraph .... [revisor inserts date], all of the following apply:

SB523,69,22 1. No person may begin an interbasin transfer, other than an interbasin transfer for which the department is required to issue an automatic permit under sub. (3m), unless the interbasin transfer is covered by an approval under par. (c), (d), or (e).

SB523,69,25 2. No person may increase an interbasin transfer over the interbasin transfer amount in an approval issued under this subsection unless the department modifies the approval under par. (c), (d), or (e) to increase the interbasin transfer amount.

SB523,70,5 3. No person may increase an interbasin transfer over the interbasin transfer amount in an approval issued under sub. (3m) or expand the interbasin transfer area beyond the area specified in an approval under sub. (3m) unless the department modifies the approval under par. (c), (d), or (e) to increase the interbasin transfer amount or to expand the interbasin transfer area.

SB523,70,9 (b) Application. 1. A person who proposes to begin an interbasin transfer, increase the amount of an interbasin transfer, or expand the interbasin transfer area of an interbasin transfer covered by an approval issued under sub. (3m) shall apply to the department for approval.

SB523,70,13 2. A person may apply under subd. 1. for approval of a new, increased, or expanded interbasin transfer under par. (c) or (e) only if the person operates a public water supply system that receives or would receive water from the new, increased, or expanded interbasin transfer.

SB523,70,16 3. Operators of 2 or more public water supply systems may submit a joint application under subd. 1. for a new, increased, or expanded interbasin transfer under par. (c) or (e).

SB523,70,20 4. A person who applies under subd. 1. shall provide information about the potential impacts of the interbasin transfer on the waters of the Great Lakes basin and water dependent natural resources and any other information required by the department by rule.

SB523,70,24 4m. If a person who applies under subd. 1. will not directly withdraw the water proposed to be transferred, the person shall identify the entity that will withdraw the water and provide evidence of any agreement necessary to obtain water from that entity.

SB523,71,4 4p. If the person who applies under subd. 1. will not directly return the water to the Great Lakes basin, the person shall identify the entity that will return the water and provide evidence of any agreement necessary to have that entity return the water.

SB523,71,12 4s. If the proposal for which a person applies under subd. 1. is subject to the exception standard under par. (f), the person shall provide documentation of how the physical, chemical, and biological integrity of the receiving water under par. (f) 3. will be protected and sustained as required under ss. 30.12, 281.15, and 283.31, considering the state of the receiving water before the proposal is implemented. If the receiving water is a surface water body that is tributary to one of the Great Lakes, the person shall include a description of the flow of the receiving water before the proposal is implemented, considering both low and high flow conditions.

SB523,71,16 5. If the proposal for which a person applies under subd. 1. is subject to the exception standard under par. (f), the person shall provide an assessment of the individual impacts of the proposal for the purposes of par. (f) 5. The person may also include a cumulative impact assessment.

SB523,71,18 (bg) Determinations. 1. The department shall determine whether a proposal under par. (b) is subject to par. (c) or (e) as follows:

SB523,71,21 a. If the proposal is to provide a public water supply within a single city, village, or town, the proposal is subject to par. (c) or (e) based on the boundaries of that city, village, or town.

SB523,72,2 b. If the proposal is to provide a public water supply within more than one city, village, or town, any portion of the proposal that provides a public water supply within a straddling community is subject to par. (c) and any portion of the proposal that provides a public water supply within a community within a straddling county is subject to par. (e).

SB523,72,8 2. For the purposes of applying the requirements in pars. (c), (e), and (f) to a proposal under par. (b), the department shall use, as appropriate, the planned service area of the public water supply system receiving water under the proposal. The planned service area is the service area of the system at the end of any planning period authorized by the department in the approved water supply service area plan under s. 281.348 that covers the public water supply system.

SB523,72,14 (c) Straddling communities. The department may approve a proposal under par. (b) to begin an interbasin transfer, increase an interbasin transfer, or expand an interbasin transfer area, to an area within a straddling community but outside the Great Lakes basin or outside the source watershed if the water transferred will be used solely for public water supply purposes in the straddling community and all of the following apply:

SB523,72,17 1. An amount of water equal to the amount of water withdrawn from the Great Lakes basin, less an allowance for consumptive use, will be returned to the source watershed.

SB523,72,19 2. No surface water or groundwater from outside the source watershed will be returned to the source watershed unless all of the following apply:

SB523,72,21 a. The returned water will be from a water supply or wastewater treatment system that combines water from inside and outside the Great Lakes basin.

SB523,72,24 b. The returned water will be treated to meet applicable permit requirements under s. 283.31 and to prevent the introduction of invasive species into the Great Lakes basin.

SB523,73,4 c. The proposal maximizes the amount of water withdrawn from the Great Lakes basin that will be returned to the source watershed and minimizes the amount of water from outside the Great Lakes basin that will be returned to the source watershed.

SB523,73,6 2m. The proposal is consistent with an approved water supply service area plan under s. 281.348 that covers the public water supply system.

