A joint meeting of the Policy and Priority Committee and the Monitoring and Assessment Committee was held from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm (EDT) in Conference Room C of the IGCS in Indianapolis. The following is a brief summary of committee updates, discussion/presentation items, and an overview of the upcoming June 15, 2007, task force meeting agenda:

Committee Updates:

1) Carlton Curry; Chairman, Policy and Priority Committee

Discussion/Presentation Items:

1) PowerPoint presentation of the Development and Implementation of Texas’ Water Shortage and Drought Planning Efforts [acrobat PDF version] by Bill Mullican of the Texas Water Development Board.

2) Review of draft Indiana Suggested Ordinance for water conservation/restriction during a water shortage.

• Suggested revisions of existing draft ordinance by Carlton Curry discussed.
• Water conservation should be encouraged by rate structure, etc.
• Will communities “buy in” to conservation and rationing?
• Education is important part of water conservation.
• What is the “trigger” for drought declaration, and how will it be implemented?
• Review and proposed revisions of the existing draft ordinance by the task force to be provided to DNR by June 8, 2007.

3) Review of working draft of Glossary of Terms to be provided to DNR at June 15, 2007 task force meeting.

4) Procedures to monitor, assess, and inform the public regarding water shortage events to be discussed at June 15, 2007, task force meeting.

Upcoming Task Force Meeting

1) Water Shortage Task Force Meeting scheduled for June 17, 2007, from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm (EDT) in Conference Room B of the IGCS.