Large Water Users Required to Report to State by June 1
DEP said fewer than 300 are now registered
The State Journal
6 May 2010
Story by Pam Kasey
The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection announced May
6 that large quantity water users must certify their use by June 1.
A large-quantity water user is defined by the state’s Water Resources
Protection and Management Act as any user that withdraws more than
750,000 gallons from surface or ground water in any calendar month.
A survey conducted in 2004-05 identified and registered the state’s
large quantity water users, which now must certify their water use has
not changed.
Fewer than 300 users currently are registered as large quantity users,
according to Mike Stratton, manager of the water use section of WVDEP’s
Division of Water and Waste Management.
The biggest users in the state are electric power generators.
In addition to stationary industrial users, oil and gas well operations
that use large quantities of water for hydraulic fracturing also are
subject to the requirement, Stratton said.
Previously registered stationary users whose use has not changed by
more than 10 percent from the registered use will file a short
certification form.
Stationary industrial users that are new or have changed quantity or
location will re-registered with a year’s worth of monthly data.
And oil and gas hydraulic fracturing operations will report at the
completion of each operation.
Information gathered will assist in the development of a water
resources management plan for the state, as mandated by the Water
Resources Protection and Management Act.
Certification forms must be returned to WVDEP by June 1.
More information on completing forms is available in the Water Use
section WVDEP’s Web site;
visit www.dep.wv.gov/wwe. Or contact Wilma McKown at (304) 926-0499,
ext. 1280 or at wilma.j.mckown@wv.gov.