SB523,73,9 3. If the proposal would result from a new withdrawal or an increase in a withdrawal that would average 100,000 gallons or more per day in any 90-day period, the proposal meets the exception standard under par. (f).

SB523,73,17 (d) Intrabasin transfer. 1. The department may approve a proposal under par. (b) for a new intrabasin transfer or an increase in an intrabasin transfer to which par. (c) does not apply that would average less than 100,000 gallons per day in every 90-day period, if the proposal meets the applicable requirements under s. 30.18, 281.34, or 281.41 or, if those sections do not apply, any requirements specified by the department by rule and, if the water will be used for public water supply purposes, the proposal is consistent with an approved water supply service area plan under s. 281.348 that covers the public water supply system.

SB523,73,22 2. The department may approve a proposal under par. (b) for a new intrabasin transfer or an increase in or expansion of an intrabasin transfer to which par. (c) does not apply that would average more than 100,000 gallons per day in any 90-day period with a new water loss or an increase in water loss that would average less than 5,000,000 gallons per day in every 90-day period, if all of the following apply:

SB523,73,25 a. The proposal meets the exception standard under par. (f), except that the water may be returned to a watershed within the Great Lakes basin other than the source watershed and par. (f) 3m. does not apply.

SB523,74,4 b. The applicant demonstrates that there is no feasible, cost-effective, and environmentally sound water supply alternative within the watershed to which the water will be transferred, including conservation of existing water supplies as determined under par. (g).

SB523,74,7 c. If the water will be used for public water supply purposes, the proposal is consistent with an approved water supply service area plan under s. 281.348 that covers the public water supply system.

SB523,74,11 3. The department may approve a proposal under par. (b) for a new intrabasin transfer or an increase in an intrabasin transfer to which par. (c) does not apply with a new water loss or an increase in water loss that would average 5,000,000 gallons per day or more in any 90-day period, if all of the following apply:

SB523,74,12 a. The proposal meets the exception standard under par. (f).

SB523,74,16 b. The applicant demonstrates that there is no feasible, cost-effective, and environmentally sound water supply alternative within the watershed to which the water will be transferred, including conservation of existing water supplies as determined under par. (g).

SB523,74,19 c. If the water will be used for public water supply purposes, the proposal is consistent with an approved water supply service area plan under s. 281.348 that covers the public water supply system.

SB523,74,23 (e) Straddling counties. 1. The department may approve a proposal under par. (b) for a new interbasin transfer or an increase in an interbasin transfer if the water transferred will be used solely for public water supply purposes in a community within a straddling county and all of the following apply:

SB523,75,2 a. The community does not have a water supply that is economically and environmentally sustainable in the long term to meet reasonable demands for a water supply, based on considerations of public health, economic feasibility, and direct and avoided environmental impacts.

SB523,75,3 b. The proposal meets the exception standard under par. (f).

SB523,75,7 c. The proposal maximizes the amount of water withdrawn from the Great Lakes basin that will be returned to the source watershed and minimizes the amount of water from outside the Great Lakes basin that will be returned to the source watershed.

SB523,75,10 d. There is no reasonable water supply alternative within the watershed in which the community is located, including conservation of existing water supplies as determined under par. (g).

SB523,75,13 e. The proposal will not endanger the integrity of the Great Lakes basin ecosystem based upon a determination that the proposal will have no significant adverse impact on the Great Lakes basin ecosystem.

SB523,75,15 em. The proposal is consistent with an approved water supply service area plan under s. 281.348 that covers the public water supply system.

SB523,75,20 2. In determining whether to approve a proposal under this paragraph, the department shall give substantive consideration to whether the applicant provides sufficient scientifically based evidence that the existing water supply is derived from groundwater that is hydrologically interconnected to waters of the Great Lakes basin.

SB523,75,22 (f) Exception standard. A proposal meets the exception standard if all of the following apply:

SB523,75,25 1. The need for the proposed interbasin transfer cannot reasonably be avoided through the efficient use and conservation of existing water supplies as determined under par. (g).

SB523,76,2 2. The interbasin transfer is limited to quantities that are reasonable for the purposes for which the interbasin transfer is proposed.

SB523,76,5 3. An amount of water equal to the amount of water withdrawn from the Great Lakes basin will be returned to the source watershed, less an allowance for consumptive use.

SB523,76,8 3m. The place at which the water is returned to the source watershed is as close as practicable to the place at which the water is withdrawn, unless the applicant demonstrates that returning the water at that place is one of the following:

SB523,76,9 a. Not economically feasible.

SB523,76,10 b. Not environmentally sound.

SB523,76,11 c. Not in the interest of public health.

SB523,76,13 4. No water from outside the Great Lakes basin will be returned to the source watershed unless all of the following apply:

SB523,76,15 a. The returned water is from a water supply or wastewater treatment system that combines water from inside and outside the Great Lakes basin.

SB523,76,18 b. The returned water will be treated to meet applicable permit requirements under s. 283.31 and to prevent the introduction of invasive species into the Great Lakes basin and the department has approved the permit under s. 283.31.