AN ACT CONCERNING WATER USAGE AND CONSERVATION DURING DROUGHT CONDITIONS.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. (NEW) (Effective from passage) The Water Planning Council, established pursuant to section 25-33o of the general statutes, shall (1) review state and local authorizations concerning drought events in this state, including, but not limited to, state and local processes and authorities for the issuance of any notices regarding changing drought intensity and any attendant voluntary or mandatory water use restrictions during any such change in drought intensity, and (2) adopt a comprehensive state drought plan based on such review. Not later than February 1, 2019, the Water Planning Council, in accordance with section 11-4a of the general statutes, shall submit a report to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to the environment and public health regarding the state drought plan and any recommendations for legislative changes necessary to implement such plan. The report shall include the council's suggestions for an appropriate interval for updating the state drought plan and the inclusion of the following in such plan: (A) A synthesis of such processes, authorities and water use restrictions, (B) recommendations for the standardization of initiating drought advisories, watches, warnings and emergencies in this state, including, but not limited to, recommendations concerning the appropriate level of reservoir depletion and public drinking water supply depletion for triggering any such advisory, watch, warning or emergency, (C) recommendations for the attendant voluntary and mandatory water use restrictions for any such drought advisory, watch, warning or emergency, including, but not limited to, the implementation of mandatory water use restrictions during any drought advisory or watch, (D) an effective public notification system for any such drought advisory, watch, warning or emergency that utilizes any available Internet web sites and social media of the affected water companies and municipalities where such water companies operate and that recommends the appropriate drought level for use of emergency notification systems as part of such public notification system, and (E) the viability and effectiveness of enforcement mechanisms designed to assure compliance with any mandatory water use restrictions. In undertaking such review, adopting the state drought plan and developing the report pursuant to this section, the Water Planning Council may consult with the advisory group established pursuant to subsection (c) of section 25-33o of the general statutes.